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BIS

Prokofiev: Symphony No 6 / Litton, Bergen PO

$21.99

Details

Composer
PROKOFIEV, SERGEY
Artist
Andrew, Litton
Format
SACD
Label
BIS
Released
Feb 01, 2013
Catalog #
BIS-1994
UPC
7318599919942

About

Premièred in January 1945, Sergei Prokofiev’s optimistic and heroic Fifth Symphony had seemed to herald the victorious end of World War Two. In stark contrast to this, his Symphony No.6, which received its first performance in 1947, is one of his deepest and most personal works. Although it was greeted with enthusiasm by the audience, the Soviet authorities were critical of the work and in 1948 a Party resolution singled it out as ‘abnormal’ and ‘repellent’. In fact, the first ideas for the symphony preceded those for the Fifth, and date from a period when the issue of the war was still uncertain. Early in 1945 the composer had suffered a collapse, from which he never completely recovered and which forced him to live the life of an invalid with almost constant headaches. In regard to the work, Prokofiev himself stated: ‘Now we are rejoicing in our great victory, but each of us has wounds that cannot be healed.’ This haunted symphony is here coupled with two works which illustrate a very different side of the composer, his gift for creating vivid musical images that can sum up a scene in a few bold strokes. These are the ever-popular suites from The Love for Three Oranges, the tragic-comical opera from 1921, and from the film score to Lieutenant Kijé, a light-hearted satire from 1934. The original film score included two songs, which form the second and fourth movements of the concert suite. Often performed in a version for solo saxophone and orchestra, these are heard in this recording in their original vocal form, performed by the Ukranian baritone Andrei Bondarenko. With acclaimed previous recordings of music by Prokofiev, as well as by Stravinsky and Rachmaninov, Andrew Litton and his Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra are a tried-and-tested team in this repertoire, and once again make the most of the enormous palette of colours and moods provided by these three scores.

Tracklist 14 tracks

  1. 1 I. Allegro moderato 14:19
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Allegro moderato
    Duration
    14:19
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  2. 2 II. Largo 15:52
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Largo
    Duration
    15:52
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  3. 3 III. Vivace 11:55
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Vivace
    Duration
    11:55
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  4. 4 I. The Birth of Kijé 04:18
    Track
    4
    Title
    I. The Birth of Kijé
    Duration
    04:18
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  5. 5 II. Romance 04:05
    Track
    5
    Title
    II. Romance
    Duration
    04:05
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Performer
    Andrei Bondarenko
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  6. 6 III. The Wedding of Kijé 02:44
    Track
    6
    Title
    III. The Wedding of Kijé
    Duration
    02:44
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  7. 7 IV. Troika 02:49
    Track
    7
    Title
    IV. Troika
    Duration
    02:49
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Performer
    Andrei Bondarenko
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  8. 8 V. The Interment of Kijé 05:34
    Track
    8
    Title
    V. The Interment of Kijé
    Duration
    05:34
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  9. 9 I. The Clowns 02:57
    Track
    9
    Title
    I. The Clowns
    Duration
    02:57
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  10. 10 II. The Magician and the Witch play cards 03:39
    Track
    10
    Title
    II. The Magician and the Witch play cards
    Duration
    03:39
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  11. 11 III. March 01:47
    Track
    11
    Title
    III. March
    Duration
    01:47
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  12. 12 IV. Scherzo 01:27
    Track
    12
    Title
    IV. Scherzo
    Duration
    01:27
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  13. 13 V. The Prince and Princess 03:54
    Track
    13
    Title
    V. The Prince and Princess
    Duration
    03:54
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  14. 14 VI. The Flight 02:10
    Track
    14
    Title
    VI. The Flight
    Duration
    02:10
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton