Seckerson on Prokofiev

[BBMmk2]

I messaged ES on Twitter, he was most appreciative of my message to him. I enjoyed this immensely. Classic radio.

[gurnemanz]

Enjoyed the selection. I'll get around to listening to his choices on Spotify. The only work I didn't have a recording of is the Schippers/Nevsky which tempts me. I haven't seen the film since student film club screening over 50 years - also an omission. It got me listening to some Prokofiev recordings I do have and haven't played for a while, eg some items from the excellent 3 disc complete songs on Delos.

[Parry1912]

Whatever one thinks of ES's style, he is at least a consummate broadcaster, which makes a nice change.

Perhaps he could concentrate on that then and we could have less of him in Gramophone (or Edward Seckerson Monthly as it seems to be turning into).

[Alison]

Perhaps he could concentrate on that then and we could have less of him in Gramophone (or Edward Seckerson Monthly as it seems to be turning into).

And as if he’d criticise anything by Michael Tilson Thomas ....

[Goon525]

And as if he’d criticise anything by Michael Tilson Thomas ....

It’s his blinkered approach to Mahler reviewing that bothers me. Anything by Lennie or school of Lennie must be great. Anything by any conductor more at the objectivist end of the spectrum, say Haitink or Blomstedt, clearly doesn’t 'get' Mahler.

[Alison]

It’s his blinkered approach to Mahler reviewing that bothers me. Anything by Lennie or school of Lennie must be great. Anything by any conductor more at the objectivist end of the spectrum, say Haitink or Blomstedt, clearly doesn’t 'get' Mahler.

At least the review of the Blomstedt Ninth didn’t contain his familiar punchline ‘it isn’t Mahler’.

[Conchis]

I haven’t listened to the programme and this thread has saved me the bother, as I don’t think I’d like it. I am familiar with the presenter and his ‘matey’ style of presentation. I dislike name-dropping: it’s a sure sing of a vulgarian at play.

As to the choices: I thought the Karajan Classical Symphnoy was generally considered a crude sight-reading exercise and whollly lacking in the ‘taste of potatoes’ that someone once said was the authentic indicator of a good Prokofiev performance?

I like most of S.P.’s output, but I always blow hot and cold on the ballets, which are over-long and contain a high proportion of stodge (though the memorable bits are VERY memorable).

[HighlandDougie]

As to the choices: I thought the Karajan Classical Symphnoy was generally considered a crude sight-reading exercise and whollly lacking in the ‘taste of potatoes’ that someone once said was the authentic indicator of a good Prokofiev performance?

Hmm, something seems to have got lost somewhere in translation. HvK's Classical Symphony wasn't one of the choices (PC3; Symphony 3; VC2; Alexander Nevsky; R&J). Mention of the Classical Symphony at one point; ditto Symphony No 5 (and MTT/LSO). I can't recall that, even in that context, HvK was even mentioned??

[Pulcinella]

These were the choices (Conchis might have assumed HvK was included from anton's message early on....?), copied from last Saturday's schedule page listings.

Recommended Recordings:

Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major, Op. 26
Martha Argerich (piano)
Berlin Philharmonic
Claudio Abbado (conductor)
DG 4474382

Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 44
State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia (Evgeny Svetlanov)
Vladimir Jurowski
Pentatone PTC5186624 (Hybrid SACD)

Violin Concerto No. 2 In G Minor Op. 63
Maxim Vengerov (violin)
The London Symphony Orchestra
Mstislav Rostropovich (conductor)
Teldec 0630-13150-2

Alexander Nevsky Op.78
Lili Chookasian (contralto)
Westminster Choir
New York Philharmonic Orchestra
Thomas Schippers (conductor)
CBS MPK 45557

Romeo and Juliet, Op.64
London Symphony Orchestra
Andre Previn (conductor)
Warner Classics 9677012 (2 CDs)

[Conchis]

These were the choices (Conchis might have assumed HvK was included from anton's message early on....?), copied from last Saturday's schedule page listings.

Recommended Recordings:

Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major, Op. 26
Martha Argerich (piano)
Berlin Philharmonic
Claudio Abbado (conductor)
DG 4474382

Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 44
State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia (Evgeny Svetlanov)
Vladimir Jurowski
Pentatone PTC5186624 (Hybrid SACD)

Violin Concerto No. 2 In G Minor Op. 63
Maxim Vengerov (violin)
The London Symphony Orchestra
Mstislav Rostropovich (conductor)
Teldec 0630-13150-2

Alexander Nevsky Op.78
Lili Chookasian (contralto)
Westminster Choir
New York Philharmonic Orchestra
Thomas Schippers (conductor)
CBS MPK 45557

Romeo and Juliet, Op.64
London Symphony Orchestra
Andre Previn (conductor)
Warner Classics 9677012 (2 CDs)

Yes, thanks for the clarication. My mistake!

Seckerson’s list doesn’t impress me. There is too much of the ‘you’ve really got to be Russian, or to have lived under Soviet tyranny to understand this music’ school of thought behind his choices. But that is a really BIZARRE choice for Alexander Nevsky.

[Conchis]

Ozawa’s Prokofiev integrale was lambasted by the Penguin Guide, which gave it only one star. I’ve never heard it. Is it generally felt to be Not Very Good?

[pastoralguy]

Ozawa’s Prokofiev integrale was lambasted by the Penguin Guide, which gave it only one star. I’ve never heard it. Is it generally felt to be Not Very Good?

I was delighted to find the set in a second hand shop by Carlisle Cathedral. (Classics by the Cathedral?) Alas, when I returned home I was very disappointed with the performances. Very fine playing as one would expect from this source but the performances were very...limp! No tension, no imagination and certainly no FIRE! I compared them to the SNO/Jarvi discs and the Chandos were everything the DG cycle wasn't.

[Pulcinella]

Gramophone review here:

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/prokofiev-syms-1-7-lieutenant-kijé

[pastoralguy]

Gramophone review here:

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/...eutenant-kijé

[LHC]

These were the choices (Conchis might have assumed HvK was included from anton's message early on....?), copied from last Saturday's schedule page listings.

Recommended Recordings:

Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major, Op. 26
Martha Argerich (piano)
Berlin Philharmonic
Claudio Abbado (conductor)
DG 4474382

Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 44
State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia (Evgeny Svetlanov)
Vladimir Jurowski
Pentatone PTC5186624 (Hybrid SACD)

Violin Concerto No. 2 In G Minor Op. 63
Maxim Vengerov (violin)
The London Symphony Orchestra
Mstislav Rostropovich (conductor)
Teldec 0630-13150-2

Alexander Nevsky Op.78
Lili Chookasian (contralto)
Westminster Choir
New York Philharmonic Orchestra
Thomas Schippers (conductor)
CBS MPK 45557

Romeo and Juliet, Op.64
London Symphony Orchestra
Andre Previn (conductor)
Warner Classics 9677012 (2 CDs)

Why the reference to Evgeny Svetlanov in the name of the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia? He's not associated with this particular recording. Or is this simply a transcription error from the Amazon listing for this symphony?