# For likers/lovers of Prokofiev Symphony No. 1



## Guest (Jun 10, 2020)

I can't find a thread on this, so thought I'd start one.

I've just been listening to BBC Radio 3's Record Review where the three recordings vying for first place were Solti/Chicago, Abbado/COE and Temirkanov/St Petersburg.

The reviewer (a Russian-born Brit, Marina Frolova-Walker) finally went for the Temirkanov. I would have gone for the Abbado, which gets closer to what Prokofiev had to say about his finale.



> I found the movement extraordinarily easy to write, and the only thing I was concerned with was that its gaiety might border on the indecently irresponsible. But in the first place it never actually crosses this line, and in the second, this kind of finale is quite appropriate to Mozartian style.


Of the symphony as a whole, he said,



> "When our classically inclined musicians and professors (to my mind _faux_-classical) hear this symphony, they will be bound to scream in protest at this new example of Prokofiev's insolence," he opined to his diary. "[L]ook how he will not let even Mozart lie quiet in his grave but must come prodding at him with his grubby hands, contaminating the pure classical pearls with horrible Prokofievish dissonances," he imagined them saying. "But my true friends will see that the style of my symphony is precisely Mozartian classicism and will value it accordingly, while the public will no doubt just be content to hear happy and uncomplicated music which it will, of course, applaud."


https://houstonsymphony.org/prokofiev-classical-symphony/

What's your favourite recording, and what do you think of gaiety "bordering on the indecently irresponsible" (in the musical sense!)


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## Kiki (Aug 15, 2018)

Gaiety, sure, but I'm not so sure about "bordering on the indecently irresponsible". I don't know under what circumstances Prokofiev said that, but I believe when composers try to sell their works, like all entrepreneurs, what they say is not always what they mean.

I have both the Solti and the Abbado, but not the Temirkanov. The Solti is exciting, and relatively fast. But the let down is the rare, horrifying Decca recording, which is squeaky and overly pushed at the top end. It sounds the same on both the original LP and CD releases (I have both). The Abbado is also exciting but more sensible. It does not push as much. It also has an equally rare, vibrant recording from DG.

If I have to choose a favourite, it would probably be Karajan. Smooth and beautiful is not the point here. It is the chamber quality and the extreme contrast in dynamics (magnificent pianissimo btw) that makes it so addictive.

Then there is Rozhdestvensky. I think of Prokofiev 1 as a happy symphony. In Rozh’s hands, it is a mental symphony. The first movement is completely nuts. (The rest are more normal, relatively speaking). But listen to it a few times and one may get used to it. It is rather entertaining.

I need to give the whole Košler set more listening time. In my memory, his Prokofiev 1 is fun. Another fun one is Ashkenazy/SydneySO, but the congested sound is very unlike Exton.

I have a few others… They range from grand to harmless to pedestrian.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

I have both Temirkanov and Abbado and like them both well enough. Between the two of them I think I prefer Abbado. My favourite, though, is surely Rozhdestvensky from his Prokofiev symphony set with the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra. If you haven't heard it try to seek it out.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Great music, harder than heck to play well. Often ruined by too fast tempos.

Best: Ormandy/Sony. Those fabulous Philadelphia strings and winds just nail it. The 60 year old recording still sounds great.
Next: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra on DG. Flawless playing and without a conductor.
Then: Efrem Kurtz on EMI. A delight start to finish. Kurtz is largely forgotten nowadays, but he sure knew the Russian repertoire.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

mbhaub said:


> Then: Efrem Kurtz on EMI. A delight start to finish. Kurtz is largely forgotten nowadays, but he sure knew the Russian repertoire.


There's a name I haven't heard in ages. I can still picture in my mind some of his LP covers. Yes, he was good!


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## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

mbhaub said:


> Great music, harder than heck to play well. Often ruined by too fast tempos.
> 
> Best: Ormandy/Sony. Those fabulous Philadelphia strings and winds just nail it. The 60 year old recording still sounds great.
> Next: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra on DG. Flawless playing and without a conductor.
> Then: Efrem Kurtz on EMI. A delight start to finish. Kurtz is largely forgotten nowadays, but he sure knew the Russian repertoire.


Orpheus C.O. also gets my vote.......wonderful!

There is something in their performance and recording I seem unable to find anywhere else!

I sqaw the Classical performed by the Royal Northern Sinfonia.....conducted by Lars Vogt, he appeared to be enjoying himself so much during the final movement he turned to the audience with an almost manic smile on his face...


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

My vote would go to Abbado/COE, for its overall clarity, bounce and exuberant ending, but there are lots of good recordings. I’ve not heard the Temirkanov but will make a point to listen. I agree about the Rozhdestvensky; manic and forceful, but refreshing.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

^ Manic and forceful? Wow - not how I hear it! We both like it but hear different things in it.


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## Simplicissimus (Feb 3, 2020)

mbhaub said:


> Great music, harder than heck to play well. Often ruined by too fast tempos.
> 
> Best: Ormandy/Sony. Those fabulous Philadelphia strings and winds just nail it. The 60 year old recording still sounds great.
> Next: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra on DG. Flawless playing and without a conductor.
> Then: Efrem Kurtz on EMI. A delight start to finish. Kurtz is largely forgotten nowadays, but he sure knew the Russian repertoire.


I also like Ormandy/Philadelphia for the Classical Symphony. It was my favorite until I discovered Muti/Philadelphia from 1990 on Philips. The third recording in my CD collection is Ozawa with the Berliner Philharmoniker. Lately I have been listening on streaming to James Gaffigan with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. I find all four of these recordings fun and festive without being superficial.


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## WildThing (Feb 21, 2017)

Another vote for Rozhdestvensky and Ormandy.


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## perdido34 (Mar 11, 2015)

Previn and LA Phil; also, there is a fine live performance with Szell/Cleveland that circulates as a bootleg but was commercially issued only by the Orchestra in an expensive commemorative set.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

There's one version of the Classical that I'd like to see again: the video is really weird and "stars" Charles Dutoit. In today's world it is would be shockingly politically incorrect. He carries a gun, dressed in a James Bond manner, and at the end of the first movement shoots some woman in sync with the downbeats. I can't find it on Youtube (no surprise) but someone out there must have a copy.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

"Mozartian classicism", doesn't ring true to me in regards this work, it sounds closer to "Haydn classicism". I was struck with a similar impression when I read Rosen's _The Classical Style_ and found out just how often Beethoven borrowed from Mozart. Intentions aside the aural effect in Beethoven always sounds more closely related to Haydn. I think Haydn is easier to replicate. Only Mozart can do Mozart.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Temirkanov easily my favourite version. It brings out the flavours better than others to me. Bernstein also does it well. I'm not so into the virtuosity of certain versions like Karajan and Dutoit where I admire the playing, but can't get into the music.


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