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TICHANNEL The troublemaker inevitable – and simultaneously disas- Serge Prokofiev (1891 – 1953) as a brilliant composer trous. Although Prokofiev managed of symphonies to quickly overcome the artistic crisis Symphony No. 5 in B flat, Op. 100(1944) from which he had suffered during his e died on the same day as Stalin. years in Paris, he was now faced with 1 Andante 13. 23 H Not only did March 5, 1953 see the the inexorable cultural-political doc- 2 Allegro marcato 8. 31 ending of the life of the Soviet dictator trine of the Soviet Union. Harassment 3 Adagio 11. 41 who despised mankind, but also of the and surveillance were the order of the 4 Allegro giocoso 9. 15 life journey of , which day. According to the notorious reso- had travelled its winding path for more lution taken by the Central Committee 5 Ode to the End of the War, Op. 105 (1945) 14. 17 than 60 years and not always devel- on February 10, 1948, Prokofiev’s © by Musikverlag Hans Sikorski GmbH & Co. KG oped in the most predictable manner. music was also considered “formal- Stalin’s funeral was a state ceremony, ist” and “hostile to the spirit of the whereas Prokofiev’s burial merited a people”. After the war years, which Russian National Orchestra brief report only. had been highly successful for him conducted by: Prokofiev was born in 1891 as the as an artist and during which he had son of an estate manager. As a young received masses of decorations and Vladimir Jurowski man and graduate of the St. Petersburg prizes (including various Stalin Prizes), Conservatoire, he became the enfant his music instantly disappeared from terrible of the Russian music scene the concert halls. His final years were The Russian National Orchestra wishes to thank Maria and Maxim Boycko, thanks to compositions such as his marked by illness and despondency; the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation, and the Charles Simonyi Fund for Arts Scythian Suite, before leaving for the however, he held on to his artistic and Sciences for their support of this recording U.S.A. in 1918. After 1923, he lived and integrity. Composer Alfred Schnittke composed in Paris for almost a decade, writes as follows: “He provides a per- with interruptions for various concert fect example of how to remain human Biographien auf Deutsch und Französisch finden Sie auf unserer Webseite. tours to his native . In contrast in an environment, which makes this Pour les versions allemande et française des biographies, to Stravinsky, for example, Prokofiev almost impossible.” Ten years after his veuillez consulter notre site. never really adapted to living abroad, death, the Soviet Union honoured one www.pentatonemusic.com and thus he returned to the Soviet of its greatest musical sons with exten- Union in 1936, despite the patently sive festivities. And who was Stalin? obvious political signs. This return was The historical East-West divide is at first highly apparent, as far as put the four-movement symphony to of instruments. Prokofiev composed Der Provokateur als the reception of Prokofiev’s works paper. During the previous years, since the work for 8 harps, 4 pianos, wind brillanter Symphoniker is concerned. For a long time in the about 1930, his style of composition orchestra, percussion and 8 double West, people did not get along with had clearly altered, becoming more basses! To this day, it does not receive r starb am gleichen Tag wie Stalin. the rather simple music of the Soviet simple and comprehensible: it had the kudos it deserves, and is still EAm 5. März 1953 endete nicht nur period, which followed the cultural been described as “New Simplicity”. lumped with the slogan “Socialistic das Leben des menschenverachten- guidelines; and in the East, Prokofiev’s Prokofiev the troublemaker and avant- Jubilation Orgy” at the victory of the den sowjetischen Diktators, sondern western tendencies toward a modern gardist was a figment of the past. Soviet Union over Fascism. The entire auch der Weg