Interesting, but has anyone in Chandos thought of bringing together all the Neeme Jarvi Prokofiev orchestral music in one box? That should be a total bestseller, even better than this Warner Classics mishmash.
I have two "complete": cycles of Prokofiev's piano works. Sandor on Vox which takes 5 discs and the Chiu on HM which takes 9 discs. The difference is Chiu has the TRANSCRIPTIONS. That is a lot of transcriptions. The HM box has a tenth disc of music for Violin and Orchestra with Pierre Amoyal.
I'm surprised there aren't more recordings of Peter & The Wolf without narration. I was only able to find one. It's true that there is a little repetition that could be cut out, but really it's a pleasure to be able to enjoy the music for itself, not as background for some celebrity voice artist.
Dave, my understanding is that the Violin Sonata #2 actually DID start out as a flute sonata. I particularly enjoy the time-honored edition by Rampal with octave displacements for more flattering range, stuff like that.
I'm sure that this is a great box. But I did want to put in a plug for the performances of the Prokofiev piano sonatas by Yefim Bronfman. I love those performances! While I am about this, have you considered videos on individual performers? Or have I missed something?
Bronfman's sonata cycle is considered a reference on various ClassicsToday reviews of Prokofiev sonatas. I think he also talks about that entire Bronfman Prokofiev Sony budget box in the video about Prokofiev piano concerto cycles.
Thanks Dave! Seems like a mostly splendid box. It's odd to me that Prokofiev now lives in Shostakovich's shadow. I base this purely on quality of output, which admittedly seldom has much to do with changing public opinion. His reputation has unfairly receded IMO. It's especially strange to me because Shostakovich's style owes something to Prokofiev's. They are both undoubtedly great composers, although Shostakovich is more fashionable in the Western world. Aside from Shostakovich's more sympathetic personality, situation, etc. does it have something to do with the classical community's prejudice in favour of symphonies and string quartets as serious music? Shostakovich's great compositions are mostly in conventional "serious" forms. Although Prokofiev composed great symphonies, he generally did his best work in other forms and even his symphonies, bar a few, are not very symphonic. I was surprised these two weren't included in the composer duels video. I would have liked to hear the outcome. Any chance, Dave?
This is a very useful review for me. Your detailed review of the contents tells me that I already have quite a few of those same recordings in my collection and alternative versions of most other works (and sometimes possibly better e.g. Järvi vs Rostropovich in symphonies 2-6?). The one major addition to my collection would be War & Peace but I would need a libretto and translation. Are there any good DVD versions of this?
Dear Dave, I hope you can help me. There are two Warner Prokofiev box sets, a 36-disc and a 24-disc. What are the differences and does the 36-disc box contain more and additional/different works (not just different recordings of the same work) than the 24-disc box? It's confusing...both are Warner releases, but 12 additional discs!! What is going on here? Thanks for your clarification. Steven C. Davis (Steve is preferred).
I do need to familiarize myself more with Prokofiev, but will probably pass on this box in spite of your recommendation: too much duplication, too many transcriptions, and too many "Peter and the Wolf"'s.
Interesting, but has anyone in Chandos thought of bringing together all the Neeme Jarvi Prokofiev orchestral music in one box? That should be a total bestseller, even better than this Warner Classics mishmash.
Ooh, yes please!
I've been pushing that for a long time, without so much as a peep from them.
Thanks for that. I wish you'd do a video on Prokofiev's violin concertos.
I have two "complete": cycles of Prokofiev's piano works. Sandor on Vox which takes 5 discs and the Chiu on HM which takes 9 discs. The difference is Chiu has the TRANSCRIPTIONS. That is a lot of transcriptions. The HM box has a tenth disc of music for Violin and Orchestra with Pierre Amoyal.
I'm surprised there aren't more recordings of Peter & The Wolf without narration. I was only able to find one. It's true that there is a little repetition that could be cut out, but really it's a pleasure to be able to enjoy the music for itself, not as background for some celebrity voice artist.
Dave, my understanding is that the Violin Sonata #2 actually DID start out as a flute sonata. I particularly enjoy the time-honored edition by Rampal with octave displacements for more flattering range, stuff like that.
Thanks for the clarification. I thought it was one way or the other, but I wasn't sure!
I’d have opted for Milstein violin concertos instead of the Perlman ones
Yes, especially as not available at the moment anywhere i can find.
Nice! I don’t know Prokofiev much…a nice intro. Thanks for covering….
I'm sure that this is a great box. But I did want to put in a plug for the performances of the Prokofiev piano sonatas by Yefim Bronfman. I love those performances! While I am about this, have you considered videos on individual performers? Or have I missed something?
You've missed something. There are many videos on individual performers.
Bronfman's sonata cycle is considered a reference on various ClassicsToday reviews of Prokofiev sonatas. I think he also talks about that entire Bronfman Prokofiev Sony budget box in the video about Prokofiev piano concerto cycles.
@@ol25n I think you’re right. I remember that discussion now.
@@DavesClassicalGuide I wanted to add Marc-Andre Hamelin if you have not covered him already, but not in relation to Prokofiev.
Shame Warner presumably doesn't still have any rights on the Rozhdestvensky HMV/Melodiya recording of the complete Stone Flower ballet. Great stuff.
Thanks Dave! Seems like a mostly splendid box. It's odd to me that Prokofiev now lives in Shostakovich's shadow. I base this purely on quality of output, which admittedly seldom has much to do with changing public opinion. His reputation has unfairly receded IMO. It's especially strange to me because Shostakovich's style owes something to Prokofiev's. They are both undoubtedly great composers, although Shostakovich is more fashionable in the Western world. Aside from Shostakovich's more sympathetic personality, situation, etc. does it have something to do with the classical community's prejudice in favour of symphonies and string quartets as serious music? Shostakovich's great compositions are mostly in conventional "serious" forms. Although Prokofiev composed great symphonies, he generally did his best work in other forms and even his symphonies, bar a few, are not very symphonic.
I was surprised these two weren't included in the composer duels video. I would have liked to hear the outcome. Any chance, Dave?
Prokofiev composed much more impressive concertos than Shostokovich. Ballets as well! Prokofiev far outshines him.
This is a very useful review for me. Your detailed review of the contents tells me that I already have quite a few of those same recordings in my collection and alternative versions of most other works (and sometimes possibly better e.g. Järvi vs Rostropovich in symphonies 2-6?). The one major addition to my collection would be War & Peace but I would need a libretto and translation. Are there any good DVD versions of this?
Dear Dave,
I hope you can help me. There are two Warner Prokofiev box sets, a 36-disc and a 24-disc.
What are the differences and does the 36-disc box contain more and additional/different works (not just different recordings of the same work) than the 24-disc box?
It's confusing...both are Warner releases, but 12 additional discs!! What is going on here?
Thanks for your clarification.
Steven C. Davis (Steve is preferred).
Sorry, but you can make the comparisons yourself easily enough and it will be far more useful to you than asking me about it.
UGH I WANT A CHANDOS BOX
I do need to familiarize myself more with Prokofiev, but will probably pass on this box in spite of your recommendation: too much duplication, too many transcriptions, and too many "Peter and the Wolf"'s.