Gergiev's Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet: a worthy winner?

by David NiceWednesday, 13 April 2011

Gergiev's Prokofiev 'Romeo and Juliet': 'The 20th century's greatest ballet score, captured live at the Barbican for the LSO's own label'

It's just been crowned the BBC Music Magazine Awards' CD of the Year. But is Valery Gergiev's second complete recording of the 20th century's greatest ballet score, captured live at the Barbican for the LSO's own label, right at the top? In my Building a Library survey for BBC Radio 3, condensed in print for the BBCMM, I suggested it might be the best in state-of-the-art sound - but not the finest overall version of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet. That palm went to Rozhdestvensky's much more impeccably paced old Melodiya version, in mono and dating from 1959.

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