Prokofiev 'Other' Symphonies

[richardfinegold]

Prokofiev gets a lot of listening time here, but I find that of his 7 Symphonies, the only two that inspire repeat listening are the two 'popular ' choices, 1 & 5. I've been trying to like the 6th for years, lately sampling a few versions on Apple, but really it just doesn't click for me. I can't think of another top flight composer with a large Symphonic output that for me, at least, is filled with duds.

[ahinton]

Prokofiev gets a lot of listening time here, but I find that of his 7 Symphonies, the only two that inspire repeat listening are the two 'popular ' choices, 1 & 5. I've been trying to like the 6th for years, lately sampling a few versions on Apple, but really it just doesn't click for me. I can't think of another top flight composer with a large Symphonic output that for me, at least, is filled with duds.

I'm not far from where you're coming from on this, although the sixth is, for me, his best, closely followed by the fifth, then the second, then the seventh, then the rest in no particular order; as a cycle of seven symphonies it certainly doesn't (for me, at least) come close to the consistency of Bax, let alone Sibelius!

[Richard Barrett]

Prokofiev gets a lot of listening time here, but I find that of his 7 Symphonies, the only two that inspire repeat listening are the two 'popular ' choices, 1 & 5. I've been trying to like the 6th for years, lately sampling a few versions on Apple, but really it just doesn't click for me. I can't think of another top flight composer with a large Symphonic output that for me, at least, is filled with duds.

Sibelius's 6th is the only one of his I get anything out of listening to, and I could say the same about RVW's 3rd and 5th, not to mention some well-known composers (who can remain nameless) all of whose symphonies I would regard as duds, so I guess this is a varying-mileage issue.

As for Prokofiev, I had the opportunity to hear his 3rd in a recent concert which confirmed the high opinion I have of it, especially the slow movement and Scherzo. The 6th is also one I like a lot, and the 2nd for me indicates a direction I'm sorry Prokofiev didn't travel further on. Both of these involve quite radical structural features: the end of the development section in the first movement of the 6th which I like to think of as a forerunner of the climax of Stockhausen's Gruppen, and the final variation in the second movement of the 2nd, where the theme is exploded into isolated stabs not entirely unlike the corresponding moment in Carter's Symphony of Three Orchestras. The 1st is of course a remarkable piece of work; but the 5th has never grabbed me and I have no recollection at all of the 7th although I must have listened to it a few times.

[BBMmk2]

I quite like 2, I think. I can't remember if that's the one SP galvanised thematic material from his opera, "The Fiery Angel"?

[Serial_Apologist]

I quite like 2, I think. I can't remember if that's the one SP galvanised thematic material from his opera, "The Fiery Angel"?

That has to be No 3 I think, BBM.

[pastoralguy]

Back in the 80's (!!), we in Scotland heard a LOT of Prokofiev Symphonies from Neemi Jarvi and the SNO as they recorded vast swathes of his music. Now in those days, I was in my early 20's and loved the sound of a symphony orchestra knocking seven bells out of a Russian composer's oeuvre but I always found Prokofiev's Symphonies, apart from 1, 5 and 7 to be so much rammy! Eventually, I got their CDs but I still don't find these 'non popular' works to be interesting.

[Bryn]

Back in the 80's (!!), we in Scotland heard a LOT of Prokofiev Symphonies from Neemi Jarvi and the SNO as they recorded vast swathes of his music. Now in those days, I was in my early 20's and loved the sound of a symphony orchestra knocking seven bells out of a Russian composer's oeuvre but I always found Prokofiev's Symphonies, apart from 1, 5 and 7 to be so much rammy! Eventually, I got their CDs but I still don't find these 'non popular' works to be interesting.

Indeed. The 2nd is the one based structurally on Beethoven's Op. 111. I have a lot of time for it, and the 3rd and 4th (derived from his "Prodigal Son" score and later revised).

[rauschwerk]

I consider the sixth symphony to be one of Prokofiev's greatest works, and one of the great 20th century symphonies.

After the Classical, the first one I got to know was the revised 4th, which I still prefer to the original version though some find it a bit bombastic. They are both based on the ballet score The Prodigal Son, which I would rather hear than either version of the symphony. It is the third symphony which is based on The Fiery Angel, and one can't blame the composer for taking music from the opera which he never heard performed. I once heard Edward Downes (who didn't think it a specially good piece) talking of how Prokofiev shows his mastery of orchestration by actually silencing the strings at the climax of the first movement development, allowing the wind sonority to blaze forth. I like this symphony, for all that Robert Layton considers the outer movements to be grossly overscored!

I don't bother with the seventh at all.

[teamsaint]

Quite why the 3rd isn't far more popular is a mystery to me.

Definitely very near the top of a list of works I would love to hear live.

In fact , I may listen to it now.

[maestro267]

I'm a big fan of No. 2 and the revised version of No. 4.

[pastoralguy]

Indeed. The 2nd is the one based structurally on Beethoven's Op. 111. I have a lot of time for it, and the 3rd and 4th (derived from his "Prodigal Son" score and later revised).

Really!? Ok, I'll try again. Many thanks.

[BBMmk2]

Thank you SA, yes No.3. I am also a fan of 2 as well. Not so of 7, rather weak.

[Beef Oven!]

2, 3 & 4 here - you can keep the rest.

[Bryn]

Thank you SA, yes No.3. I am also a fan of 2 as well. Not so of 7, rather weak.

7 is considerably better with the original ending rather than the 'happy' one effectively imposed on the composer.

[Serial_Apologist]

7 is considerably better with the original ending rather than the 'happy' one effectively imposed on the composer.

Yes.