CLASSICAL MUSIC ON THE WEB. Prokofiev Concertos

CLASSICAL MUSIC ON THE WEB February 2006 Sergei Prokofiev (1891 - 1953) The Five Piano Concertos CD 1 [68’49] Piano Concerto No. 1 (1911-2) [16’44] Piano Concerto No. 4 (1931) [27’29] Piano Concerto No. 5 (1932) [24’36] CD 2 [68’22] Piano Concerto No. 2 (1913, rev. 1923) [37’38] Piano Concerto No. 3 (1916-21) [30’44] Oleg Marshev (pf)/South Jutland SO/Niklas Willèn Danacord DACOCD584/5, Musikhuset, Sшnderborg, Denmark, 30 July – 10 August 2001 [2 CDs, 137’11] A thoroughly refreshing new “take” that is a strong contender for top billing. Marshev and Willèn prove to be a formidable interpretative pairing, superbly supported by the supple and slender South Jutland orchestra This new Danacord set is in fact anything but “new” – it was...

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PIANIST. Prokofiev Concertos

PIANIST October 2005 PIANIST'S CHOICE Sergei Prokofiev The five piano concertos Oleg Marshev (pf); South Jutland Symphony Orchestra/Niklas Willèn(cond) Danacord DACOCD 584-585 It says a lot for a record company like Danacord that it is prepared to stick with its artists enough to entrust them with the repertoire that's as popular as the Prokofiev piano concertos. With a pianist like Oleg Marshev - who has the complete Rachmaninov and Shostakovich concertos, complete Prokofiev solo piano music, von Sauer sonatas and studies, and much more under his belt for the Danish label - there was no doubt that the Marshev Prokofiev concerto cycle was going to be something to look forward to. But is it individual enough to stand out against...

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CLASSIC FM. Prokofiev Concertos

CLASSIC FM October 2005 Prokofiev Piano Concertos Nos 1-5 Oleg Marshev (piano); South Jutland SO/Niklas Willйn Danacord DACOCD 584-585 This set is a revelation. Instead of the routinely hard-edged piano sound that so many pianists bring to these works, Marshev offers a rounded, beautiful tone that genuinely draws you into the music, while in no way undercutting its virtuoso drive. In the Second Concerto's massively difficult opening movement, Marshev's command amazes, as does his deft touch with the attractive and rarely heard Fourth (for left hand only). The orchestral accompaniments, too, are seriously good. Malcolm Hayes

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CLASSICAL MUSIC ON THE WEB. Shostakovich

CLASSICAL MUSIC ON THE WEB January 2003 Shostakovich concertos Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Concerto for Piano, Trumpet and Strings in C minor, op. 35 (1933) Piano Concerto No 2 in F, op. 102 (1957) 24 Preludes for Piano, op. 34 (1932-33) Oleg Marshev (piano) Helsingborg SO/Hannu Lintu Recorded 29 July – 2 August 2002, Konserthuset, Helsingborg Danacord DACOCD 601 / 76.52 It must have been knocking on for forty years ago that I read a review of a recording of Mahler’s First Symphony penned by the late, great Deryck Cooke. With so many recordings of the work already in the catalogue, he argued that the only possible justification for bringing out yet another was to produce an outright winner. What followed...

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International Piano. Shostakovich

  INTERNATIONAL PIANO March/April 2004 Shostakovich Piano Concerto no.1 in C minor, Op.35. Piano Concerto no. 2 in F, Op.102. 24 Preludes, Op. 34 Oleg Marshev (piano) Helsingborg SO/ Hannu Lintu Danacord DACOCD 601 Who would have thought it? I have heard quite a few of Oleg Marshev's Danacord recordings, and liked many of them a good deal; but I was fairly disappointed with his recent Rachmaninoff concertos cycle. Now, out of the blue, he comes up with a Shostakovich disc as impressive as any I have encountered. In the concertos I fancy he has at last displaced my long-standing loyalty to Alexeev and the composer himself, and I certainly haven't come across an account of the Preludes that approaches...