Sergei Prokofievs, der approach remained on the whole well Certainly, this could be seen as being Ode consists of brilliant music, which sich über 60 Jahre verschlungen concealed. However, when classifying in accordance with the demands of even a composer such as Shostakovich und nicht immer vorhersehbar ent- and assessing the works, there is one “Socialist realism”, but it is not inevi- – despite all their differences – could wickelt hatte. Stalins Begräbnis war conspicuous constant, which crosses tably the case. not overlook. If a listener is able to get Staatsakt, Prokofievs Beerdigung nur ideological borders: works such The Symphony No. 5 is full of into the unfamiliar, vice-like, perhaps eine Randnotiz. as Romeo and Juliet or Cinderella, catchy tunes and melodic ideas, yet even partially harsh sound, then he is Der 1891 als Sohn eines Alexander Nevsky, Peter and the Wolf it remains transparent. It is an epic sure to be left with an unforgettable Gutsverwalters geborene Prokofiev or the Symphony No. 5 are equally work, in the best sense of the word, experience. wurde als junger Mann und Absolvent popular in both the West and the East; and overwhelming in its purposive- des St. Petersburger Konservatoriums whereas the earlier, avant-garde works ness. Prokofiev himself described it as Franz Steiger mit Werken wie der „Skythischen or the intricate later works received a symphony “in accordance with the English translation: Fiona J. Stroker-Gale Suite“ zum enfant terrible der rus- – and continue to receive – a less enthu- dimensions of the human mind” and sischen Musikszene, bevor er 1918 siastic reception from the audiences. as “a hymn to free and happy people”. in die USA ging. Ab 1923 kompo- Prokofiev wrote his Symphony No. Apart from these much-quoted state- nierte und lebte er für ein knappes 5 in B-flat, Op. 100 almost fifteen years ments, which in the end can mean a Jahrzehnt in Paris, unterbrochen von after his fourth, in what was probably lot or just a little – always according mehreren Konzertreisen in die alte the darkest period of the past century, to the importance a listener attaches to Heimat. Anders als etwa Strawinsky the year 1944. The last major battles this – in this instance, Prokofiev came wurde Prokofiev in der Fremde nie- of a deluded war were being fought, up with a symphonic work of the high- mals wirklich heimisch und so zog from which the Soviet Union emerged est quality. es ihn 1936 trotz der mehr als deut- victorious. Prokofiev had been evacu- His “Ode to the End of the War”, lichen politischen Signale zurück in ated with various other composers Op. 105, dates from 1945 and is writ- die Sowjetunion. Diese Rückkehr war from Moscow to Ivanovo, where he ten for a truly extraordinary ensemble unausweichlich – und zugleich ver- hängnisvoll. Zwar gelang es Prokofiev, Ost-West-Bruch anfangs deutlich wo er das viersätzige Werk zu Papier weist eine wirklich außergewöhnli- die künstlerische Krise der Pariser erkennbar. Im Westen tat man sich brachte. Sein Kompositionsstil hatte che Besetzung auf. Prokofiev schrieb Jahre rasch zu überwinden, dafür lange schwer mit der eher einfachen, sich in den vorangegangen Jahren das Stück für 8 Harfen, 4 Klaviere, stand die kulturpolitische Doktrin den kulturellen Richtlinien folgenden seit etwa 1930 deutlich in Richtung Blasorchester, Schlaginstrumente der Sowjetunion unerbittlich vor ihm. Musik der Sowjetzeit, im Osten blie- Einfachheit und Verständlichkeit und 8 Kontrabässe! Bis heute unter- Schikanen und Kontrollen waren an ben Prokofievs westliche Strömungen verändert, die man auch gerne schätzt und mit dem Schlagwort der Tagesordnung. Mit dem berüch- in Richtung Moderne weitgehend ver- als „Neue Einfachheit“ beschrieb. „Sozialistische Jubelorgie“ zum tigten ZK-Beschluss vom 10. Februar schwiegen. In der Einordnung und Der Provokateur und Avantgardist Sieg der Sowjetunion über den 1948 galt auch Prokofievs Musik als Wertschätzung der Werke ist dann Prokofiev war Vergangenheit. Faschismus etikettiert, hat die Ode „formalistisch“ und „volksfeindlich“. allerdings eine, die ideologischen Sicherlich kann man hierin eine durchaus eine brillante Note, die Nach den für ihn künstlerisch höchst Grenzen überschreitende Konstante Anlehnung an die Forderungen selbst ein Schostakowitsch trotz aller erfolgreichen Kriegsjahren, in denen zu beobachten: Werke wie Romeo und des „Sozialistischen Realismus“ Differenzen nicht übersehen konnte. er Orden und Preise (darunter meh- Julia oder Aschenbrödel, Alexander sehen. Man muss es aber nicht Gelingt es erst einmal, sich in den rere Stalinpreise) en masse erhalten Newski, Peter und der Wolf oder auch zwangsläufig. ungewohnten, stählernen, ja teil hatte, verschwand seine Musik die 5. Symphonie sind im Westen Die Fünfte ist eingängig, vol- harschen Klang hineinzuarbeiten, so schlagartig aus dem Musikleben. Die wie im Osten gleichermaßen beliebt, ler melodischer Einfälle und doch erschließt sich ein unnachahmliches letzten Jahre waren von Krankheit während es die früheren, avantgar- transparent. Sie ist episch im besten Hörerlebnis. und Niedergeschlagenheit bestimmt, distischen Werke oder das vertrackte Wortsinn und in ihrer Zielgerichtetheit ohne dass er seine künstlerische Spätwerk eher schwer beim Publikum überwältigend. Prokofiev selber Franz Steiger Integrität aufgab. Dazu der Komponist hatten und haben. bezeichnete sie als Symphonie „auf Alfred Schnittke: „Er liefert ein Prokofievs Fünfte Symphonie die Größe des menschlichen Geistes“ Fauteur de trouble versus Musterbeispiel dafür, wie man B-Dur op. 100 entstand fast fünf- und als „Lied auf den freien und brillant symphoniste Mensch bleibt in einer Gegenwart, zehn Jahre nach der Vierten, in den glücklichen Menschen“. Über diese die dies beinahe unmöglich macht.“ wohl dunkelsten Tagen des ver- viel zitierten Äußerungen hinaus, die l s’éteignit le même jour que Staline. Zehn Jahre nach seinem Tod ehrte gangenen Jahrhunderts, im Jahr letztendlich viel oder wenig aussagen I Le 5 mars 1953 n’est pas, en effet, die Sowjetunion einen ihrer größten 1944. Die letzten großen Schlachten – je nachdem, ob ein Hörer bereit ist, uniquement la date de la disparition musikalischen Söhne dann mit aus- eines Wahnsinnskrieges wur- sich darauf einzulassen oder nicht du dictateur soviétique qui éprou- giebigen Feierlichkeiten. Und wer war den geschlagen, siegreich für die – gelang Prokofiev hier ein sympho- vait un profond mépris pour le genre Stalin? Sowjetunion. Prokofiev war mit nisches Werk auf höchstem Niveau. humain, mais aussi celle du décès de In der Rezeption von Prokofievs anderen Komponisten aus Moskau Seine „Ode an das Ende des Sergei Prokofiev qui, pendant plus de Werken ist der biographisch geprägte nach Iwanowo evakuiert worden, Krieges“ op. 105 aus dem Jahr 1945 60 ans, avait parcouru un long bout de chemin, un chemin sinueux, le long persécutions et surveillance étaient à duquel il avait parfois évolué de façon l’ordre du jour. La fameuse résolution imprévisible. Si Staline eut droit à des prise par le Comité central le 10 février funérailles officielles, seules quelques 1948 déclara la musique de Prokofiev lignes annoncèrent l’enterrement de « formaliste » et « hostile à l’esprit Prokofiev. du peuple ». Après les années de Fils d’un régisseur de domaine, guerre, qui avaient été extrêmement Prokofiev naquit en 1891. Jeune fructueuses pour lui en tant qu’ar- diplômé du Conservatoire de Saint- tiste, et pendant lesquelles il avait Pétersbourg, il devint un enfant reçu des masses de décorations et terrible de la scène musicale russe de prix (y compris divers Prix Staline), avec des compositions telles que sa sa musique disparut instantanément Suite Scythian, avant son départ pour des salles de concert. Ses dernières les États-Unis, en 1918. Après 1923, il années furent marquées par la mala- s’installa à Paris où il vécut et com- die et le découragement, sans qu’il posa pendant près d’une décennie, perde son intégrité artistique. Le com- avec quelques interruptions dues à positeur Alfred Schnittke écrivait ainsi