Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64

The first impression is very positive: the Introduction – warmly expressive, flexible and exuding interpretative confidence – promises an outstanding performance…yet within a few numbers Vasily... — BBC Music Magazine, Christmas 2016, More…

Release Date: 30th Sep 2016
Catalogue No: LWC1105
Label: LAWO
Length: 2 hours 24 minutes

Usually despatched in 3 - 4 working days

Prokofiev: Act 1

58:22

$21.00

$29.40

$36.75

Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Vasily Petrenko

I. Introduction

2:45

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

II. Romeo

1:25

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

III. The Street Wakens

2:24

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

IV. Morning Dance

1:57

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

V. The Quarrel

1:32

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

VI. The Fight

3:44

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

VII. The Duke’s Command

1:27

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

VIII. Interlude

1:23

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

IX. At the Capulets’ (preparations for the Ball)

2:11

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

X. The Young Juliet

3:30

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XI. Arrival of the Guests

3:49

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XII. Masks

2:45

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XIII. Dance of the Knights

5:29

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XIV. Juliet’s Variation

2:28

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XV. Mercutio

2:20

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XVI. Madrigal

3:43

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XVII. Tybalt Recognizes Romeo

1:49

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XVIII. Gavotte

3:39

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XIX. Balcony Scene

3:49

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XX. Romeo’s Variation

1:05

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XXI. Love Dance

5:08

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Prokofiev: Act 2

36:40

$15.00

$21.00

$26.25

Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Vasily Petrenko

XXII. Folk Dance

3:11

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XXIII. Romeo and Mercutio

2:22

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XXIV. Dance of the Five Couples

3:35

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XXV. Dance with Mandolins

2:03

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XXVI. Nurse

2:08

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XXVII. The Nurse and Romeo

0:52

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XXVIII. Romeo at Friar Laurence’s

2:37

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XXIX. Juliet at Friar Laurence’s

3:27

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XXX. Public Merrymaking

3:18

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XXXI. Further Public Festivities

2:07

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XXXII. Meeting of Tybalt and Mercutio

1:54

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XXXIII. The Duel

1:19

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XXXIV. Death of Mercutio

3:16

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XXXV. Romeo Decides to Avenge Mercutio

2:00

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XXXVI. Finale

2:31

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Prokofiev: Act 3

49:19

$16.00

$22.40

$28.00

Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Vasily Petrenko

XXXVII. Introduction

1:19

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XXXIII. Romeo and Juliet

1:46

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XXXIX. Romeo Bids Juliet Farewell

5:26

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XL. Nurse

1:52

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XLI. Juliet Refuses to Marry Paris

2:53

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XLII. Juliet Alone

1:23

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XLIII. Interlude

1:35

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XLIV. At Friar Laurence’s Cell

4:59

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XLV. Interlude

1:44

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XLVI. Juliet’s Room

3:10

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XLVII. Juliet Alone

5:34

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XLVIII. Aubade

2:42

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

XLIX. Dance of the Girls with Lilies

2:03

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

L. At Juliet’s Bedside

2:16

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

LI. Juliet’s Funeral

6:18

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

LII. Juliet’s Death

4:19

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

About
Reviews
Explore

About

This stunning recording presents Prokofiev’s scintillating score for his ballet Romeo and Juliet, recorded here in its entirety - which is a first for the orchestra as well as its conductor. The Oslo Philharmonic recorded Suites Nos. 1 and 2 under Mariss Jansons in 1989, but never the complete ballet up until this point.

Prokofiev’s imaginative orchestration has made the ballet Romeo and Juliet world-famous, primarily through the orchestral suites as opposed to the ballet as a whole. Unmistakably a child of the Rimsky-Korsakov school of orchestration, Prokofiev’s orchestra arsenal for the ballet includes tenor saxophone, four mandolins, cornet, celesta, organ, piano and a number of percussion instruments.

The Bolshoi premiere of Romeo and Juliet was postponed, with the official reasons given were that the ballet was too ‘difficult’ and its music ‘impossible to dance to’, however it is believed that there were other underlying reasons of a more politically complicated nature. The ballet finally saw its premiere in Brno, Czechoslovakia, in 1938, with a revised version being performed at the Mariinsky Theatre – renamed Kirov Theatre – in 1940. It is this version of Romeo and Juliet that has become one of the twentieth century’s most performed and recorded ballets.

The Oslo Philharmonic’s creative partnership with the LAWO label continues to grow; already in the pipeline is the next instalment of the orchestra’s complete Scriabin symphony cycle, the first being the 2015 recording of Symphonies Nos. 3 and 4, which will be the composer’s Symphony No. 1 with Alisa Kolosova and Maksim Aksenov as soloists.

Reviews

Christmas 2016

The first impression is very positive: the Introduction – warmly expressive, flexible and exuding interpretative confidence – promises an outstanding performance…yet within a few numbers Vasily Petrenko suggests a greater than usual range to the ballet’s character…all the main characters are vividly drawn…a very fresh and vibrant new account, the first and final acts as great as any available

December 2016

In place of Soviet-style weight, Petrenko wields a new broom. His tempi are often too extreme for dancing, or for fencing, come to that. Sections within numbers are refreshed unpredictable, sometimes slowed, more often swift, voicings tweaked to expose long-buried lines or surprising points of colour.

25th September 2016

Petrenko’s Norwegian band yield nothing in virtuosity — the strings are staggering in the fight — to Russian peers. The dramatic episodes sizzle, but there is poignancy in the balcony scene and Juliet’s death. One listens with refreshed ears.

13th November 2016

When tenderness is required, as in Act 3 Scene 10 (Romeo Bids Juliet Farewell), the Oslo players are full of heart and warmth. Lovely playing all round, with beautiful solos (woodwind particularly) and clean ensemble.

Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64

CD

Downloads

Contents