Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

    Funny you should mention it:
    
    They played a brand new release of Nevsky on "First Hearing" this past
    Sunday with Previn/Los Angeles (I think it is on Telarc).  The radio
    panel gave it high reviews (except that the bass drum is overdone
    at the end).  I only caught the last minute of the recording so
    I only have Edward Downs and company's opinion to go by. -John

    I've seen at least two versions of "alexander Nevsky" on disk. 
    The one I remember best and intend to buy the next time I see it
    in a store for a reasonable price is an RCA release peformed by
    Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony.
    This disc also contains some other Prokofiev ("Lt. Kije" I think)
    and is one of their 60+ minute discs.
    The other version I saw was on an import label peformed by a soviet
    orchestra.
    
    An ironic note about the Russian orchestral discs I have;
    I own several discs of Russian music on the Olympia label, a British
    import label which releases music from the Russian Melodiya label.
    Examples of this are early Prokiev ballets (On the Dneiper, etc.)
    and Glazunov symphonies.  I've noticed that the quality of both
    recording and performance are only average, especially when compared
    to performances by the Scottish Orchestra on Chandos and
    Bernard Haitink's Shostakovich series.  The USSR Ministry of Culture
    Orchestra just doesn't seem to be able to play Russian music as
    well as you'd think it would.
    
    Anyway, when I finally track down a copy of Reiner's "Nevsky", I'll
    be better able recommend it.  For now, I'm just going on the record
    that Reiner, the Chicago Symphony & RCA digital remastered series
    have shown.
    
             Marty
    

I have heard the Previn over the air, and own the Abbaddo recording (on vinyl).
I believe both are available on CD.  Both are very powerful readings, with 
excellent singers.  Previn and Abbaddo are among the most understanding of 
slavic music interpreters.

Can't wait until Ashkenazy records this piece!


				Mark

    Is the Previn version sung in Russian or English?  According to
    Fanfare, the Reiner version is sung in English.  Both of these versions
    are coupled with Lt. Kije.  Pretty soon I will buy one or the other.  I
    played Nevsky in an orchestra once - one of the most intense orchestral
    experiences I've had. 
    
    Thanks,
    Michael

    When I heard the Previn is sounded like Russian.  However, there
    have been many times I have caught parts of operas that were performed
    in English and I was not able to tell.
    
    By the way, Dover Publications has a full score of "Great Orchestral
    Works" by Prokofiev that includes Alexander Nevsky and Lt. Kije
    for under $13.00.  -John

    Thanks for all the inputs!
    
    				Earle

Because I know Russian, I don't usually notice whether something's sung in 
Russian or English (the Russian is usually more intelligble, if anything!).

Based on previous conducting experiences, I would say Previn probably did it 
in Russian.  Might depend on which chorus he used, though.


				Mark

    After reading all of this I went out and bought the d&$^ Previn
    recording.  It is sung in Russian.  I also saw that there is an
    Ashkenazy/Cleveland/London recording of Nevsky.  Unfortunately,
    it is a little cheap on playing time.  There is nothing else on
    it.  John

    I just received my latest quarterly newsletter from TELARC.  
    The issue included some historical information regarding the 
    collaboration of Eisenstein and Prokofiev on Nevsky.  Actually,
    there was nothing new here but some interesting information around
    the film and it's latest 'cleaned-up' release:
    
    On November 3, 1987 under the sponsorship of AT&T, Alexandar Nevesky
    will be shown in Los Angeles' Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.  The print
    has been newly prepared, with special attention paid to dialogue,
    sound effects and subtitles.  The unique aspect of this evening,
    however, involves the musical score.  Instead of the poorly performed
    and recorded original soundtrack, the score will be performed live
    by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and Master Chorale, conducted
    by Andre Previn.  Following the Los Angeles screening, the film
    will travel to Cleveland, where it will be accompanied by the Cleveland
    Orchestra, and then on to Washington, to be accompanied by the National
    Symphony.  

    
    Typists note:  Actually, the idea is not *that* unique since Abel
    Ganz' Napolean was cleaned up and travelled with an orchestra about
    8 or so years ago.  The big difference being that Napolean's music
    was newly composed and this is the original soundtrack score.
    
    =ken

    I saw a Slatkin/St. Louis CD of Nevsky this weekend but it had nothing
    else on it.  It was a 1977 recording on Candide.
    
    Looks like I'll go with the Previn version next time I'm adding
    to my classical collection, barring new information.