diverses tournées de concerts dans : « Il offre le parfait exemple d’un être sa Russie natale. À la différence de resté profondément humain malgré Stravinsky, par exemple, Prokofiev ne des circonstances rendant cela prati- put jamais véritablement s’adapter à quement impossible. » Dix ans après la vie à l’étranger, et il retourna donc sa mort, l’Union soviétique consacra en Union soviétique en 1936, en dépit de grandes festivités en l’honneur de des signes politiques manifestes. Son l’un de ses fils parmi les plus célèbres retour était inévitable, il fut en même du monde de la musique. Et où était temps désastreux. Bien qu’il soit par- Staline ? venu à gérer la crise artistique dont il Quant à l’accueil réservé à l’œuvre avait souffert pendant ses années dans de Prokofiev, c’est l’opposition histo- la capitale française, Prokofiev fut alors Serge Prokofiev rique entre l’Est et l’Ouest qui saute confronté à l’inexorable doctrine poli- tout d’abord aux yeux. Pendant bien tico-culturelle de l’Union soviétique, où longtemps, en Occident, les gens n’ac- ceptèrent pas la musique relativement positeurs, de Moscou à Ivanovo, où Son « Ode pour la fin de la guerre of touring and is a frequent guest at simple qui suivait les directives cultu- il composa le quatrième mouvement », Op. 105, qui date de 1945, a été major festivals. Of the orchestra’s 1996 relles de la période du Soviet, tandis de la symphonie. Au cours des années écrite pour un ensemble d’instruments début at the BBC Proms in London, qu’à l’Est, les tendances occidentales précédentes, à partir d’environ 1930, véritablement remarquable. Prokofiev the Evening Standard wrote: “They de Prokofiev et son approche moderne son style de composition s’était net- composa l’œuvre pour 8 harpes, 4 pia- played with such captivating beauty restèrent, dans l’ensemble, bien dissi- tement modifié, devenant plus simple nos, orchestre de cuivres, percussion that the audience gave an involun- mulées. Toutefois, lorsque l’on classe et plus compréhensible : il avait été et 8 contrebasses ! Jusqu’à ce jour, elle tary sigh of pleasure.” By the time et évalue les œuvres, une remarqua- décrit comme une « Nouvelle simpli- n’a pas reçu les éloges qu’elle mérite of the RNO’s 10th anniversary, the ble constante se dégage, dépassant cité ». Prokofiev le fauteur de trouble et demeure toujours affublée de l’éti- orchestra had been reviewed as a les frontières idéologiques : des et avant-gardiste était un produit du quette d’« Orgie de jubilation socialiste “major miracle” (Time Out New York) œuvres telles que Roméo et Juliette passé. Bien entendu, on peut considé- » à la victoire du l’Union soviétique sur and classical music’s “story of the ou Cendrillon, Alexander Nevsky, rer qu’il s’agissait là d’une réponse à le fascisme. L’Ode toute entière est une decade” (International Arts Manager). Pierre et le Loup, ou bien encore la la demande du « réalisme socialiste », œuvre brillante, que même un compo- In 2004, the RNO was described as “a Symphonie No 5, sont tout aussi mais ce n’est pas forcément le cas. siteur tel que Shostakovich – malgré living symbol of the best in Russian populaires à l’Ouest qu’à l’Est. Qu’il Riche en airs entraînants et en toutes leurs différences – ne pouvait art” (Miami Herald) and “as close to s’agisse de ses premières œuvres idées mélodiques, la Symphonie No ignorer. Si l’auditeur est en mesure perfect as one could hope for” (Trinity avant-gardistes ou des compositions 5 demeure cependant transparente. Il d’aller au cœur de sons inhabituels, Mirror). plus complexes qu’il écrivit plus tard, s’agit d’une œuvre épique, au meilleur parfois étouffants et peut-être même Gramophone magazine listed toutes furent – et sont toujours - reçues sens du terme, d’une détermination discordants ici et là, il est sûr d’en reti- the first RNO CD (1991) as the best avec le même enthousiasme par les écrasante. Prokofiev lui-même la rer une expérience inoubliable. recording of Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique auditoires. décrivait comme une symphonie « en Franz Steiger in history, and reviewed it as follows: C’est en 1944, qui fut proba- accord avec les dimensions de l’esprit Traduction française : Brigitte Zwerver- “An awe-inspiring experience; should blement l’année la plus sombre du humain » et « un hymne aux gens Berret human beings be able to play like siècle dernier, que Prokofiev écrivit sa libres et heureux ». Outre ces décla- this?”