The music critic in the local paper obviously didn't like the Prokofiev, he didn't even mention it!
"THERE could be little doubt that this concert was going to be an all-guns-blazing affair.
Combine conductor Vasily Petrenko with Rachmaninov, Prokofiev and Shostakovich, and the Royal Liverpool Phil- harmonic’s new-found role as an ambassador for Russian music was sure to be confirmed.
The highlight had to be a searing performance of Shostakovich’s iconic Fifth Symphony. From the intense, slow opening with hugely subtle pianissimo moments, Petrenko worked the movement into a furious melee.
That fury was hardly less apparent in the second movement, the somewhat satanic dance, yet the centre point of this performance had to be the brooding and massively intense slow movement in which there were some quite magical moments. Here, the various soloists within the orchestra – the harp in particular – were outstanding in what must be one of Shostakovich’s most poignant and intro- verted slow movements.
The fast-moving, almost breathless finale brought the piece to a sparkling conclusion.
The concert opened with Rachmaninov’s mysterious tone poem, The Isle of the Dead. Again, Petrenko worked this up to a huge climax with some spectacular woodwind moments along the way.
This concert was vintage RLPO and, if it’s not too early to say, vintage Petrenko. It’s a partnership which is obviously paying dividends and the fact the performers really seemed to be enjoying themselves really said it all."
