Sergei Prokofiev - Symphony No. 4 (Franz Welser-Möst)

Information

Composer: Sergei Prokofiev

• Symphony No. 4 in C Major, Op. 112

Cleveland Orchestra

Franz Welser-Möst, conductor

Date: 2025

Label: The Cleveland Orchestra

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The Cleveland Orchestra will release a new album on November 14 featuring a live performance of Sergei Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 4, recorded in May at Mandel Concert Hall. Originally based on his 1928 ballet The Prodigal Son, Prokofiev revisited the work nearly two decades later, producing a 1947 revision of expanded scope and vitality. The symphony balances calm, reflective passages with bursts of energy, tender lyricism, and a finale driven by rhythmic intensity. The 1947 version, captured on this recording, reflects a darker, more ambivalent character, shaped by Prokofiev’s experiences under Stalinist Russia, offering a richer and more complex orchestral palette than the original 1930s version.

Franz Welser-Möst (b. 1960, Linz) is an Austrian conductor renowned for his long tenure as Music Director of The Cleveland Orchestra, a post he has held since 2002 and will continue until 2027, making him the orchestra’s longest-serving director. Initially a violinist, he turned to conducting after a car accident ended his violin studies. With Cleveland, he has expanded repertoire, revived opera, launched a recording label and streaming platform, and attracted one of America’s youngest classical audiences. Internationally, he maintains a close partnership with the Vienna Philharmonic, including three New Year’s Concerts. He has received numerous prestigious awards and honors.

High Resolution 24-bit / 96 kHz