Prokofiev: Semyon Kotko

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The Kirov Opera has done a great service by making Sergei Prokofiev's operas accessible to Western audiences whose familiarity with that aspect of the composer's career is sadly limited. Semyon Kotko won't crowd La Bohème off the boards, but it should please Prokofiev buffs. It's not without problems. The story wavers between village comedy and wartime brutality, and the plot line's political correctness is pitched to succeed in Stalin's Soviet Union. But the melodies come easy, even when sung by cardboard characters, and the orchestration is compelling. In Act III, Prokofiev transcended his material, writing a moving love duet and tense, forward-moving dramatic scenes. A topnotch cast, dynamic conducting and orchestral playing, and Philips's best sound in its Kirov Opera series should tempt those even vaguely interested in mid-century Russian music. --Dan Davis

Prokofiev: Semyon Kotko, Music, Sergey Prokofiev, Valery Gergiev, St.Petersburg Kirov Orchestra, Evgeny Akimov, Gennady Bezzubenkov, Nikolai Gassiev, Viktor Lutsuk, Yuri Laptev, Classical, Classical Music, Opera, Opera / Operetta / Oratorio, Opera/Operetta
Sergey Prokofiev: Semyon Kotko, Symphonic Suite from the Opera, Op. 81 bis / The Gambler, Four Portraits from the Opera, Op. 49
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Sergey Prokofiev: Semyon Kotko, Symphonic Suite from the Opera, Op. 81 bis / The Gambler, Four Portraits from the Opera, Op. 49
    Sergey Prokofiev , Neeme Jarvi , and Scottish National Orchestra
    Manufacturer: Chandos
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B000000AJY
    Release Date: 1992-10-28

    Tracks:

    1. Semyon Kotko: Symphonic Suite From The Opera, Op. 81 bis: 1. Introduction: Andante
    2. Semyon Kotko: Symphonic Suite From The Opera, Op. 81 bis: 2. Semyon And His Mother: Moderato
    3. Semyon Kotko: Symphonic Suite From The Opera, Op. 81 bis: 3. The Betrothal: Moderato
    4. Semyon Kotko: Symphonic Suite From The Opera, Op. 81 bis: 4. The Southern Night: Adagio
    5. Semyon Kotko: Symphonic Suite From The Opera, Op. 81 bis: 5. Execution: Allegro moderato
    6. Semyon Kotko: Symphonic Suite From The Opera, Op. 81 bis: 6. The Village Is Burning: Andante-moderato
    7. Semyon Kotko: Symphonic Suite From The Opera, Op. 81 bis: 7. Funeral: Andante
    8. Semyon Kotko: Symphonic Suite From The Opera, Op. 81 bis: 8. Ours Have Come: Vivace
    9. The Gambler (Le Joueur): Four Portraits From The Opera, Op. 49: 1. Aleksis: Allegro passionato
    10. The Gambler (Le Joueur): Four Portraits From The Opera, Op. 49: 2. La Grand'mere: Moderato
    11. The Gambler (Le Joueur): Four Portraits From The Opera, Op. 49: 3. Le General: Moderato
    12. The Gambler (Le Joueur): Four Portraits From The Opera, Op. 49: 4. Pauline: Moderato
    13. The Gambler (Le Joueur): Four Portraits From The Opera, Op. 49: 5. Denouement: Allegro
    Prokofiev: Semyon Kotko
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Period Piece
    • Great Music - A Stunning Performance
    • A rarity unearthed by Gergiev
    • A real blast from the past - Soviet Realism exhumed
    		 Prokofiev: Semyon Kotko

    Manufacturer: Philips
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    Similar Items:
    1. Prokofiev: Bethrothal In A Monastery
    2. Prokofiev: Love for Three Oranges
    3. Modest Moussorgsky: Khovanshchina
    4. Prokofiev: The Fiery Angel
    5. Rimsky-Korsakov: The Tsar's Bride

    ASIN: B00004TL2T
    Release Date: 2000-08-08

    Tracks:

