Andrew Litton - Prokofiev: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 7 (2016) (HI-RES)

While it is not at all unusual for a composer to return to a work and make revisions, Sergei Prokofiev’s Fourth Symphony is a unique case. The piece was composed and then revised to the point that the composer saw them as two separate works. The first version, which was composed in 1929, was met with apathetic response by audiences. The 1947 revision completely reworked the material and created a much more ambitious score.

This release pairs the 1947 revision of Symphony No 4 along with Prokofiev’s Symphony 7 in C sharp minor, which was aimed at simplicity and was a ‘symphony for children.’ This is the third release in the Prokofiev cycle from Andrew Litton and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. The prior discs have received critical acclaim: “One of the best performances of the Fifth that I have ever heard…” (Fanfare)

Tracklist

01. Symphony No. 4, Op. 112 (Revised 1947 Version): I. Andante - Allegro eroico - Allegretto
02. Symphony No. 4, Op. 112 (Revised 1947 Version): II. Andante tranquillo
03. Symphony No. 4, Op. 112 (Revised 1947 Version): III. Moderato quasi allegretto
04. Symphony No. 4, Op. 112 (Revised 1947 Version): IV. Allegro risoluto
05. Symphony No. 7 in C Sharp Minor, Op. 131: I. Moderato
06. Symphony No. 7 in C Sharp Minor, Op. 131: II. Allegretto
07. Symphony No. 7 in C Sharp Minor, Op. 131: III. Andante espressivo
08. Symphony No. 7 in C Sharp Minor, Op. 131: IV. Vivace
09. Symphony No. 7 in C Sharp Minor, Op. 131: IV. Vivace (alternative ending)

Release Date: August 2016
Originally recorded in 2016

Composer
Sergey Prokofiev

Solo Orchestra
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra

Conductor
Andrew Litton