Re: Re: Prokofiev's 5th - Ron Bishop/Cleveland


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Posted by Richard on October 16, 2000 at 20:11:13:

In Reply to: Re: Prokofiev's 5th - Ron Bishop/Cleveland posted by same recording? on October 16, 2000 at 00:08:27:

The Szell/Cleveland Prokofiev 5th on Sony Masterworks Heritage was played by Chester Roberts. His usual instrument of choice was an Alex F, but for the really obvious contrabass tuba repertoire, such as this, he played a York BBb. These days it would be considered a 5/4. Very much worth hearing, although find Szell a bit too much in a hurry with the first movement. Another great one - Ormandy/Philadelphia on Sony Essential Classics. Torchinsky of course, at his best, and practicing what he would later preach in his Prokofiev excert book.

Seeing the DG Levine/CSO so lionized has me wondering. Yes, it's a great performance, one of the greatest, but I found the audio production nearly unlistenable except at reduced volume. Extremely harsh and edgy, like the worst "digital" sound you could imagine. I can't believe the production team actually accepted this while the gig was going down, that it must have been post-production. In any case, my contacts at DG could only shrug their shoulders in bewilderment. Most of them are now shrugging elsewhere. This Prokofiev 5th comes from a period in which DG was making fine sounding recordings in Chicago and elsewhere, so it's some kind of abberation. Anyt opinions, dissenting or otherwise?


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