    1. Semyon Kotko: Act I: Introduction
    2. Semyon Kotko: Act I, Tableau 1, Scene 1: Shol soldat s fronta
    3. Semyon Kotko: Act I, Tableau 1, Scene 2: Kovo nado?
    4. Semyon Kotko: Act I, Tableau 2, Scene 1: Prishol soldat Semyon Kotko
    5. Semyon Kotko: Act I, Tableau 2, Scene 2: Prosnulsa, odelsa
    6. Semyon Kotko: Act I, Tableau 2, Scene 3: Den dobriy, tovarishchi sosedi
    7. Semyon Kotko: Act I, Tableau 2, Scene 4: Ochen nam priyatno vnov uvidet vas
    8. Semyon Kotko: Act I, Tableau 2, Scene 5: Shol soldat s fronta
    9. Semyon Kotko: Act I, Tableau 2, Scene 6: Shto, moyo serdenko?
    10. Semyon Kotko: Act I, Tableau 2, Scene 7: Zdravstvuy, soldat!
    11. Semyon Kotko: Act I, Tableau 2, Scene 8: I shumit, i gudit
    12. Semyon Kotko: Act I, Tableau 2, Scene 9: Frosya!.... Mikola?
    13. Semyon Kotko: Act I, Tableau 2, Scene 10: Mamo... Mamo, dumayu ya
    14. Semyon Kotko: Act II, Scene 1: Shto eto za takoye, ne ponimayu
    15. Semyon Kotko: Act II, Scene 2: Khivrya! Shto eto?
    16. Semyon Kotko: Act II, Scene 3: A mi do vas, Nikanor Vasilyevich
    17. Semyon Kotko: Act II, Scene 4: Klanyaetsa vam molodoy knyaz
    18. Semyon Kotko: Act II, Scene 5: Popadalis i u nas v Chyornom more
    19. Semyon Kotko: Act II, Scene 6: Zhenskiye slyozi!
    20. Semyon Kotko: Act II, Scene 7: Zhenikh idyot, zhenikh idyot
    21. Semyon Kotko: Act II, Scene 8: Morgen!
    22. Semyon Kotko: Act II, Scene 9: Kushat?... Chem bog poslal
    23. Semyon Kotko: Act II, Scene 10: Videli? Chuyete, shto eto znachit?

    Tracks:

    1. Semyon Kotko: Act Three, Scene 1: I snitsya mne opyat
    2. Semyon Kotko: Act Three, Scene 2: Sonya! Tse ti?
    3. Semyon Kotko: Act Three, Scene 3: Nu shto ti skazhesh?
    4. Semyon Kotko: Act Three, Scene 4: I snitsa mne, Mikola, son
    5. Semyon Kotko: Act Three, Scene 5: Rano, rano, ranenko
    6. Semyon Kotko: Act Three, Scene 6: Ne slikhat...
    7. Semyon Kotko: Act Three, Scene 7: Dyadya Tsaryov...dyadya Tsaryov...
    8. Semyon Kotko: Act Three, Scene 8: Permettez-moi de parler francais
    9. Semyon Kotko: Act Three, Scene 9: Razreshite predstavit vam
    10. Semyon Kotko: Act Three, Scene 10: Net, net, to ne Vasilyok
    11. Semyon Kotko: Act Three, Scene 11: Tak delo vikhodit
    12. Semyon Kotko: Act Three, Scene 12: Dyadya Semyon...dyadya Semyon...
    13. Semyon Kotko: Act Three, Scene 13: Oy, Frosechka, strashno...
    14. Semyon Kotko: Act Three, Scene 14: Skoti!
    15. Semyon Kotko: Act Three, Scene 14: Gorit! gorit! Gorit u Kotko!
    16. Semyon Kotko: Act Four, Tableau 1, Scene 1: Bozhe moy, bozhe, prosti ti mne
    17. Semyon Kotko: Act Four, Tableau 1, Scene 2: Tak...Tak... Drug moy, Vasya Tsaryov
    18. Semyon Kotko: Act Four, Tableau 1, Scene 3: Kak umru, pokhoronite vi menya
    19. Semyon Kotko: Act Four, Tableau 2, Scene 1: Znachitsa...znachitsa
    20. Semyon Kotko: Act Four, Tableau 2, Scene 2: Zatem imeyetsa...
    21. Semyon Kotko: Act Four, Tableau 2, Scene 3: Kukushka...Mikeolka kukuyet
    22. Semyon Kotko: Act Four, Tableau 2, Scene 3: Oy, lyudi, oy, dobriye lyudi!
    23. Semyon Kotko: Act Four, Tableau 2, Scene 4: Ey!...Kukushka!
    24. Semyon Kotko: Act Five, Scene 1: Oy, gore, lyutoye gore!
    25. Semyon Kotko: Act Five, Scene 2: Semyon!...Mamo! Eto vi!
    26. Semyon Kotko: Act Five, Scene 3: Ekh, ekh, ekh! Zhalko tebya, Kotko
    27. Semyon Kotko: Act Five, Scene 4: A nu, stanovites, druzya moi
    28. Semyon Kotko: Act Five, Scene 5: Shol soldat... Po svobodnoy Ukraine

