Prokofiev - Symphony-Concerto in E minor, Op. 125

Prokofiev - Symphony-Concerto in E minor, Op. 125

On the occasion of Sergei Prokofiev's 125th birth anniversary in 2016, Valery Gergiev leads the Mariinsky Orchestra in a performance of the composer's Symphony-Concerto in E minor, Op. 125. Written for cello and orchestra, the work is a revised version of Prokofiev's earlier Cello Concerto, Op. 58, from the mid-1930s. When Prokofiev was impressed by young cellist Mstislav Rostropovich performance of his concerto in 1947, the composer expressed a wish to rewrite the work specifically for Rostropovich. Following its premiere in 1952, the work was revised further, receiving its present name, 'Symphony-Concerto'. The current performance features cellist Alexander Ramm, playing Prokofiev's challenging score that makes full use of the cello's possibilities. This performance was recorded at the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, in April 2016.