Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet; Symphony/concerto for violoncello

1. Romeo and Juliet, Suite No. 2 for orchestra, Op. 64 ter Montagues and Capulets
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev
Performed by Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Ladislav Slovak

2. Romeo and Juliet, Suite No. 1 for orchestra, Op. 64 bis Scene
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev
Performed by Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Ladislav Slovak

3. Romeo and Juliet, Suite No. 2 for orchestra, Op. 64 ter Juliet the little Girl
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev
Performed by Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Ladislav Slovak

4. Romeo and Juliet, Suite No. 2 for orchestra, Op. 64 ter Friar Laurence
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev
Performed by Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Ladislav Slovak

5. Romeo and Juliet, Suite No. 2 for orchestra, Op. 64 ter Dance
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev
Performed by Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Ladislav Slovak

6. Romeo and Juliet, Suite No. 1 for orchestra, Op. 64 bis Death of Tybalt
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev
Performed by Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Ladislav Slovak

7. Sinfonia Concertante for cello & orchestra in E minor, Op. 125
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev
Performed by Bratislava Radio Symphony Orchestra with Truls Otterberch-Mork
Conducted by Christian Ehwald

Customer Reviews:

You sent the wrong CD AGAIN!!!.......2005-08-03

I would love to review the cd. It is great. But the perplexing thing is how you could send me this CD twice when it is not the one I ordered.

AN OVERLOOKED PROKOFIEV TREASURE.......2000-09-23

You may well know Prokofiev's hauntingly beautiful work which is unusually entitled A SYMPHONY-CONCERTO FOR CELLO (Opus 125). [Schwann used to call it - incorrectly - a Sinfonia Concertante, which it resembles in many respects. The composer specifically wanted it titled as I have shown - believing, as he did, that the orchestra should do more than pair with the solo instrument.]

I had never heard it until this week - even though I have seen it mentioned in listings here and there. It's a "grand" work lasting some 40 minutes - and is, for all intents and purposes, a splendid modern cello concerto in which the accompanying orchestra behaves as it were playing a late romantic symphony rather than a concerto.

The work grew out of the composer's Cello Concerto Number 1, put to paper back in the 1930's. He found fault with that effort and rewrote it - twice: the S-C is the final version - finished just before Prokofiev died in 1954. Rostropovitch played a role in the transformation, it seems. The demands placed on the soloist reflect his virtuoso abilities.

Consider putting it on your list. I have just added a live concert reading by the energetic Slovak Orchestra under one Christian Ehwald, with cellist Truis [Otterberch-]Mork, a fairly well known chamber player in central Europe. It was released by POINT CLASSICS in 1997 through that budget label's English distributor, Master Tone.

Great listening - especially, I anticipate, on those soon coming glorious fall days which can radiate a mellow sort of golden poetry all on their own.

George

AN OVERLOOKED TREASURE.......2000-09-23

Great listening - especially, I anticipate, on those soon-coming glorious fall days which can radiate a mellow sort of golden poetry all on their own.

George Leigh Hall

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