Welcome to ‘Dodd’s Discoveries’, a review series from NativeDSD Senior Music Reviewer Bill Dodd. This series focuses on Bill’s latest selections, with new reviews regularly. And the best part… the albums featured in the most current review will be available at a reduced price! Click the button below to see all of Dodd’s Discoveries and to find the current album(s) on sale.
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Only 15 years separated Prokofiev and Shostakovich by age. Both were born in the Russian Empire. Prokofiev left at the time of the Revolution, but Shostakovich never left. Prokofiev lived in Paris from the early 1920s until 1936. His exposure to the exciting music scene there gave a western foundation to much of his music. It was in Paris that he wrote all 5 of of his piano concertos, 3 ballets for the Ballets Russe, his early symphonies, and his Violin Concertos. After his return to The Soviet Union, he concentrated on symphonies, ballets, and film scores.
Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto no. 1 premiered in Paris in 1923 and remains extremely popular with both violinists and the public. It’s full of dreamy beauty as well as the “bite” that you’d expect from Prokofiev.
Shostakovich remained in the Soviet Union his whole professional career. He occasionally ran into trouble from political critics, including Stalin himself, but he eventually found ways of smoothing over those issues that some have called “survival through ambiguity.” His Violin Concerto no. 1 was composed from 1947-1948, but not premiered until 1955, two years after Stalin’s death. Today we can hear bits of irony and nose thumbing that Ning Feng brings out perfectly.
Ning Feng shows amazing virtuosity in these works, as well as a real feeling for the emotions. He is supported by the Bochum Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Tung-Chieh Chuang, which provides an excellent backdrop without ever overpowering the soloist.
You’ll find other fine performances of each of these works at Native DSD, but this is the only album with both—and Ning Feng is marvellous!
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