Prokofiev wrote his Sixth Symphony almost straight after the Fifth. The Sixth is quite different from the Fifth, despite the success of the latter at its premiere, which the composer himself conducted in January 1945. Where the mood of the Fifth is triumphant and heroic (the Nazis had almost succumbed to defeat by this stage), the Sixth is more elegiac, less compact and more diffuse. Opinions differ widely on the work’s form; the Russian musicologist Nestiev, one of Prokofiev’s first biographers and of course toeing the Party line as he wrote, argued that the composer had swapped over the exposition and development in the first movement. If this is true, it may explain why the opening seems like a bombardment of motifs tumbling over each other, so that the surfeit of themes only gradually gives way to a semblance of order as the movement progresses.
Tracklist
Please note that the below previews are loaded as 44.1 kHz / 16 bit.Total time: 01:12:52
Additional information
| Label | |
|---|---|
| SKU | CC72714 |
| Qualities | |
| Channels | 2ch Stereo, 5 Channel Surround Sound, 2ch Stereo & 5ch Surround |
| Artists | |
| Composers | |
| Genres | |
| Cables | Siltech |
| Digital Converters | dCS |
| Mastering Engineer | Bert van der Wolf |
| Mastering Equipment | Avalon |
| Microphones | Sonodore |
| Conductors | |
| Instruments | |
| Original Recording Format | |
| Producer | Bert van der Wolf |
| Recording Engineer | Bert van der Wolf |
| Recording location | MCO Hilversum, The Netherlands |
| Recording Software | Merging |
| Recording Type & Bit Rate | DSD64 |
| Release Date | March 3, 2016 |
Press reviews
Positive Feedback
I find Gaffigan’s approach with this symphony very compelling and, overall, a most engaging performance. And the sound provided by Bert van der Wolf’s engineering gives us fine detail, realistic orchestral soundstage, and richly extended bass. In sum, this album is a sonic and a musical treasure.
Stereophile Magazine
“These releases in a projected cycle of all of Prokofiev’s symphonies are blockbusters. First, James Gaffigan’s view of these works is passionate. This is Prokofiev with weight and wit. The Netherlands RPO carries it all off with power and precision. The engineering by Bert van der Wolf is spectacular, with a spacious soundstage and formidable bass.”
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