PROKOFIEV - Symphonies Nos. 1 & 5 • Søndergård

Symphony No. 1 in D major, Op. 25 'Classical'
Symphony No. 5 in B flat major, Op. 100

Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Thomas Søndergård

"Thomas Søndergård is very much at home with the symphonies of Prokofiev, a composer who has been a major focus of his repertoire since 2016. With plans to complete a full Prokofiev cycle with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra over the coming seasons, it's fitting that this new recording with the orchestra features two pillars of the composer's symphonic output. His delightfully light Symphony No. 1 in D major, Op. 25 more than earns its Classical nickname, filled with buoyancy and excitement. Søndergård's reading of the Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major, Op. 100, forged in the flames of war and "dedicated to the greatness of the human spirit", is an impassioned and dramatic contrast."

"Prokofiev’s Classical Symphony receives here a performance of one’s dreams. Using a slightly reduced body of strings, Thomas Søndergård elicits from the Royal Scottish National orchestra neatly articulated and next to immaculate playing…Every movement seems ideally paced, exemplified by the finale – a miraculous combination of briskness, glitter and charm."