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Compact Disc Classics – Shostakovich

Compact Disc Classics Giugno 2003 Ci arriva dalla casa danese quella che sara' da considerare forse come la migliore edizione dei "due concerti di Shostakovich" Ci arriva dalla casa danese quella che sara' da considerare forse come la migliore edizione dei "due concerti di Shostakovich", non solo nella pura e semplice prestazione pianistica, ma per la collaborazione dell'orchestra, e ovviamente, nel "primo Concerto", del solista di tromba. Finalmente tutti gli elementi di questa musica, su cui il compositore russo costruisce il suo personale linguaggio - morbidezza romantica, disegno pianistico neoclassico, umorismo, inevitabile virtuosita e brillantezza - trovano un senso di naturalezza e omogeneita discorsiva. Oleg Marshev, il pianista, non e' una sorpresa: ha registrato per la stessa casa alcune integrali...

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BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE, Shostakovich

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE March 2003 Shostakovich Concerto for Piano, Trumpet & Strings; Piano Concerto no. 2; 24 Preludes, Op. 34 Oleg Marshev (piano) Helsingborg SO/ Hannu Lintu Danacord DACOCD 601 Shostakovich Concerto for Piano, Trumpet & Strings; Piano Concerto no.2; Ustvolskaya Concerto for Piano, Timpani & Strings Ingrid Jacoby (piano), RPO/Charles Mackerras Dutton CDSA 4804 Danacord's Shostakovich disc was the second I heard this year, and it already looks like being one of the best - which is hard on the fine rival Jacoby and Mackerras. So what bowls me over about Marshev and company? First, perhaps amazement at the sophisticated high standards not only from the soloist but from a regional Swedish orchestra and a Finnish conductor who do...

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Classic CD. Prokofiev Vol.1/2

CLASSIC CD May 1998 Prokofiev Piano Sonatas 6, 7 & 8 The Top five discs …The expressive depth of these sonatas is unprecedented in Prokofiev’s work. They are also technically among the most daunting works ever written for the piano. The challenge for any pianist is to surmount their technical difficulties in order to fully reveal their expressive content. Drawing up a shortlist of recordings has highlighted casualties from recent deletions such as Peter Donohoe’s EMI cycle. Of complete recordings still available but not shortlisted, Ashkenazy’s on Decca sounds impatient and aggressive, as if he’s played the music too often. John Lill (ASV), living up to his reputation for stolid reliability, shows no feeling whatsoever for Prokofiev’s lyricism. Yakov Kasman’s...

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GRAMOPHONE. Prokofiev Vol. 1/2

GRAMOPHONE January 1994 Prokofiev piano works Volumes 1 and 2. Oleg Marshev (pf). Danacord (Full price) (CD) DACOCD391/2 (two discs: 74 and 64 minutes: DDD). DACOCD391: Sonatas-No. 6 in A, Op. 82; No. 7 in B flat, Op. 83. Dumka. Visions fugitives, Op. 22. DACOCD392: Sonatas-No. 1 in F minor, Op. 1; No. 8 in B flat, Op. 84. Four Pieces, Op. 3. Three Pieces, Op. 59. The tales of an old grandmother, Op. 31. Oleg Marshev's Prokofiev is the complete antithesis of Chiu's. Marshev prefers the dynamic, full-throated volcanic approach (though he is certainly not afraid to allow lyricism into the music when called upon to do so) and he is also more of a charismatic performer, allowing greater...

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HIGH FIDELITY. Prokofiev Vol. 1/2

HIGH FIDELITY Marshev displays piano playing that reaches beyond all boundaries and one becomes euphoric listening to this genial music in such genial performances. No-one should deny themselves the overwhelming experience of hearing piano playing of this calibre. UNIKT KLAVERSPILL Danske indspilninger af Prokofievs klavermusik med den russiske pianist Oleg Marshev. Og hvilken pianist! Det er klaverspill, der tager vejret fra én. Oleg Marshev er tidligere blevet hyldet i disse spalter som solist i Rubinsteins 3. og 4. klaverkoncert på Danacord. Nu har samme tapre og ufortrødne lille danske pladeselskab kastet sig ud i en komplet optagelse af Prokofievs solo-klavermusik med samme pianist, og de to første CD'er varsler et projekt af tåmhøj kvalitet. Dette er ganske enkelt mageløst! Marshev...

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