Search - Sergey Prokofiev, Georg Solti, Chicago Symphony Orchestra :: Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet; Symphony No.1 "Classical"

Brilliantly Played and Recorded, but So-So Editing

Music Is Everything | Colorado Springs, CO USA | 09/10/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is excellent Prokofiev. Prokofiev assembled three suites from his "Romeo and Juliet" for concert performance, but Solti chose a different approach, assembling seventeen of the most critical selections from the ballet and leaving them in their original order. The result is a persuasive abridged version of the ballet for concert performance and this wonderful recording. The Chicago Symphony is well-suited to this music; the technical challenges seem effortless and they're able to bring a more intense sense of conflict and drama with their high-voltage approach. The whole story comes to life hauntingly and effectively. Rounding out the disc is a fine performance of Prokofiev's "Classical Symphony," with the orchestra in top form and the strings handling the nearly-impossible passages with ease. One concern with the editing: The London/Decca engineers chose to group the seventeen "Romeo and Juliet" excerpts into five tracks, lumping them together by the act of the ballet in which they appear, so navigation from excerpt to excerpt isn't easy, but no worries--it's better to follow the story from beginning to end. I have two complete recordings of Romeo and Juliet and five recordings of excerpts, but this is the vision of Romeo and Juliet with all the essential music brilliantly played. Highly recommended."