    Amazon.com

    The Kirov Opera has done a great service by making Sergei Prokofiev's operas accessible to Western audiences whose familiarity with that aspect of the composer's career is sadly limited. Semyon Kotko won't crowd La Bohème off the boards, but it should please Prokofiev buffs. It's not without problems. The story wavers between village comedy and wartime brutality, and the plot line's political correctness is pitched to succeed in Stalin's Soviet Union. But the melodies come easy, even when sung by cardboard characters, and the orchestration is compelling. In Act III, Prokofiev transcended his material, writing a moving love duet and tense, forward-moving dramatic scenes. A topnotch cast, dynamic conducting and orchestral playing, and Philips's best sound in its Kirov Opera series should tempt those even vaguely interested in mid-century Russian music. --Dan Davis

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars Period Piece.......2007-02-25

    I found myself contrasting this opera with "War and Peace" finding much similar. Between the two Voina i Mir is my favorite but I can't tell if it is because of familiarity or what. This performance is fantastic. If that is one consideration, my recording of the other is much older and technology has clearly come a long way. I would not suggest this as a first experience for students. One needs an ear for Prokofiev to enjoy this.

    5 out of 5 stars Great Music - A Stunning Performance.......2004-02-04

    It was a performance of Semyon Kotko attended by a young Sviatoslav Richter that drew the admiration of the young pianist for the music of Sergei Prokofiev. Semyon Kotko is an opera with a checkered history. Prokofiev wanted the opera to be staged by the famed director Vsevold Meyerhold, a critic of the Soviet Union's control over artists, but he was arrested just after Prokofiev had completed his piano score of the opera and was never seen again. The composer hoped that this opera would be the work that would secure his reputation as a Soviet artist. Since his return to his homeland in 1936, and despite his (now renown) ballet Romeo and Juliet the only work that had received any attention was Peter and the Wolf. Ultimately, Semyon Kotko was not the success that Prokofiev had hoped for but at least he had been able to see the opera staged.

    The opera is peopled with characters that are strictly good or bad and it extols the peasant-hero who is victorious over the forces that would crush the Bolshevik utopia. Prokofiev toned down the propaganda element of the story (the libretto was written by the author of the story, Valentin Katayev, that was titled "I am the son of working people"). Semyon Kotko was received with some enthusiasm when it premiered in 1940 but it was withdrawn early in 1941 and not performed until 1958. Since this opera was intended to help the composer find acceptance by the Soviet leadership it could be considered music written to show the composer's desire for acceptance, not reflecting his true desires for the opera. However, this is not the case. It is clear for the opening bars that the music of Semyon Kotko is rich in expression and drama and is connected to the tradition of Mussorgsky and Tchaikovsky in treating the characters with their own vocal style. Until the mid-second act, the story is concerned with young love instead of the tragedy of war. Semyon Kotko has returned from war to resume his old life and marry his sweetheart Sofya. Sofya's father, Tkachenko, a rich peasant or kulak, early on, is more like the opera buffa's reluctant father than the sinister figure he becomes later.

    The entry of the German army in the story moves the action into the political realm as the German soldiers seek to round up the Communists in Semyon's village and are abetted by Tkachenko who believes the Russian revolution will fail and the Tsar will be restored to power. The German's hang three of the townspeople and burn a part of the village. Eventually, the partisans re-take the village, Semyon and Sofya are reunited and Tkachenko goes off to his execution. The music is some of the finest by Prokofiev. The lyricism of the first act wonderfully describes the relationship between Semyon and Sofya while the burning of the village and hanging of the Bolsheviks in act three is vividly expressed. This is an opera of lyricism and drama that the Kirov has effectively brought to life in this recording, and which they performed at the Met in 2003. This music deserves to be considered among Prokofiev's great works, with the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies and Cinderella, rather than be relegated as a purely political piece written to curry favor.

