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Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet, Op. 64 (excerpts); Rimsky-Korsakov: Russian Easter Festival Overture, Op. 36
First Hand Records

Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet, Op. 64 (excerpts); Rimsky-Korsakov: Russian Easter Festival Overture, Op. 36

$21.99

Details

Composer
Sergei Prokofiev, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Artist
Orquestra Sinfonica Portuguesa
Format
CD
Label
First Hand Records
Released
May 12, 2023
Catalog #
FHR146
UPC
5060216342146

About

The present release comprises two works by Russian composers of differing generations, in music which has long been central to the repertoire of composer and conductor Álvaro Cassuto who is heard conducting the Portuguese Symphony Orchestra. Even before the Prokofiev’s ballet Romeo and Juliet had made it to the stage, selections were heard in concert on both sides of the Atlantic, and various sequences continue to feature prominently in the orchestral repertoire. Although these sometimes take the guise of one of the three orchestral suites, it has become more common to select freely from across these or even from the overall ballet. Establishing dramatic and musical continuity within this context is more difficult than might be supposed, to which end Cassuto had devised his own selection on this present recording. Rimsky-Korsakov’s mastery of orchestration is heard at its most impressive in the Russian Easter Festival Overture, (composed at much the same time as his symphonic suite Scheherazade). Cast in a loose sonata-form design, the piece falls into three main sections which the composer prefaced with quotations from Psalms, Gospel of Mark and his own description of the Easter celebration. Almost all its themes are derived from the Obikhod, the collection of liturgical chants with which every Russian would then have been familiar – not least the composer, even though he had long since become a non- believer and viewed this music strictly as a source to be utilized in his own compositions. These two live recordings were originally broadcast by Antena 2, Portuguese Radio and Television in the mid-1990s. This album is the recording’s first commercial release.

Tracklist 20 tracks

  1. 1 Act I: Introduction 02:29
    Track
    1
    Title
    Act I: Introduction
    Duration
    02:29
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Portuguese Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Álvaro Cassuto
  2. 2 Act I: Romeo 01:25
    Track
    2
    Title
    Act I: Romeo
    Duration
    01:25
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Portuguese Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Álvaro Cassuto
  3. 3 Act I: Morning Dance 02:09
    Track
    3
    Title
    Act I: Morning Dance
    Duration
    02:09
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Portuguese Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Álvaro Cassuto
  4. 4 Act I: The Young Juliet 01:21
    Track
    4
    Title
    Act I: The Young Juliet
    Duration
    01:21
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Portuguese Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Álvaro Cassuto
  5. 5 Act I: Arrival of the Guests 02:10
    Track
    5
    Title
    Act I: Arrival of the Guests
    Duration
    02:10
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Portuguese Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Álvaro Cassuto
  6. 6 Act I: Masks 03:05
    Track
    6
    Title
    Act I: Masks
    Duration
    03:05
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Portuguese Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Álvaro Cassuto
  7. 7 Act I: Dance of the Knights (Montagues and Capulets) 04:16
    Track
    7
    Title
    Act I: Dance of the Knights (Montagues and Capulets)
    Duration
    04:16
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Portuguese Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Álvaro Cassuto
  8. 8 Act I: Balcony Scene 01:18
    Track
    8
    Title
    Act I: Balcony Scene
    Duration
    01:18
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Portuguese Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Álvaro Cassuto
  9. 9 Act I: Romeo's Variation 00:27
    Track
    9
    Title
    Act I: Romeo's Variation
    Duration
    00:27
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Portuguese Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Álvaro Cassuto
  10. 10 Act I: Love Dance 03:44
    Track
    10
    Title
    Act I: Love Dance
    Duration
    03:44
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Portuguese Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Álvaro Cassuto
  11. 11 Act II: Folk Dance 03:28
    Track
    11
    Title
    Act II: Folk Dance
    Duration
    03:28
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Portuguese Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Álvaro Cassuto
  12. 12 Act II: Dance of the Five Couples 01:56
    Track
    12
    Title
    Act II: Dance of the Five Couples
    Duration
    01:56
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Portuguese Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Álvaro Cassuto
  13. 13 Act II: The Duel 01:28
    Track
    13
    Title
    Act II: The Duel
    Duration
    01:28
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Portuguese Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Álvaro Cassuto
  14. 14 Act II: Romero Decides to Avenge Mercutio 02:23
    Track
    14
    Title
    Act II: Romero Decides to Avenge Mercutio
    Duration
    02:23
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Portuguese Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Álvaro Cassuto
  15. 15 Act II: Finale 02:04
    Track
    15
    Title
    Act II: Finale
    Duration
    02:04
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Portuguese Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Álvaro Cassuto
  16. 16 Act III: Introduction 01:14
    Track
    16
    Title
    Act III: Introduction
    Duration
    01:14
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Portuguese Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Álvaro Cassuto
  17. 17 Act III: Romeo Bids Juliet Farewell (Dance of the Girls with Lilies) 02:12
    Track
    17
    Title
    Act III: Romeo Bids Juliet Farewell (Dance of the Girls with Lilies)
    Duration
    02:12
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Portuguese Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Álvaro Cassuto
  18. 18 Act IV: Juliet's Funeral 05:24
    Track
    18
    Title
    Act IV: Juliet's Funeral
    Duration
    05:24
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Portuguese Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Álvaro Cassuto
  19. 19 Act IV: Juliet's Death 03:00
    Track
    19
    Title
    Act IV: Juliet's Death
    Duration
    03:00
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Portuguese Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Álvaro Cassuto
  20. 20 Svetlïy prazdnik (Russian Easter Festival), Op. 36 15:20
    Track
    20
    Title
    Svetlïy prazdnik (Russian Easter Festival), Op. 36
    Duration
    15:20
    Composer
    Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
    Ensemble
    Portuguese Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Álvaro Cassuto