Prokofiev - Symphony No.7; Sinfonietta

Sergei Prokofiev

Symphony No 7 in C sharp minor Op.131

Sinfonietta Op. 48

Scottish National Orchestra

Neeme Jarvi

Compared to the two previous symphonies Prokofiev's seventh comes across as an almost surprisingly subdued, reflective affair. It is by no means an untroubled work, but it has none of the aggression of its predecessors - rather, we find a welter of wonderful material; broad, immensely rewarding melodies and of course the composer's trademark superb orchestration. The music is not without a touch of humor, but the overall impression is of a yearning, imaginative and evocative fantasy. It is a marvelous work, but it need performances that can keep the pace up (and not let the music linger too much, despite all the attractive sights on the way) and keep the overall argument in sight.

Fortunately, Järvi and the Scottish National Orchestra are exactly up to the task. The orchestral playing is overall splendid - a bit more refinement in the slow movement could perhaps be imagined, but it would be churlish to complain given the superb playing everywhere else and the complete conviction and spirit Järvi brings to the work. The Chandos sound is also excellent, providing depth and clarity for this rewarding performance.

What makes the disc utterly unmissable, however, is one of the few available performances of the delightful early Sinfonietta, a truly charming, atmospheric work written in 1909 (but revised in 1914 and 1929). Full of wonderful tunes, it is a real pity that it isn't better known; fortunately, this excellent performance does it full justice (I suppose - I admit that I haven't heard any alternative performances). The performance of the seventh would make this a strongly recommended release on its own; the inclusion of the Sinfonietta makes it unmissable for anyone with even a passing interest in the composer.