    5 out of 5 stars A rarity unearthed by Gergiev.......2003-12-06

    If conductor Valery Gergiev were known for nothing more than bringing obscure operas to light, he would still have a place in history. His valiant advocacy of some of Prokofiev's more obscure work is a case in point, and "Semyon Kotko" must be one of the best examples. It's a shame this work hasn't been performed or recorded more often, since it has all the dramatic impact you could want, and some terrific music.

    I was fortunate to see this live in the summer of 2003, performed by Gergiev and the Kirov Opera at the Lincoln Center Festival. The vivid production alone would have made an impact, but the fact is that this opera has some of Prokofiev's most striking, not to mention listenable music. In Act III, for example, when the small village in the story is destroyed, the score reaches a terrifying climax (among other memorable sequences) with a starring role for Olga Savova, who is just one standout in the committed cast.

    Perhaps it's the opportunity to bring to life a seldom-done score, but everyone sings with go-for-broke intensity, and the orchestra -- wow, this orchestra -- is up to its usual high standard. The sound quality is also quite good, as are most of these in this Philips series. The libretto includes a few photographs from the Kirov production as well.

    It is almost unthinkable that this score might still be lounging around in some library, waiting for a guide like Gergiev to show us that there is something valuable within. For those who love Prokofiev, unusual opera or are just admirers of the conductor's impressive output with the Kirov, this can be easily recommended.

    4 out of 5 stars A real blast from the past - Soviet Realism exhumed.......2000-08-22

    The story of Prokofiev's return to the Soviet Union in the 1930's is a sad and sorry one, welcomed back into the fold as a prodigal son(a great propaganda coup) he found himself at the height of Stalin's purges - in fact the intended director for the premiere of 'Semyon Kotko',Vsevolod Meyerhold, vanished just as Prokofiev finished the opera - much later it came to light he had been shot. So this is Prokofiev's attempt at an idealogically acceptable Soviet-Realist opera - a far cry in subject matter from his earlier operatic endeavours (many of which have been recorded by Gergiev and the Kirov in this superb series)- Dostoyevsky, Commedia dell'arte, Symbolist religious-sexual obsession - none of which would have stood a chance in the USSR at the time - mind you they didn't do too well in the West either. Prokofiev's operas are in fact much better than their rather patchy stage history would suggest.

    So, what is this opera like? - bearing in mind that it was written in this all-pervading atmosphere of fear, and that Prokofiev badly needed an idealogical success with the authorities - 'Romeo and Juliet' written 3 years previously had failed (hard to credit!), and only 'Peter and the Wolf' had pleased. Well, the great thing about Prokofiev's music is that his personality imprints itself on every page, and while the music is uneven and at times even banal, it is always fascinating to have the chance to hear a work that has almost disappeared, by a major composer. The story concerns a demobilised soldier (Semyon Kotko - sung by tenor Viktor Lutsiuk with an appealing timbre that only occasionally shows hint of strain)returning to his village in the Ukraine after 4 years absence - this is 1918 and even though the revolutionary Red Army has made peace with Germany, there are still scattered German units that oppose the Red Army and have formed alliances with 'reactionary' Ukrainian nationalists against the communists. Semyon's fiancee, Sonya, has a father, Tkachenko - sung with a wonderful snarl and sense of character by Kirov veteran Gennady Bezzubenkov) who sides with the Germans and the opera tells the story of the conflict - involving public hangings and at the end of the third act (of five) the burning of the village by the Germans. This is why the opera disappeared so quickly: the opera was premiered in 1940 - and in WW2 the Soviets had a short-lived pact with Germany, so Semyon Kotko's anti-German bias was suddenly non acceptable.

