Thomas Søndergård & RSNO - Prokofiev: Symphonies 1 & 5 - BBC Radio 3 'Record Review'

Before playing-

First though, here’s another musical tribute to earlier times, Prokofiev, invoking the spirit of Haydn in his classical symphony No.1. A brand-new recording from a Danish conductor in Scotland.

Sergi Prokofiev- Symphony No.1 in D major, Op 25 ‘Classical’ (1st mvt)

After playing-

The first movement of Prokofiev’s classical symphony No.1, performed with a lovely sense of Haydnesque alertness by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, conducted by Thomas Sondergard. The classical symphony turns out to be elegant and impish, upbeat to a symphony that asks more serious questions. Prokofiev’s 5th from 1944, 27 years later, who’s Moscow premier conducted by Prokofiev took place at the sound of artillery fire. Sondergard captures the character of the middle movements especially, while the zany scherzo and unsettling meditations of the slow movement. Prokofiev’s first and fifth symphonies from Scotland. That’s new this week on Linn records.