Search - Prokofiev, Dutoit, Nhk :: Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet [excerpts]; Symphony No. 6

Dutoit's Way With Prokofiev

Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 03/18/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Charles Dutoit is a tough conductor to label. He has successfully been at the helm of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre National de France, and currently with the NHK Symphony Orchestra of Tokyo as well as guest conducting with virtually all of the major orchestras of this country, Europe, South America, etc. One would think his specialty would be French music (and he remains one of the more important proponents of that realm today), but instead he has surveyed an eclectic repertoire and mastered it all. He is a conductor of elegance, polish, and profound insight.



This recording with the NHK Orchestra was made in 1999 soon after he began his tenure there. He has developed that orchestra's sound, creating yet another major symphony contender. Here Dutoit probes the drama and the lyricism of Prokofiev's ballet 'Romeo and Juliet' with a fine sense of energy and luxurious passion, and his decision regarding the excerpts and their sequence is very sensitively chosen.



Paired with the 'Romeo and Juliet' is Prokofiev's brilliant but less well-known Symphony No. 6. Not that the work begs for performances or recordings: it simply has never gained the recognition that Nos. 5 and 1 enjoy. After hearing Dutoit guest conduct the LA Philharmonic in Disney Hall in a staggeringly perfect performance of this symphony, it forces this listener to re-think the order of Prokofiev's important works. This is symphony whose impact is stunning in its concept and orchestration. Prokofiev's use of the piano paired with the basses, percussion, tuba and bass trombones gives that solid, deep bottom that serves as the matrix upon which he plucks and glides the moody strings and woodwinds throughout all the movements. It is a solid work, full of rich detail recalling the beauties of his ballet scores while courting the more radical musical thoughts of its time ((1947). Dutoit finds all of this and more and molds this symphony into the great one it truly is. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, March 06"

Excellent Prokofiev Courtesy of Dutoit and NHK Symphony

John Kwok | New York, NY USA | 02/12/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a splendid recording of two of Prokofiev's most popular orchestral works. Dutotit leads the NHK Symphony Orchestra through performances which are lively and full of warmth. It's an excellent introduction to the NHK Symphony Orchestra, whose musicians are certainly as good as those from the best orchestras in Europe and North America. Dutoit's interpretations of selections from the two Romeo and Juliet suites are fine, but miss some of the darker shading I've heard from others, most notably Muti. He's a bit more successful with his interpretation of Prokofiev's 6th symphony, certainly the composer's most lyrical work. Both pieces were recorded nearly a year apart, and also a continent apart (The suites were recorded in Tokyo; the symphony in Europe, either in England or Austria.). Both are replete with the excellent sound quality Decca is noted for. Although these aren't definitive recordings of Prokofiev's music, they are nonetheless worth owning."