Incredible how Prokofiev remains underestimated ... This concert is not just "incredible", "difficult", "powerful" etc. It is one of the deepest pieces written in the 20th century by an undoubtedly top-5 composer of the story... Full of the most pure Russian (not soviet) spirit!
Sergei Prokofiev's Symphony-Concerto in E minor, Op. 125 (sometimes referred to as Sinfonia Concertante) is a large-scale work for cello and orchestra. Prokofiev dedicated it to Mstislav Rostropovich, who premiered it on February 18, 1952 with Sviatoslav Richter conducting (the only instance of Richter conducting). After this first performance (under the title 'Cello Concerto No. 2'), it was revised and given its current title. It is itself a revised version of his earlier Cello Concerto, Op. 58, written in 1933-8.The work was written and revised mostly in 1950 and 1951, a period when Prokofiev was in declining health and official disfavor for formalism. One of his final completed works, it is about 40 minutes long in three movements: 1 Andante - 2 Allegro - 3 Andante con moto - Allegretto - Allegro marcato. For a long time, the Symphony-Concerto was considered unplayable. Even though many cellists today are now able to play it, it still remains a formidable challenge for any musician.This work inspired Dmitri Shostakovich to write his Cello Concerto No. 1, also dedicated to Rostropovich. (Wikipedia)
Kräftige und spannende live Aufführung dieses technisch anspruchsvollen Konzerts mit gut artikuliertem Ton des Solocellos und perfekt kontrollierten Töne anderer Instrumente. Der geniale Maestro dirigiert das ausgezeichnete Orchester im gut phrasierten Tempo mit effektiv kontrollierter Dynamik. Einfach atemberaubend!
Sergei Prokofiev Symphony-Concerto in E minor, Op 125 00:00 Andante 10:17 Allegro giusto 27:14 Andante con moto Mstislav Rostropovich, cello London Symphony Orchestra Seiji Ozawa, conductor Live recording. November 1987
Hardly the work of a composer in his dotage. His death came, what, 14 months after the premier of this piece? There was still so much music in the man.
Curton6693 the high notes at the end of this recording ARE the end of this concerto. Perhaps you are used to hearing one of the other versions of this piece; Prokofiev wrote it first as his Cello Concerto no. 1 which received poor reviews. He rewrote it with the help of Rostropovich and it became the Cello Concerto no. 2, which premiered Feb 18th, 1952. After that performance Prokofiev revised it one more time into THIS piece, the Sinfonia Concertante, opus 125. What you describe as the last flurry of notes at the end sounds like you are listening to the Cello Concerto no. 2. That version has an extended passage of high notes at the end that goes on for about 30 seconds, rather than this revised version of the piece which only has 3 measures of the high notes section. Somewhere on youtube is a recording of the Feb 18th 1952 premier with Rostropovich and Richter, but I think it has been mis-titled as the Sinfonia Concertante when it should be titled as Concerto no. 2. Perhaps this is the reason for the confusion. Hope this helps.
TR Lewcun you are right this is the end. The first time listened to this my video cut off a few seconds early so I thought it was cut off. I am a cellist and have listened to this piece many times so I am aware of how it goes i just mistook a slight glitch for something else. But thanks for the historical info didn't know that :)
MrYb4ever This end is in this recording. :) If it is your first time hearing this concerto, then you may have thought that the "ending" was not an ending as this piece does have a uncommon (not necessarily unique) ending.
Can't believe someone is posting within 24 hours of me being here. As I said to another guy on this discussion, teachers always recommend students listen to Rostropovich. Starker is a good style to emulate if you are going for a section cello audition (not principle).
Rostropovich was a very versatile cellist, whereas i feel that Starker is a bit of a one trick pony. In my opinion, he struggles making big, exciting concertos like this or the Dvorak sound musical. He focuses too much on playing all the notes with the proper technique that he loses the character of the piece. For that reason, I would say that Rostropovich is by far the greater cellist.
![[#2024MAMA] BIGBANG (빅뱅) - 뱅뱅뱅 (BANG BANG BANG) + FANTASTIC BABY | Mnet 241123 방송](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EQsYfiPR9uM/mqdefault.jpg)
Incredible how Prokofiev remains underestimated ...
This concert is not just "incredible", "difficult", "powerful" etc.
It is one of the deepest pieces written in the 20th century by an undoubtedly top-5 composer of the story... Full of the most pure Russian (not soviet) spirit!
