SERGEY PROKOFIEV

 

Romeo and Juliet

 

London Symphony Orchestra / Valery Gergiev

 

DSD recording, live at the Barbican November 2008

 

Gergiev is a tireless champion of Prokofiev's music.

 

"The strings were supple and radiant ...The brass, much used by Prokofiev, were tirelessly accurate, and the woodwind especially characterful, with some of the orchestra's younger members playing out of their skins. The best ballets contain music almost too good to be wasted on dancers. Freed from the need to adopt dance tempi, this wonderful music swaggered, sparkled and shimmered as it rarely does in the theatre." Mail on Sunday

 

"Most concert conductors only take bites out of Prokofiev's virile but lengthy ballet. Not Valery Gergiev. He knows that the complete score is a treasure chest of musical characterisation, orchestral colour, soaring melody and blasting drama: manna from heaven for himself and the London Symphony Orchestra." The Times

 

"Gergiev and the LSO's performance was simply magnificent, not just in the quality of the orchestral playing but in the range of colours and delicacy Gergiev drew from his players." classicalsource.com

 

LSO Live 2SACDs LSO0682