Prokofiev: Symphonies No. 2 & No. 4 (Second Version)

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Gaffigan is relatively brisk [in the Fourth], avoiding slackness, but at the expense of some nuance and opportunities for characterisation, notably in the third movement. — BBC Music Magazine, August 2018, 2 out of 5 stars

Release Date: 6th Apr 2018
Catalogue No: CC72779
Label: Challenge Classics
Length: 73 minutes

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Prokofiev: Symphony No. 2 in D minor, Op. 40

Work length35:13

$10.00

$14.00

$17.50

Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra
James Gaffigan

I. Allegro ben articolato

Track length11:26

$2.00

$2.80

$3.50

II. Theme. Andante

Track length1:50

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

II. Variation 1. L’istesso tempo

Track length2:23

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

II. Variation 2. Allegro non troppo

Track length2:45

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

II. Variation 3. Allegro

Track length2:06

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

II. Variation 4. Larghetto

Track length5:29

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$1.40

$1.75

II. Variation 5. Allegro con brio

Track length2:43

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$1.75

II. Variation 6. Allegro moderato

Track length4:36

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

II. Theme

Track length1:55

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Prokofiev: Symphony No. 4 in C major, Op. 112 (revised version)

Work length38:16

$6.00

$8.40

$10.45

Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra
James Gaffigan

I. Andante – Allegro eroico

Track length12:37

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$2.80

$3.50

II. Andante tranquillo

Track length9:28

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$2.10

$2.60

III. Moderato, quasi allegretto

Track length5:46

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

IV. Allegro risoluto

Track length10:25

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

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This album is the fourth and last volume in the acclaimed complete survey of Prokofiev’s symphonies performed by the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic orchestra, conducted by James Gaffigan. The experimental Second Symphony, dated 1925, is coupled with the late Socialist Realism- like revision of the Fourth.

Prokofiev’s Second, composed eight years after the First, appears to be a defiant ode to the modern era, witnessed by the layers of mechanically persistent rhythms, expressionist harmonies, ostensibly unfathomable forms and its very expansive take on tonality. The work was premiered in Paris in 1925, conducted by Serge Koussevitsky.

Prokofiev decided to revise his Fourth Symphony, Op. 47, after the successful premieres of his Fifth and Sixth Symphonies (in January 1945 and December 1947 respectively). The original four movements remained largely intact, but the changes say a great deal about his style at that point. The first alteration was to insert or expand some passages that were predominantly reflective, with a strong emphasis on melody. Another example is the attempt to align the scale more closely with what was required by Socialist Realism. The changes in the Fourth were so meaningful that Prokofiev gave a new opus number to the Second Version.

Reviews

August 2018

Gaffigan is relatively brisk [in the Fourth], avoiding slackness, but at the expense of some nuance and opportunities for characterisation, notably in the third movement.

Prokofiev: Symphonies No. 2 & No. 4 (Second Version)

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