    The opera is very well paced - the first two acts are mainly a kind of village comedy - then the brutal events of the third act (much the best) change the focus to real tragedy - unfortunately the opera then goes off the rails with the Soviet partisans hiding out and effecting a contrived happy ending with the Red Army victorious. You can sense Prokofiev struggling to keep involved, particularly in the latter stages. The characters are all cardboard cut-outs, and such passages as Semyon explaining to the partisans about different types of guns, and the false uplift of revolutionary ideals at the end bring forth music so perfunctory as to make you wonder if there is an element of send up. However there is some vintage lyrical writing (redolent of Romeo and Juliet) - go to the prelude or the opening of the 3rd act - and this latter act is a tremendous achievement, including the lament of a girl driven mad by publicly witnessing her boyfriend being hanged which is obsessively harrowing and memorable. Prokofiev brings this back at the end of the act when the village burns and turns it into an epic, terrifying climax - it's really worth hearing this scene!

    The recording is taken from a series of concert performances in Vienna, the sound is vivid, mellow and only occasionally a little boomy - the big climaxes of the third act are undoubtedly thrilling, both emotionally and and for sonic impact. Not all of the singing is beautiful, but that's not the point, Gergiev and his forces bring out all the drama and variety of this strange piece, and even play the obviously contrived moments to the hilt.

    Whether you can dissociate all this from the very suspect idealogy is another matter. One may smile at the naivete of the piece, but this smile is wiped right off when the historical truth of what the Soviets did to the Ukraine (hopelessly whitewashed in the opera - though it is unlikely that the creators knew any of this) is revealed - read the excellent notes accompanying this recording. However you do wonder if we would be listening to this piece now if it were the work of a German composer returning to his homeland to be of use to the state in the 1930's..........
    Sergei Prokofiev, Enfant Terrible (1891-1953): A 50th Anniversary Celebration
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • An eye-opening Prokofiev survey (try to buy it used)
    		 Sergei Prokofiev, Enfant Terrible (1891-1953): A 50th Anniversary Celebration

    Manufacturer: Decca
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B000084H93
    Release Date: 2003-04-08

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars An eye-opening Prokofiev survey (try to buy it used).......2006-03-26

    I can't see paying full price for a two-CD compensdium, even one as lavish as this package, when all the itmes are samples for promoting Universal's catalog (expect a good representation by Ashkenazy, Rostropovich, Previn, and Gergiev). But the selection is good enough and often rare eough to warrant a buy if the price is low.

    As I listened straight through, I was surprised at how unacquainted I actually was with the wide extent of Prokofiev's style. From the very early "Dreams," which could be mistaken for Glazunov through the unfamiliar operas (Betrothal in a Monastery Garden, Semyon Kotko) to the final, sadly diminished works like the Seventh Sym. and the cello concerto, the composer covered every major Russian style of the century. I didn't find any new masterful performances--not that a short excerpt is a good enough trial--but everything here is well performced. Any listener should find something unexpected and intriguing in this two-and-a-half-hour traversal.
    Prokofiev: Symphony 5/ Semyon Kotko
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • Prokofiev is at His Best in SEMYON KOTKO!
    		 Prokofiev: Symphony 5/ Semyon Kotko

    Manufacturer: Russian Revelation
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B000006B9T
    Release Date: 1998-04-21

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars Prokofiev is at His Best in SEMYON KOTKO!.......2004-08-19

    With ON THE DNIEPR,op.51 and ANDANTE for String Orchestra,Op.50bis, the SEMYON KOTKO Suite for Orchestra,Op.81bis is one of Prokofiev's most underappreaciated compositions. Containing some of the best music the composer wrote--and coupled here with the May 18th, 1963 recording of SYMPHONY No.5,Op.100, the SUITE is expertly conducted by the great Prokofiev champion Gennady Rozhdestvensky in a 1985 Soviet Melodiya recording.
    Sergej Prokofiev: Sur le Borysthène; Seymon Kotko Suite; Lieutenant Kijé Suite
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      		Sergej Prokofiev: Sur le Borysthène; Seymon Kotko Suite; Lieutenant Kijé Suite

      Manufacturer: Cpo Records
      ProductGroup: Music
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      ASIN: B00011MK6A
      Release Date: 2004-02-17
      Prokofiev: Semyon Kotko
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        		Prokofiev: Semyon Kotko

        Manufacturer: Chandos
        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD

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        ASIN: B000089HC2
        Release Date: 2003-03-25

