Prokofiev’s terse and irascible Symphony No. 2 comes off best when played for all its fire and bite, as in Neeme Järvi’s stunning performance (and only slightly less so in Walter Weller’s gripping rendition), where the snarling opening movement strikes at you like a cobra. Valeri Polyanski’s soft-edged conception gives us a snake without fangs as the Russian State Symphony’s brass prod but never poke through the orchestral texture. Prokofiev the “enfant terrible” instead becomes merely a misbehaved lad. Polyanski is more convincing in the second movement’s mellower moods, but by then it really doesn’t matter.
In the Symphony-Concerto, cellist Alexander Ivashkin performs the thanklessly difficult solo part with brilliance and stoic determination while Polyanski provides less than ideal timbral contrast in the orchestral score, admittedly not one of Prokofiev’s more inspired. But he does keep the music moving, and both artists display finely-focused energy in the finale. Chandos’ recording is reverberant, diffuse, and somewhat lacking in detail. Consider this release only if you insist on this particular pairing; otherwise get the Symphony from another source.
