Hyperion

Prokofiev: Piano Concertos Nos 1, 4 & 5

Prokofiev: Piano Concertos Nos 1, 4 & 5

Nikolai Demidenko (piano), London Philharmonic Orchestra, Alexander Lazarev (conductor)

CDA67029

With this disc Demidenko completes his cycle of the Prokofiev Concertos with the London Philharmonic and Alexander Lazarev.

The First Concerto launched the youthful composer's career—he wrote it for his graduation concert (his playing of it won him first prize) and its youthful high spirits and virtuosity make it an instant crowd-pleaser. The Fourth and Fifth Concertos are less well known though with the Fifth it is hard to see why. The Fourth was written for the one-armed pianist Paul Wittgenstein who didn't like it (he didn't like Ravel's left-hand Concerto either!) and refused to perform it; hence it is only recently that the work has been taken up.

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