Sergei Prokofiev's Symphony-Concerto in E minor, Op. 125 (sometimes referred to as Sinfonia Concertante) is a large-scale work for cello and orchestra. Prokofiev dedicated it to Mstislav Rostropovich, who premiered it on February 18, 1952 with Sviatoslav Richter conducting (the only instance of Richter conducting). After this first performance (under the title 'Cello Concerto No. 2'), it was revised and given its current title. It is itself a revised version of his earlier Cello Concerto, Op. 58, written in 1933-8.The work was written and revised mostly in 1950 and 1951, a period when Prokofiev was in declining health and official disfavor for formalism. One of his final completed works, it is about 40 minutes long in three movements: 1 Andante - 2 Allegro - 3 Andante con moto - Allegretto - Allegro marcato. For a long time, the Symphony-Concerto was considered unplayable. Even though many cellists today are now able to play it, it still remains a formidable challenge for any musician.This work inspired Dmitri Shostakovich to write his Cello Concerto No. 1, also dedicated to Rostropovich. (Wikipedia)
Kräftige und spannende live Aufführung dieses technisch anspruchsvollen Konzerts mit gut artikuliertem Ton des Solocellos und perfekt kontrollierten Töne anderer Instrumente. Der geniale Maestro dirigiert das ausgezeichnete Orchester im gut phrasierten Tempo mit effektiv kontrollierter Dynamik. Einfach atemberaubend!
Sergei Prokofiev is the greatest composer of the 20th century
this one with the 1995 Abbado Gutman are the top performances
35:36 to the end is simply glorious. 🙌🙌
It is the start of a space rocket with astronauts onboard. Elon Musk would like it!
Sergei Prokofiev
Symphony-Concerto in E minor, Op 125
00:00 Andante
10:17 Allegro giusto
27:14 Andante con moto
Mstislav Rostropovich, cello
London Symphony Orchestra
Seiji Ozawa, conductor
Live recording. November 1987
This upload has great sound quality. Or maybe it's just a great recording.
Maestro hinself!!! Slava,
Um violoncelista que gravou esta Sinfonia a chamou de "o Everest dos concertos para violoncelo".
Rostropovich unos de los mejores de todos los tiempos
Very nice !
His playing is so clear! IDK if I could it as well as that
ofc you couldn't, silly.
Hardly the work of a composer in his dotage. His death came, what, 14 months after the premier of this piece? There was still so much music in the man.
:)
Aw it cut off right before the last flurry of notes at the end
Curton6693 the high notes at the end of this recording ARE the end of this concerto. Perhaps you are used to hearing one of the other versions of this piece; Prokofiev wrote it first as his Cello Concerto no. 1 which received poor reviews. He rewrote it with the help of Rostropovich and it became the Cello Concerto no. 2, which premiered Feb 18th, 1952. After that performance Prokofiev revised it one more time into THIS piece, the Sinfonia Concertante, opus 125.
What you describe as the last flurry of notes at the end sounds like you are listening to the Cello Concerto no. 2. That version has an extended passage of high notes at the end that goes on for about 30 seconds, rather than this revised version of the piece which only has 3 measures of the high notes section.
Somewhere on youtube is a recording of the Feb 18th 1952 premier with Rostropovich and Richter, but I think it has been mis-titled as the Sinfonia Concertante when it should be titled as Concerto no. 2. Perhaps this is the reason for the confusion.
Hope this helps.
TR Lewcun you are right this is the end. The first time listened to this my video cut off a few seconds early so I thought it was cut off. I am a cellist and have listened to this piece many times so I am aware of how it goes i just mistook a slight glitch for something else. But thanks for the historical info didn't know that :)
Where is the end? :(
MrYb4ever This end is in this recording. :) If it is your first time hearing this concerto, then you may have thought that the "ending" was not an ending as this piece does have a uncommon (not necessarily unique) ending.
0:07
Now the real question is....Starker or Rostropovich? let's see what people say. Keep it cordial
Can't believe someone is posting within 24 hours of me being here. As I said to another guy on this discussion, teachers always recommend students listen to Rostropovich. Starker is a good style to emulate if you are going for a section cello audition (not principle).
Rostropovich was a very versatile cellist, whereas i feel that Starker is a bit of a one trick pony. In my opinion, he struggles making big, exciting concertos like this or the Dvorak sound musical. He focuses too much on playing all the notes with the proper technique that he loses the character of the piece. For that reason, I would say that Rostropovich is by far the greater cellist.
for technicity... Rostropovitch. but to say who's best: let's not make this a race please!
07:28, 08:13, 21:55, 26:26