Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5 - Myaskovsky: Symphony No. 21

After completing their much-appraised cycle of Alexander Scriabin’s and Richard Strauss’ orchestral works, the Oslo Philharmonic and their former chief conductor Vasily Petrenko present the first of two releases of symphonic works by Prokofiev and Myaskovsky.

An exciting symphonic couple

After completing their much-appraised cycle of Alexander Scriabin’s and Richard Strauss’ orchestral works, the Oslo Philharmonic and their former chief conductor Vasily Petrenko present the first of two releases of symphonic works by Prokofiev and Myaskovsky. Sergei Prokofiev may be considered by many to be among the major symphonists of his time.He described his Symphony No. 5, his first composition in this genre for sixteen years, as “…the culmination of an entire period in my work. I conceived it as a symphony on the grandeur of the human spirit.” He regarded this symphony, composed in the summer of 1944, as his finest work. Nikolai Myaskovsky was certainly one of the most prolific symphonic composers of the twentieth century. He took private tuition with Glière in Moscow; then, having decided to devote himself to composition, studied with Rimsky-Korsakov and Lyadov at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, while establishing what would prove to be a life-long friend­ship with Prokofiev. Myaskovsky composed his Symphony No. 21 in response to a commission from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary. Vasily Petrenko is one of the most acclaimed classical recording artists alive and has won numerous accolades for his recordings of Russian repertoire, including two Gramophone awards. With the Oslo Philharmonic he has recorded Shostakovich and Szymanowski concertos, Romeo and Juliet by Prokofiev, and a major cycle of orchestral works by Alexander Scriabin and Richard Strauss. Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra first saw the light of day in 1919, and over the next half-century the orchestra’s reputation grew steadily. In 1979 the conductor’s baton passed to Mariss Jansons, and under his leadership Oslo Philharmonic achieved its full potential and became a rival to the great philharmonic orchestras of Vienna, Berlin and New York. With Vasily Petrenko as chief conductor, they have focused on details and style at the highest level.   ----- Vasily Petrenko makes Prokofiev's War Symphony shine like never before "5/5: The Russian conductor softens Prokofiev's rough edges in a new album that pairs his Fifth Symphony with a work by his friend Myaskovsky", Ivan Hewett, The Telegraph UK