        Tracks:

        1. Introduction - Andante
        2. Tableau 1 - In Front Of Semyon's Cottage
        3. Scene 1: A Soldier Came Back From The Front
        4. Scene 2: Who D'You Want?
        5. Scene 1: The Soldier Kemyon Kotko Has Come Back
        6. Scene 2: He's Woken Up, He's Got Dressed
        7. Scene 3: Good Day, Friends And Neighbours
        8. Scene 4: We Are Very Pleased To See You Again
        9. Scene 5: A Soldier Came Back From The Front
        10. Scene 6: It's Papa Coming Back From The Market
        11. Scene 7: Greetings, Soldiers! Welcome Home!
        12. Scene 8: The Sound Of The Rain
        13. Scene 9: Frosya!
        14. Scene 10: Mother...Mother
        15. Scene 1: I Can't Understand It
        16. Scene 2: Khivrya! What's That?
        17. Scene 3: We've Got Business With You
        18. Scene 4: A Young Prince
        19. Scene 5: We Get The Same Sort...
        20. Scene 6: Women's Tears!
        21. Scene 7: The Groom Is Coming
        22. Scene 8: Morgen!
        23. Scene 9: To Eat?

        Tracks:

        1. Scene 10: Did You See?
        2. A Little Garden Alongside Tkachenko's Cottage
        3. Scene 1: I Had The Same Dream Again
        4. Scene 2: Sonya! Is That You?
        5. Scene 3: So It's The Young Prince!
        6. Scene 4: I Had A Dream, Mikola
        7. Scene 5: Early, Early In The Morning
        8. Scene 6: I Can't Hear Anything...
        9. Scene 7: Uncle Tsaryov...Uncle Tsaryov...
        10. Scene 8: Permettez-Moi De Parler Francais
        11. Scene 9: Permit Me To Present For Your Perusal
        12. Scene 10: No, No, That Wasn't My Vasilyok
        13. Scene 11: So Things Turn Out...
        14. Scene 12: Uncle Semyon...Uncle Semyon
        15. Scene 13: Oh, Frosechka, It's Terrible...
        16. Scene 14: The Swine!

        Tracks:

        1. Scene 1: Oh My God, My God, Forgive Me
        2. Scene 2: So...So...
        3. Scene 3: When I Die, Bury Me In A Grave
        4. Scene 1: So...So...
        5. Scene 2: Then We've Got...
        6. Scene 3: Cu-ckoo. Cu-ckoo
        7. Scene 4: Eh!
        8. Scene 1: Oh Woe, Bitter Woe!
        9. Scene 2: Semyon!
        10. Scene 3: Hm...Hm...
        11. Scene 4: So Now, Stand Up, My Friends
        12. Scene 5: The Cavalry Flies Over A Free Ukraine
        Russian Overtures
        Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
        • Speed, Sure, but There's More to This Recording Than That
        • Russian Music
        • As fast as you can...
        • An Enjoyable Hour of Music
        		 Russian Overtures
        Sergey Prokofiev , Dmitry Kabalevsky , Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov , Modest Mussorgsky , Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov , Mikhail Pletnev , and Russian National Orchestra
        Manufacturer: Polygram Records
        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD

        All Works by BorodinAll Works by Borodin | Borodin, Alexander | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by GlinkaAll Works by Glinka | Glinka, Mikhail | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by KabalevskyAll Works by Kabalevsky | Kabalevsky, Dmitri | ( K ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by MussorgskyAll Works by Mussorgsky | Mussorgsky, Modest | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by TchaikovskyAll Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by ShostakovichAll Works by Shostakovich | Shostakovich, Dmitri | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by ProkofievAll Works by Prokofiev | Prokofiev, Sergei | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        OverturesOvertures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
        Pletnev, MikhailPletnev, Mikhail | ( P ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        Russian National OrchestraRussian National Orchestra | ( R ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
        RomancesRomances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
        RussianRussian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
        ASIN: B000001GM2
        Release Date: 1995-01-17

        Tracks:

        1. Ruslan And Ludmilla
        2. Prince Igor
        3. Festive Overture Op. 96
        4. Semyon Kotko
        5. Colas Breugnon
        6. The Tsar's Bride
        7. Khovanshchina
        8. Overture In F Major
        9. Ouverture solennelle op. 73

