As Gabriel Prokofiev leaves Toronto, completing his term as visiting composer at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music, in comes a new CD of works by his grandfather Sergei Prokofiev. Funny how things come full circle…
This disc marks the second release on the ATMA label for violinist Jonathan Crow and pianist, Paul Stewart, where they take flight towards Prokofiev’s chamber music.
A few years ago, Crow began tiring of his growling orchestral duties of concertmaster, and decided to begin taking on more chamber music projects to help foster a closer, more intimate connection with his audience.
Crow’s decision mirrors Prokofiev’s in many ways, as in 1938, after hearing a Handel violin sonata, he decided to put down his larger form compositions for a while, and try composing in a new more intimate musical genre, which he had never before attempted. It began with his first violin sonata. The contrasting Violin Sonatas are synonymous with Violinist David Oistrakh, with whom Prokofiev shared special kinship. The Second Sonata was actually composed 2 years before the first, and consisted of an arrangement of his Flute Sonata.
Direct, and sensitive beauty is the seal of this work, as well as Prokofiev’s combined high-spirits and ragged edges in the finale. The first Sonata “…was truly great music, and indeed for sheer beauty and depth nothing to equal it had been written for the violin for many a decade,” described David Oistrakh. Incidentally, the chilling first and third movements of the sonata were played at Prokofiev’s funeral by Oistrakh and Samuil Feinberg.
The Five Melodies are delightful transcriptions by Prokofiev of his Five Songs, Op. 35, and both Crow and Stewart take them on with exacting and playful poise.
However, the stand out on this disc is the haunting first and last movements of the first Sonata, which the composer describes as “wind passing through a graveyard.” Crow’s tone and sensibility is incredible, and ads a new dimension to the depth of the work. His glassy harmonics are expertly intoned, and Stewart’s accompaniment is careful and secure under it.
More details here.
Here is a mini- documentary of TSO’s Concertmaster, Jonathan Crow:
Michael Vincent
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