. Since then, the RNO has made Symphonie No 5 en Si bémol, Op. 100, rations fréquemment citées qui, en Russian National Orchestra more than 30 recordings for Deutsche presque 4 ans après sa Symphonie No fin de compte, peuvent être lourdes he Russian National Orchestra has Grammophon and PentaTone Classics, 4. Les derniers grands combats d’une de significations ou n’en avoir juste- T been in demand throughout the with conductors such as Mikhail guerre illusoire, desquels l’Union ment que très peu, selon l’importance music world since its 1990 Moscow Pletnev, Mstislav Rostropovich, Kent soviétique était ressortie victorieuse, que leur accorde l’auditeur, Prokofiev début. The first Russian orchestra to Nagano and Alexander Vedernikov. avaient pris fin. Prokofiev avait été avait écrit une œuvre symphonique de perform at the Vatican and in Israel, In 2003, the orchestra signed a new évacué, avec différents autres com- la plus grande qualité. the RNO maintains an active schedule multi-disc agreement with PentaTone Classics. One of the first results of organizations include the Russian Music in Dresden and in Berlin, study- During recent seasons he made this collaboration – a recording of National Orchestra Trust (UK), the ing with and highly successful debuts with such Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf and Russian Arts Foundation and the vocal coaching with Semion Skigin. orchestras as the Los Angeles Beintus’ Wolf Tracks, conducted by American Council of the RNO. In 1995 he made his international Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, – won a 2004 Grammy debut at the Wexford Festival, where Oslo Philharmonic and the Russian Award, which made the RNO the first Vladimir Jurowski he conducted Rimsky-Korsakov’s May National Orchestra, as well as with Russian orchestra ever to win the Conductor Night. The same year saw his brilliant the Pittsburgh Symphony and the recording industry’s highest honour. debut at the Covent . Unique among the principal Jurowski is more than a cut Garden in Nabucco. His operatic highlights have Russian ensembles, the RNO is inde- above the rest. His clarity, subtlety, In the season 1996/97 Jurowski included The Queen of Spades at pendent of the government and has intelligence and well-preparedness - has joined the ensemble of Komische the Metropolitan Opera, Parsifal developed its own path-breaking struc- added to uncommon maturity - turn Oper Berlin. A season later he has been and Wozzeck at the Welsh National ture. It is perhaps the only orchestra the Prokofiev into a balletic tour de given the title of First Kapellmeister of Opera, War and Peace at the Opera to have established a Conductor force...”Andrew Clarke, Financial this theatre. He continued working at National de Paris as well as Die Collegium, a group of internationally Times the Komische Oper on a permanent Zauberflöte, La Cenerentola and renowned conductors who share the “Thursday night was clearly among basis until 2001. Since 1997 Vladimir Otello at Glyndebourne Opera. Last podium leadership. the most magnificent musical achieve- Jurowski has been a guest at some of season Vladimir Jurowski made his Another innovation is Cultural ments of the orchestra’s last dozen the world’s leading musical institutions debut at La Scala conducting Eugene Allies, which was created in 2001. years - right up there with Rattle’s such as the Royal Opera House Covent Onegin. He will conduct Rossini’s Cultural Allies encompasses exchanges Gurrelieder, Muti’s Respighi, and Garden, Teatro La Fenice di Venezia, La Cenerentola and a new produc- between artists in