BaL 21.09.19/21.3.20 - Prokofiev: Symphony no. 1 "Classical"

**Eine Alpensinfonie** · 14-09-19, 14:35

Ah, that's better!

* means download only

**mikealdren** · 15-09-19, 07:37

Originally posted by Eine Alpensinfonie View Post

Ah, that's better!

* means download only

Welcome back Building a Library however I won't be bothering with a twofer considering only about 10 version.

**Petrushka** · 15-09-19, 09:03

The Philharmonia/Nikolai Malko version from 1955, one of EMI's very first stereo recordings I believe, would still rank as my favourite. Nothing to do with 'first version heard' syndrome as that, in my case, was the Chicago SO/Giulini.

However, I do wonder how much interpretative leeway there is in a work lasting around 15 minutes? In all honesty, all of those I have are perfectly fine, and those not included in boxes were picked up mainly because of the coupling.

One consequence of it being such a short work is that there should be more time to consider plenty of versions to see if there are any great differences in interpretation sufficient enough to call one a 'winner'.

**Eine Alpensinfonie** · 15-09-19, 09:13

I know this is difficult to believe, but I don’t have a single recording of this work.

**Richard Tarleton** · 15-09-19, 09:14

Originally posted by Petrushka View Post

However, I do wonder how much interpretative leeway there is in a work lasting around 15 minutes? In all honesty, all of those I have are perfectly fine, and those not included in boxes were picked up mainly because of the coupling.

This is what I wondered - to borrow a question Alison asked of the Concierto de Aranjuez BAL, isn't this rather a work that plays itself, and does it matter greatly which version you buy? I didn't think there were great interpretative depths to plumb here. Or perhaps I'm wrong

**cloughie** · 15-09-19, 09:30

Originally posted by Petrushka View Post

The Philharmonia/Nikolai Malko version from 1955, one of EMI's very first stereo recordings I believe, would still rank as my favourite. Nothing to do with 'first version heard' syndrome as that, in my case, was the Chicago SO/Giulini.

However, I do wonder how much interpretative leeway there is in a work lasting around 15 minutes? In all honesty, all of those I have are perfectly fine, and those not included in boxes were picked up mainly because of the coupling.

One consequence of it being such a short work is that there should be more time to consider plenty of versions to see if there are any great differences in interpretation sufficient enough to call one a 'winner'.

My first Classical was PCO Ansermet on ACL123 - by the way Alps there is also available on Australian Eloquence and also in the big Decca Ansermet Russian box, the later SRO Ansermet recording.

**Alison** · 15-09-19, 11:04

The LSO/Gergiev set of the complete symphonies rates highly in my collection.

**Eine Alpensinfonie** · 15-09-19, 11:59

Originally posted by cloughie View Post

- by the way Alps there is also available on Australian Eloquence and also in the big Decca Ansermet Russian box, the later SRO Ansermet recording.

Added to list.

**Pulcinella** · 15-09-19, 12:15

I wonder if, by choosing a 'lighter' piece, they are hoping to attract (or keep) the audience they might have built up with the different format during the Proms season: don't frighten the horses!

RSNO/Järvi (in complete symphony set), Philharmonia/Kurtz (EMI 2CD set, bought for the Zimmermann VC1), LSO/Previn (twice: in an HMV compilation and as the filler to Cinderella), and Lausanne Chamber Orchestra/Zedda (Virgin compilation, bought ages ago primarily for the Sinfonietta) here, so no need for another!

**jayne lee wilson** · 15-09-19, 12:15

Originally posted by Alison View Post

The LSO/Gergiev set of the complete symphonies rates highly in my collection.

Absolutely! My joint favourite with Bournemouth SO/Karabits...
(Don't play No.1 much though.....

Oh alright.... I never play it now...

**Bryn** · 15-09-19, 12:45

Originally posted by jayne lee wilson View Post

Absolutely! My joint favourite with Bournemouth SO/Karabits...
(Don't play No.1 much though.....

Oh alright.... I never play it now...

When, around the time of my 15th birthday, I was staying in Orléans on a school exchange, the very charming middle-class family I was staying with had only very few classical recordings. However, one of that few was a 7" 33.333 RPM vinyl of the Classical Symphony. I forget who was playing it but while I was there it got played a very great deal. These days I tend to only ever spin a CD of the work in response to hearing the extended version of the Gavotte in its Romeo and Juliet context. I will certainly be checking out this BaL. Abbado springs to mind as having recorded a particularly fine performance.

**richardfinegold** · 15-09-19, 15:28

I don’t think that I have ever heard a recording that didn’t charm. I think my first was the EMI Kurtz/Philharmonia, with Peter and the Wolf as the coupling. Levine/CSO is the one that I have lived the most

**ferneyhoughgeliebte** · 15-09-19, 15:34

Originally posted by richardfinegold View Post

I don’t think that I have ever heard a recording that didn’t charm.

- I'm very happy with my three recordings, and shall be quite as happy to add any that come as couplings to other works. Delightful work, always a pleasure to hear it.

Edit - Four! (Karajan, Bernstein, Leinsdorf, Kurtz.)

**teamsaint** · 15-09-19, 19:25

Works that I have multiple copies of , that I probably haven’t listend to , or haven’t listened to, would certainly include this one along with.......oh well, let’s leave it there.

Can’t see anybody except R3 presenters getting really excited about this.

And possibly not even them.

BaL 21.09.19/21.3.20 - Prokofiev: Symphony no. 1 "Classical"

BaL 21.09.19/21.3.20 - Prokofiev: Symphony no. 1 "Classical"

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