Animated Brilliance!
Wayne Dawson | New Zealand | 04/12/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Exceptional music will always stand on its own as exceptional music, but when a thoughtful programme is put together such as this, it becomes a very memorable occasion indeed. The first string quartet is a good primer for the second, which is a modern masterpiece in the folk idiom so typical of composers like Borodin and Janacek and is easily part of that illustrious company. Next comes the wonderfully inspired Overture on Hebrew Themes that replaces and contrasts the Karbadinian folk flavours of the second quartet with Yiddish ones and opens up some interesting instrumental combinations that lead us beautifully onto the quintet. The quintet was a real surprise, the type of off the wall magic that animates with Prokofian personality and abounds with the vivid colours and atmosphere of the circus/theatre. The musicianship is beyond reproach, unusual harmonies and folk melodies radiate and race with extraordinary beauty and a tremendous sense of pitch. Guaranteed to raise your IQ levels just through passive listening: Highly recommended!"
THE BEST CD OF PROKOFIEV'S CHAMBER MUSIC AT A BARGAIN PRICE!
G. Chandler | San Francisco, CA USA | 03/23/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've been collecting recordings of Prokofiev since the early 1970s (LPs in the '70s, and of course CDs starting in the mid '80s). This is the BEST disk of the chamber music of Prokofiev I have ever heard! (And, at a ridiculously low price - actually, it's a 'steal'!). I'm referring to the MUSIC, the PERFORMANCES, and the SOUND. Everything comes from Russia - the compositions, the musicians, and the recording. And to make this CD even more attractive, it's very generous (over 72 minutes). You will not find better performances of Prokofiev's String Quartets, the Quintet, and the Overture (thankfully, the original chamber version - not! the later bloated orchestral version), anywhere else, period! This CD is a must-own. I hope this review was helpful in your collecting Prokofiev."
Very good recording of some great pieces.
Menelaos | East Coast | 01/18/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I saw the Quintet performed a few years ago and have been looking for it ever since. It's a challenging piece of music (my friend called it "Looney Tunes") but for that it's very haunting and affecting. The recording is very good, and the musicianship is excellent -- it definitely lives up to the material, which is no small feat. Highly recommended."
Track Listings (13) - Disc #1