Russia and the West, Sawallisch’s Bruckner. “ Peter Dobrin, Opera Bastille de Paris, Theatre de la tion of Verdi’s Macbeth in this year’s and also commissions new works. Philadelphia Inquirer Monnaie Bruxelles, Maggio Musicale Glyndebourne Festival Opera. Prominent RNO partners in Cultural Festival Florence, Rossini Opera Recent and future symphonic Allies include Dave and Chris Brubeck, orn in Moscow as a son of con- Festival Pesaro, Edinburgh Festival, engagements include concerts with Hélène Grimaud, Sophia Loren, B ductor Mikhail Jurowski, Vladimir Semperoper Dresden, Teatro Comunale the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis, John Corigliano and Jurowski completed the first part of di Bologna (where he has served as Philadelphia Orchestra, Dresden Michael Tilson Thomas. his musical studies in his native town Principal Guest Conductor between Staatskapelle, the Royal The Russian National Orchestra is at the Music College of the Moscow 2000 and 2003). In 1999 he debuted at Concertgebouw, the Orchestra of the supported by private funding and is Conservatory. In 1990 he moved with the Metropolitan Opera New York with Age of Enlightenment and the Chamber governed by a distinguished multi- his family to where he con- Rigoletto and has returned on numer- Orchestra of Europe. national board of trustees. Affiliated tinued his studies at High Schools of ous occasions since. Jurowski’s discography includes Polyhymnia specialises in high-end recordings of the first ever recording of the can- In January 2001 Vladimir Jurowski acoustic music on location in concert halls, churches, and tata Exile by Giya Kancheli for ECM commenced his position as Music auditoriums around the world. It is one of the worldwide (1994), L’etoile du Nord by Meyerbeer Director of the Glyndebourne Festival leaders in producing high-resolution surround sound for Naxos-Marco Polo (1996), Opera and in 2003 was appointed recordings for SA-CD and DVD-Audio. Polyhymnia’s by Massenet for BMG (1999), and Principal Guest Conductor of the engineers have years of experience recording the world’s top classical artists, and are experts in working with these recently released live recordings London Philharmonic Orchestra and artist to achieve an audiophile sound and a perfect musical of works by Rachmaninov, M.-A. a member of the Russian National balance. Turnage and Tchaikovsky on London Orchestra Conductor Collegium. In Most of Polyhymnia’s recording equipment is built or substantially modified in-house. Philharmonic Orchestra’s own label. 2005 he was appointed Principal Guest Particular emphasis is placed on the quality of the analogue signal path. For this reason, most of His first of a series of recordings Conductor of the Russian National the electronics in the recording chain are designed and built in-house, including the microphone preamplifiers and the internal electronics of the microphones. with the Russian National Orchestra, Orchestra, and last year he was also Polyhymnia International was founded in 1998 as a management buy-out by key personnel of featuring Tchaikovsky’s Suite No. 3 announced as a Principal Artist of the the former Philips Classics Recording Center. and Stravinsky’s Divertimento from Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. For more info: www.polyhymnia.nl Le baiser de la fée, was released on Vladimir Jurowski will become London PentaTone Classics last year and Philharmonic Orchestra’s twelfth was followed by the recording of Principal Conductor in September Technical Information Shostakovich Symphonies No 1 & 6 2007. released earlier this year. Recording facility: Polyhymnia International BV Microphones: Neumann KM 130, DPA 4006 &DPA 4011 with Polyhymnia microphone buffer electronics. Microphone pre-amps: Custom build by Polyhymnia International BV and outputs directly connected to Meitner DSD AD converter. DSD recording, editing and mixing: Pyramix Virtual Studio by Merging Technologies Surround version: 5.0

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