Composer: Sergey Prokofiev
Performer: Nikolai Demidenko
Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Alexander Lazarev
Format: FLAC (image+cue)
Label: Hyperion
Catalogue: CDA67029
Release: 1998
Size: 221 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Piano Concerto No. 1 in D flat major, Op. 10
01. I. Allegro brioso
02. II. Meno mosso
03. III. Andante assai
04. IV. Allegro scherzando
Piano Concerto for the left hand No 4 in B flat major, Op 53
05. I. Vivace
06. II. Andante
07. III. Moderato
08. IV. Vivace
Piano Concerto No. 5 in G major, Op. 55
09. I. Allegro con brio
10. II. Moderato ben accentuato
11. III. Toccata: Allegro con fuoco
12. IV. Larghetto
13. V. Vivo
With this disc Demidenko completes his cycle of the Prokofiev Concertos with the London Philharmonic and Alexander Lazarev. The First Concerto launched the youthful composer’s careerhe wrote it for his graduation concert (his playing of it won him first prize) and its youthful high spirits and virtuosity make it an instant crowd-pleaser. The Fourth and Fifth Concertos are less well known though with the Fifth it is hard to see why. The Fourth was written for the one-armed pianist Paul Wittgenstein who didn’t like it (he didn’t like Ravel’s left-hand Concerto either!) and refused to perform it; hence it is only recently that the work has been taken up.