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, 4 out of 5 stars More…

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

Usually despatched in 3 - 4 working days

This release includes a digital booklet

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Prokofiev: Act 1

Work length58:22

$21.00

$29.40

$36.75

Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Vasily Petrenko

I. Introduction

Track length2:45

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II. Romeo

Track length1:25

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III. The Street Wakens

Track length2:24

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IV. Morning Dance

Track length1:57

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V. The Quarrel

Track length1:32

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VI. The Fight

Track length3:44

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VII. The Duke’s Command

Track length1:27

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VIII. Interlude

Track length1:23

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

Track length2:11

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X. The Young Juliet

Track length3:30

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XI. Arrival of the Guests

Track length3:49

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XII. Masks

Track length2:45

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XIII. Dance of the Knights

Track length5:29

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XIV. Juliet’s Variation

Track length2:28

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XV. Mercutio

Track length2:20

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XVI. Madrigal

Track length3:43

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XVII. Tybalt Recognizes Romeo

Track length1:49

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XVIII. Gavotte

Track length3:39

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XIX. Balcony Scene

Track length3:49

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XX. Romeo’s Variation

Track length1:05

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XXI. Love Dance

Track length5:08

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Prokofiev: Act 2

Work length36:40

$15.00

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Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Vasily Petrenko

XXII. Folk Dance

Track length3:11

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XXIII. Romeo and Mercutio

Track length2:22

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XXIV. Dance of the Five Couples

Track length3:35

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XXV. Dance with Mandolins

Track length2:03

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XXVI. Nurse

Track length2:08

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XXVII. The Nurse and Romeo

Track length0:52

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XXVIII. Romeo at Friar Laurence’s

Track length2:37

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XXIX. Juliet at Friar Laurence’s

Track length3:27

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XXX. Public Merrymaking

Track length3:18

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XXXI. Further Public Festivities

Track length2:07

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XXXII. Meeting of Tybalt and Mercutio

Track length1:54

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XXXIII. The Duel

Track length1:19

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XXXIV. Death of Mercutio

Track length3:16

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XXXV. Romeo Decides to Avenge Mercutio

Track length2:00

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XXXVI. Finale

Track length2:31

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Prokofiev: Act 3

Work length49:19

$16.00

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$28.00

Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Vasily Petrenko

XXXVII. Introduction

Track length1:19

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XXXIII. Romeo and Juliet

Track length1:46

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XXXIX. Romeo Bids Juliet Farewell

Track length5:26

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XL. Nurse

Track length1:52

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XLI. Juliet Refuses to Marry Paris

Track length2:53

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XLII. Juliet Alone

Track length1:23

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XLIII. Interlude

Track length1:35

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XLIV. At Friar Laurence’s Cell

Track length4:59

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XLV. Interlude

Track length1:44

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XLVI. Juliet’s Room

Track length3:10

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XLVII. Juliet Alone

Track length5:34

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XLVIII. Aubade

Track length2:42

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XLIX. Dance of the Girls with Lilies

Track length2:03

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L. At Juliet’s Bedside

Track length2:16

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LI. Juliet’s Funeral

Track length6:18

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LII. Juliet’s Death

Track length4:19

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About
Reviews
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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

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