Fashioned from Prokofiev’s own three suites from his magnificent Cinderella ballet, conductor James DePreist’s compilation more or less follows the story’s dramatic narrative. It’s a formidable task to do this in only 35 minutes (the full ballet runs more than two hours), but the result does hit many of the score’s high points, including the most important waltzes and dances. The introduction’s slow tempo and the massive orchestral sound seems to signal a particularly heavy reading to follow, and though DePreist lightens up for the second number (“Quarrel”), some of the others, such as “Gallop”, are slow and lacking in bite. The fairy godmother scene misses Previn’s magic, and Järvi’s way with Cinderella’s Dance captures that special sadness combined with joy that seems to elude DePreist. Moreover, the Monte Carlo players have little of the technical assurance, bold brilliance, and imagination of the Cleveland Orchestra, or for that matter the London Symphony or the Russian National Orchestra for Pletnev.
Prokofiev composed On the Dnieper in 1930 during his self-imposed exile in Paris. The ballet, named for a storied Russian river, tells the tale of a young soldier, Sergei, who returns from war to find he has been forgotten by his betrothed, Natasha, who nevertheless manages to help him run off with a new love, Olga (who had been promised to another man). This 1933 suite consists of six numbers whose overall lyricism is spiced with Prokofiev’s trademark angular harmonies. In fact, the music, in its relaxed, pastoral vein resembles Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 4 (the first version), and at times seems at odds with the story. Still, while it may not be the masterpiece that Cinderella is, it’s certainly worth hearing, especially in this sensitive, committed performance by DePreist and his orchestra. Although Koch’s large-acoustic recording has clarity, it comes with a bright edge that imparts a thin sound to the strings. The CD booklet features an informative and enjoyable essay on Prokofiev’s Western exile and eventual return to the Soviet Union.