        Customer Reviews:

        4 out of 5 stars Speed, Sure, but There's More to This Recording Than That.......2003-11-20

        There's the music, for one thing. Pletnev has assembled the well-known (Glinka, Borodin, Shostakovich, Kabalevsky, Mussorgsky), the lesser known (Rimsky), and just about unknown (Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Glazounov) to create a winning program that, just when you think you've heard it all before, pops a surprise or two on you. Prokofiev's work is restrained and sauve, Tchaikovsky's and Glazounov's pieces big-boned and noisily dramatic. And that's the way Pletnev's programming works: the fleet and brilliant balanced by the grand and stately, the boisterous by the darkly passionate.

        The playing is of course to the manner born. Glazounov never quite adds up when played by a Western orchestra, but Pletnev states the composer's case very clearly and firmly. So, too, with the lesser bit of Tchaikovsky. But I find Pletnev's way with all this music, even his breakneck Glinka, compelling.

        In fact, I'd give this CD five stars except that the sound leaves something to be desired. Is it a bit lacking in presence? A bit strident? Both? Usually I can put my finger on a failing in this arena, but here I'm not sure what the trouble is--just that this is not DG's best work. Still, for a well-thought-out, well-executed program of Russian music, you can't go wrong with this CD.

        5 out of 5 stars Russian Music.......2003-06-01

        I absolutely love the quality to which the Russian National
        Orchestra plays these overtures. What a distinctly Russian style. Almost takes you to Moscow.
        I do have to say, that I enjoy Ruslan and Ludmilla played a bit slower...there is so much depth to that piece, that it gets missed when played in such a rapid style. Although it is nice for a variation.
        If you enjoy overtures or Russian composers....you will enjoy this CD!

        5 out of 5 stars As fast as you can..........1999-07-25

        I've taken notice in the last few months to the fact that Russian orchestras seem to play Russian music really, really well. This CD is a fine example to back up that observance. Pletnev is incredible in his speed on some of these pieces, and the orchestra is even moreso in its ability to keep up. I've never heard "Russlan & Ludmilla" played so quickly (the CSO/Solti take 8 seconds longer), and it's really pretty nifty hearing unison strings playing as quickly as possible. The clarinet solo towards the end of Borodin is outright gorgeous, and Shostakovich's Festival Overture is (for lack of more clever terming ability) quite festive indeed. The rest of the disc is an assortment of delights, including (among other things) an early Tchaikovsky piece. Overall it's a lot of fun and a treat to listen to.

        4 out of 5 stars An Enjoyable Hour of Music.......1999-01-06

        This is a wonderful collection of Russian music, spanning a wide variety of styles, periods, and composers. It successfully brings together several well-known concert pieces and a number of works that are rarely heard in the United States. Pletnev's direction is exciting and buoyant, and the playing of the Russian National Orchestra is always crisp. The CD gets your attention right away, with the single fastest rendering of Russlan and Ludmilla that I have ever heard. It's well worth the purchase price.

        Track Listings:

        1. Rachmaninov: 24 Preludes [Import]
        2. Saint-Saëns: Music for Cello
        3. Schubert: Songs Transcribed by Liszt, Vol. 3
        4. Schwankungen Am Rand
        5. Selections from the Diary of Samuel Pepys [Box set]
        6. Shostakovich: Symphony No. 6; Kodály: Dances of Galanta...
        7. Solo Keyboard Music 1
        8. Songs of Milarepa
        9. Steinway's Favorite's Music for Ballet Class
        10. Stravinsky: Petrushka; Pulcinella

        Track Listings

        track listings

        Track Listings

        Like a Virgin

        Portrait [Import]

        Never Let the Same Bee Sting You Twice

        Larger Than Life

        Then Again [Import]

        Slow Jams: The 70's, Vol. 1

        Shades of Blue/Family Reunion

        Musical Moments Of Jascha Heifetz

        Pearls in the Snow

        Selection of Dixieland [Import]

        Peaches: The Very Best of the Stranglers [Original recording remastered]

        Motorbiene [Import]

        Nukluez Presentz: Hard House Anthems [Import]

        Hooked on Handel

        Un Poco Loco