Sergei Prokofiev; Béla Bartók - Symphony No. 5; Concerto for Orchestra (George Szell)

Information

Composer: Sergei Prokofiev; Béla Bartók

• (01) Prokofiev - Symphony No. 5 in B flat major, Op. 100
• (05) Bartók - Concerto for Orchestra, BB 123, Sz. 116

Cleveland Orchestra

George Szell, conductor

Date: 1959; 1965

Label: Sony Classical

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Review

ARTISTIC QUALITY: 8 / SOUND QUALITY: 6

George Szell’s Prokofiev Fifth is a swift, exciting performance that offers predictably razor-sharp orchestral execution. The recording, though, which dates from the late 1950s, is shallow in the bass, and relegates the percussion to another county–a real problem in the crashing, tam-tam led climaxes to the first and third movements. The Bartók, with much better sonics, is without question one of the finest versions ever recorded, or at least it would have been were it not for the whopping cut that Szell makes in the finale. This also necessitates a bit of recomposition in order to make the join work, and after four superbly played and sensitively conducted preceding movements, Szell’s mangling (which really does sound clumsy) comes as something of a shock. I believe Szell’s importance as a conductor outweighs the perversity of this one decision, but each listener will have to decide this individually. Both works are, in any case, two major entries in the Szell discography, and can be recommended accordingly to his many fans.

-- David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday

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Sergei Prokofiev (23 April, 1891–March 5, 1953) was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor. As the creator of acknowledged masterpieces across numerous genres, he was one of the major composers of the 20th century. Prokofiev wrote seven completed operas, seven symphonies, eight ballets, five piano concertos, two violin concertos, a cello concerto, a symphony-concerto for cello and orchestra, and nine completed piano sonatas, many of which are widely known and heard. He also enjoyed personal and artistic support from a new generation of Russian performers, notably Sviatoslav Richter and Mstislav Rostropovich.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Prokofiev

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Béla Bartók (March 25, 1881 – September 26, 1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist and an ethnomusicologist. Bartók is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century; he and Liszt are regarded as Hungary's greatest composers. Through his collection and analytical study of folk music, he was one of the founders of comparative musicology, which later became ethnomusicology. Bartók's music reflects two trends that dramatically changed the sound of music in the 20th century: the breakdown of the diatonic system of harmony, and the revival of nationalism as a source for musical inspiration.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A9la_Bart%C3%B3k

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George Szell (June 7, 1897 – July 30, 1970) was a Hungarian-born American conductor and composer. He is widely considered one of the twentieth century's greatest conductors. Szell is remembered today for his long and successful tenure as music director of the Cleveland Orchestra (1946-70), and for his recordings of the standard classical repertoire. His repertoire consisted mostly of the core Austro-German classical and romantic repertoire. Szell's manner in rehearsal was that of an autocratic taskmaster, with a well-known reputation as a perfectionist and a deep knowledge of instruments.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Szell

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