Prokofiev: Symphony No. 6 - Myaskovsky: Symphony No. 27

Album review

Second and finale volume of recordings by Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra and Vasily Petrenko of Prokofiev's and Myaskovsky's symphonic works.
Both Prokofiev and Myaskovsky, who were close friends, suffered under the oppressive Soviet regime, and, in the course of their careers, had to compose with threats of artistic censorship hanging over them.
Prokofiev composed Symphony No. 6 in E-flat minor, Op. 111, between 1945 and February 1947, though some sketches date from 1944 before he completed the Symphony No. 5. It is written for large orchestra and is a profound and personal work with an unmistakable tragic element. He said himself that this symphony was inspired in part by the war years: "Now we are rejoicing in our great victory, but each of us has wounds that cannot be healed".

Myaskovsky completed the last of his symphonies - in C minor, Op. 85 - in November 1949. His 27 works in this genre are so strikingly varied in character that is is virtually impossible to define a "typical" Myaskovsky symphony. No. 27 is often referred to as one of his most popular, even though his music was hardly performed outside of Russia. Prokofiev described the music of his good friend in this way: "Myaskovsky was something of a philosopher; his music is intelligent, passionate, sombre and self-absorbed". © LAWO Records