Greetings From Mirror Image

[Mirror Image]

It's been awhile since I've logged into BC, but I hope everyone here is doing well.

Since my departure from BC, I have been getting into all of kinds of composers most notably Koechlin (who has become quite possibly my absolute favorite composer of all-time), Pierne, Schmitt, Wagner (yes that's right! ), Lindberg, Pettersson (whose Symphonies 6-9 are my favorites), Salonen, Milhaud, Malipiero, Szymanowski, and Dutilleux to name a few. I've actually listened to Wagner's entire Ring cycle along with Parsifal and Tristan und Isolde. I actually own four Ring cycles now with Karajan's being my favorite of the sets I own: Karajan, Solti, Barnenboim, and Levine. I'm still not that much into opera, but will admit that Wagner's are something special and quite powerful.

Anyway, I possibly can't list all of the avenues I've explored since my leaving BC, but it's good to see this place is still going strong.

All the best,


MI

[Balthazar]

Welcome back!

[Despina41]

Hey, welcome back--we could use some more lively input here. What's going on?

[Mirror Image]

Thanks for the welcome guys. Nothing much has been going on. I've just been listening to a lot of music. Lately, I've been on a Prokofiev binge. I've been really digging his more lesser known ballets like On the Dnieper, The Prodigal Son, Tale of the Stone Flower, and Le Pas d'Acier. I've been listening to Prokofiev for years, but one work recently that I heard that really opened up my ears to his sound-world was Sinfonia Concertante for cello and orchestra. What a remarkable work.

[haydnguy]

Hi M.I.,
I have the Jarvi set of Prokofiev symphonies but never got past the first one. I think we talked about this once and I decided that I needed to listen to more of it to give him a fair shake.

It's great to see you back. I'm always intereted in what others are listening to.

[Despina41]

Originally Posted by Mirror Image

Thanks for the welcome guys. Nothing much has been going on. I've just been listening to a lot of music. Lately, I've been on a Prokofiev binge. I've been really digging his more lesser known ballets like On the Dnieper, The Prodigal Son, Tale of the Stone Flower, and Le Pas d'Acier. I've been listening to Prokofiev for years, but one work recently that I heard that really opened up my ears to his sound-world was Sinfonia Concertante for cello and orchestra. What a remarkable work.

Is that Sinfonia Concertante the late 195...2 or 3 work that was originally a cello concerto that he revised?? she asked, then looked it up. YES! It is.

I agree with you entirely -- I just got to know that piece recently, thanks to Gergiev and company. He recorded it with whichever Capuçon plays cello (I confuse them -- Gautier??) Anyway, it was that and Rococo Variations, an interesting combination.

I think I'll go back and listen to it again tonight... Currently Xenakis on. But what struck me initially about it was its expansiveness. It seemed not to have the usual digestible formal units that I expect from earlier, more obviously neoclassical Prokofiev. But I could have been listening without paying attention.... will listen again later.

[Mirror Image]

Originally Posted by haydnguy

Hi M.I.,
I have the Jarvi set of Prokofiev symphonies but never got past the first one. I think we talked about this once and I decided that I needed to listen to more of it to give him a fair shake.

It's great to see you back. I'm always intereted in what others are listening to.

The first symphony Classical Symphony isn't one of my favorite Prokofiev symphonies. That honor goes to Symphony Nos. 5-7. You should definitely hear these before you write them off completely.

I would also investigate the concerti, symphonic suites, and ballets. These are very rewarding works and contain so many wonderful moments.

[Mirror Image]

Originally Posted by Despina41

Is that Sinfonia Concertante the late 195...2 or 3 work that was originally a cello concerto that he revised?? she asked, then looked it up. YES! It is.

I agree with you entirely -- I just got to know that piece recently, thanks to Gergiev and company. He recorded it with whichever Capuçon plays cello (I confuse them -- Gautier??) Anyway, it was that and Rococo Variations, an interesting combination.

I think I'll go back and listen to it again tonight... Currently Xenakis on. But what struck me initially about it was its expansiveness. It seemed not to have the usual digestible formal units that I expect from earlier, more obviously neoclassical Prokofiev. But I could have been listening without paying attention.... will listen again later.

Yes, Sinfonia Concertante is a revision of his concerto for cello. I love the work. The second movement contains such a wonderfully lyrical melody about 3-4 minutes into that it just melts my heart when I hear it.

The performance that turned me onto the work was the one with Raphael Wallfisch/Neeme Jarvi on Chandos. I can't say that I was impressed with Rostropovich/Sargent. The Chang/Pappano was good, but it doesn't have the same kind of lyricism as Wallfisch and Pappano is certainly no Jarvi, whom excels in orchestral accompaniment.

Glad to see you're an admirer of the work as well.

[Green Knight]

Originally Posted by Mirror Image

The first symphony Classical Symphony isn't one of my favorite Prokofiev symphonies. That honor goes to Symphony Nos. 5-7. You should definitely hear these before you write them off completely.

I would also investigate the concerti, symphonic suites, and ballets. These are very rewarding works and contain so many wonderful moments.

I would definitely agree with your assessment regarding the 5th and 7th Symphonies of Prokofiev, although I am fond of his Classical as well. I have the complete cycle as performed by the Orchestre National de France under the baton of Mstislav Rostropovich.

[Mambo]

MI, i've been discovering more of Charles Koechlin myself, and have been adding to the list of things i've heard by him. maybe will list them later and we can see where we overlap.
Prokofiev's 5th through 7th symphonies look to be favorites.
I recently listened to the 7th, but was not exactly blown away. Parts
definitely had that Prokofiev sound, but not the dynamism of my go to Prokofiev symphonies, numbers 2, 3 and 4. May just have to listen to the 7th some more; and if any of you are not familiar with nos. 2, 3, and 4, they are a must for any Prokofiev enthusiast.
As we could expect, his best symphony, to my ears, is his Second - but also the least performed. Once devoted two posts to it.