Prokofiev - Ivan the Terrible & Alexander Nevsky

Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953)

Ivan the Terrible (Oratorio Op.116)*

Michael Lankester Version

Alexander Nevsky (Cantata Op.70)**

Christopher Plummer (narrator)* 

Tamara Sinyavskaya* 

Sergei Leiferkus* 

Dolora Zajick** 

New London Children’s Choir*

London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus* **

Mstislav Rostropovich* **

The famous Russian director Sergei Eisenstein held Prokofiev the film composer in the highest regard, and to couple their two celebrated collaborations, Ivan the Terrible and Alexander Nevsky, in a two-disc set is therefore entirely appropriate. Ivan the Terrible, however, is a problematic score. Assembled by Abram Stassevich after the composer’s death, the oratorio lacks the large-scale balances and tensions of Prokofiev’s own Nevsky cantata, relying on narration to hold the structure together. This substantial English version by Michael Lankester, intended to ‘compensate for the lack of visual image’, is well projected by Christopher Plummer. The words do tend to dominate the music, excellently performed though it is, whereas in Neeme Järvi’s Chandos recording (CHAN 8977) Christopher Palmer’s ‘performing version’ is used, which ‘eliminates the speaker and the shorter sections... pastiche-liturgical music of minimal Prokofiev interest’. That, then, is the choice, and it makes for a difference of some 30 minutes. On balance, I’d opt for the Järvi. Rostropovich directs a vivid performance of Alexander Nevsky, and only the rich tone of Russian voices is lacking. The LSO plays brilliantly, while the recording does full justice to one of Prokofiev’s finest scores. Terry Barfoot

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from Amazon.com

Sony released so many fine recordings in the 90s - in particular Michael Tilson Thomas with the LSO - that the label simply did not promote and were missed and often not reviewed, and ended-up in the cut-out bin. These two recordings are a perfect example of that simple-minded marketing strategy. Although a great admirer of both Rostropovich as a conductor, and much of Prokofiev's music, I had never stumbled across these recordings before. I was searching Amazon for a performance of 'Ivan the Terrible' and I found this one (coupled with 'Alexander Nevesky' which I had been looking for a good SACD or minimally DDD recording). Lo and behold, I purchased one of the most exciting recordings I've ever heard! Rostropovich's reading of the Lankester version of 'Ivan the Terrible' written for Christopher Plummer as narrator is simply an instant Hall of Fame candidate! I have long admired Plummer's film and recorded performances.. especially his reading of Walton's 'Henry the V' with Marriner (and as I am slogging through 'War and Peace', I am reading it with his voice of Tolstoy). And over the years I've struggled with the several histrionic Russian narrators of 'Ivan' that just blurred the music and, in my mind, diminished Prokofiev's great work.

At last, however, I found a great reading - in English - that tells the story of Ivan, emphasizes the film's great score, and demonstrates incontrovertibly what a great interpreter of Prokofiev music Rostropovich was. The LSO and chorus play with no holds barred and Plummer makes Ivan a real and sympathetic character. In short, a must own recording. And for 'Alexander Nevsky'?- well, not quite on the same exalted level of 'Ivan the Terrible", but a very exciting and worthwhile performance that I will play many times over.