Lionel Choi wrote:

>To wrap up, here are my basic recommendations at present:
>
>* No.1 -- Dutoit (Decca), Muti (Philips), Orpheus Chamber Orchestra (DG),
> Abbado/Chamber Orchestra of Europe (DG), Koussevitzsky/Boston SO (RCA)
>* No.2 -- Jarvi (Chandos)
>* No.3 -- Muti (Philips)
>* No.4 -- Jarvi
>* No.5 -- Koussevitzsky, Karajan (DG), Dutoit, Previn/London SO (EMI)
>* No.6 -- Mravinsky/Leningrad SO (Russian Disc), Jarvi
>* No.7 & Sinfonietta -- Jarvi

Hi there!  Interesting recommendations!  Although I don't know much
about several recordings of Prokofiev's symphonies, I'd like to add a
few thoughts.  Even before I really appreciated CM, I bought a tape with
selections from Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet".  On this tape there is also
Symphony # 1 with Solti and the CSO.  I like that tape a lot.  Solti is
much better here than Kuchar on Naxos (for my ears).  Kuchar is so slow and
dry.  So, when I bought this Naxos CD, it was because I wanted to know the
2nd Symphony.  Well, this one is OK, but I'm not a big fan of it (until
now).  The other pieces on the Naxos CD are quite nice [Dreams, op.6 and
Autumnal Sketch, op.8].

Then I own the Chandos disk with Jarvi conducting Symphony # 7 and the
Sinfonietta op.5/48.  These are really great works and interpretations!
So, you see, I'm still beginning to explore the symphonies.  The next one
I'd like to listen to is # 3.  Lionel recommends Muti on Philips.  How
about Chailly on Decca? Here # 3 is coupled with Mosolov's "Zavod" and
Varese's "Arcana", interesting stuff I think.  Or shall I stick with
Jarvi's cycle?

Well, I hope this threat will continue for some time.

All the best!

Kai Czepiczka,
Seoul