This disc offers
us a chance to hear some unfamiliar
and reconstructed Prokofiev alongside
a breezy and beautifully idiomatic
Classical Symphony. The connection
with Rodion Shchedrin is strong and
the disc also includes a fine work
of his own. It’s possible that some
of you know of his piano music, for
example his 24 Preludes and Fugues
- Yes, just like Shostakovich - as
he is also a virtuoso pianist.
One of the great
strengths of the Nimbus label has
been the exploratory nature of their
work. This disc certainly falls into
that category, opening, as it does
with the ‘Cinq Mélodies’. Not
surprisingly, these were originally
(wordless) songs with piano accompaniment
later re-arranged for violin and piano.
Prokofiev orchestrated the second
one with solo voice and orchestra,
but none of the others. Shchedrin
has done the rest but for cello and
orchestra. Wallfisch tells us that
he had played them on the cello with
piano. The booklet notes by Paul Conway
point out therefore that the pieces
actually exist in three different
versions. The languid musical language,
almost impressionistic, may surprise
many of you who think of Prokofiev
as harsh and mechanistic. Four of
them are quite exquisitely delicate
that is numbers 1, 2, 3 and 5.
The Concertino for
cello and orchestra also has an unusual
history; being the work that Prokofiev
was composing before his sudden death
on the same day as that of Stalin.
It is in three movements. The first
two are most uncharacteristic being
andantes. The second one is especially
lyrical. It’s only in the spiky finale
that the composer’s style is more
readily discerned. In fact the work
has overcome several tribulations.
Having been written for Rostropovich
it was thought sensible that, the
great cellist having discussed the
work with the composer, he should
complete it, in a version for cello
and piano. Kabalevsky orchestrated
it for a large ensemble. Vladimir
Blok orchestrated it for a chamber
group taking out the brass. It is
Blok’s version which we have here,
and very successful it seems too.
It was first performed as recently
as 1997 with Steven Isserlis as soloist.
It is more in keeping with the material.
It is not vintage Prokofiev but is
certainly worth getting to know.
We get a chance to
hear a sixteen minute work of much
interest by Rodion Shchedrin. You
might want to consign him to the post-Shostakovich
generation and leave it at
that. However, as the booklet writer
says, Lutosławski is not far
away and in the work’s sparsity and
drama neither is Panufnik. The work
plays without a break. It builds to
an extraordinary climax with timpani
struck with the palms of the hands,
fingernail pizzicato and later,
savage salvoes of sound. Although
the work apparently does not have
a programme an influence at one point
was a story called ‘The Enchanted
Wanderer’ by Nikolai Lesko (1831-1895).
And the word Parabola, in
this context, means Parable. In mathematics
it is also an important concept which
is a shape which comes to a central
point before wandering back to its
original place. This Concertante does
exactly that. The late Mstislav Rostropovich
commissioned it and first played it
and this serves again to connect us
to the Prokofiev Concertino.
There is little to
say about the Classical Symphony.
I suspect that it’s been put on the
disc to offer some kind of familiar
yardstick for a purchaser confronted
with the unfamiliar. It’s a happy
performance and quite brisk, the Larghetto
second movement is slower and
more expressive than several I have
heard and it works well. The balance
is first class and the recording,
as with the whole disc, is superb.
Raphael Wallfisch
is in marvellous form and obviously
has the same rapport with this music
as had Rostropovitch. He has a consummate
technique and a passionate sound well
suited to this repertoire. The Southbank
Sinfonia were founded in 2002 to enable
young professionals to get started
in the busy and demanding orchestral
world. They accompany with intensity,
yet with sensitivity and rhythmic
drive. The names of the players are
thoughtfully given at the back of
the booklet notes as also ia a biography
of Shchedrin, Wallfisch and Simon
Over, the orchestra’s conductor since
its foundation. If this programme
was his idea then he should be doubly
congratulated.
Gary Higginson
see also review
by Dominy Clements
for details
Raphael Wallfisch (cello) 
