Reviews on CD Prokofiev: Piano Concerto no. 3, Symphony no. 5 - Matsuev, Gergiev

Classics Today: Matsuev and Gergiev Offer Impressive Prokofiev

I have no criticisms whatsoever regarding the Third Piano Concerto. Denis Matsuev is dazzling wherever digital dexterity is required, which is everywhere, and it’s incredibly refreshing to hear a performance of the work at tempos under nine minutes for two out of the three movements–closer to the composer’s own version. Gergiev and Matsuev beautifully capture the brittle wit of the first movement’s second subject, with its dry castanets, and in the second movement the allegro giusto fifth variation is among the best you’ll hear. The finale also has both an unusual degree of excitement plus a welcome unity thanks to Matsuev’s refusal to let the music languish in the central lyrical interlude. It’s a tremendous performance, gripping from first note to last.

Review by: David Hurwitz

Artistic Quality: 9

Sound Quality: 7

Classics Today

SA-CD.net: PROKOFIEV: PIANO CONCERTO NO. 3, SYMPHONY NO. 5 - MATSUEV, GERGIEV

This coupling of two of Prokofiev's most popular works may well be the precursor of a complete cycle of both the five Prokofiev Piano Concertos and his seven Symphonies from these artists on SACD.

Competition in Prokofiev's 3rd Piano Concerto is intense – even on SACD – with the classic Byron Janis recording on Mercury “Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3, Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 1 – Janis” and that by Freddy Kempff on BIS “Prokofiev: Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 3 - Kempf, Litton” leading the field. On this new recording, made in the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg, the fearsome technical challenges of Prokofiev's writing present no problems for the Russian virtuoso Denis Matsuev. 

While dazzling us with his panache in the outer movements he is still sensitive to the work's more subtle aspects, such as those in the 'Tema con variazioni', that demonstrate the wide range of his tonal palate. Unfortunately the recording places the piano too far forward in the mix so that much of the incisive accompaniment from Gergiev and the Mariinsky Orchestra cannot be clearly heard.

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