Cadenza of Prokofiev 2

[furtwaengler]

I have been looking through a collection of deteriorating tapes that are filled mostly with improvisation and compositional sketches, and was shocked and surprised to find a recording of the Prokofiev 2nd Piano Concerto cadenza completely intact. I simply had no idea this existed. Most of the tape is improvisation, and even this trails right back into improvisation. It was not like me to record any actual music in those days, but Prokofiev was a hero at the time and this concerto (as well as the 5th which I also found fragments of) often distracted me from my studies.

Here it is in all the energy of youth. I must have been 19 or 20.

[piulento]

Playing this well when you're only 19...
This is my all time favorite concerto, and the cadenza is pretty much my favorite part of it; So much power and imagination in only a few minutes. I think you captured it pretty well - lots of fireworks and a hint of craziness. Reminds me of Petrov.
Hope you still play it from time to time

[furtwaengler]

Oh Petrov! What I'd do for his hands! Thanks for your comments.

[emill]

hi Dave,

Not really a big fan of Prokofiev, but really sad that during those times of the audio tape we have lost a good number of recordings  which we would have wanted to still hear during our later years.  So please forgive me for applying some "cleaning" to this Prokofiev piece you did in your teens.  The noise really spoiled it a lot.  Hope you find it as near as you played did it before.

emill