Igor Levit, Ivan Fischer, Budapest Festival Orchestra: Sergei Prokofiev: Piano Concertos III

A concert cycle of a special kind: over three evenings, Igor Levit will perform all five piano concertos by Sergei Prokofiev, accompanied by the Budapest Festival Orchestra under the baton of Iván Fischer.


Cast

• Budapest Festival Orchestra
  
• Iván Fischer, Conductor
  
• Igor Levit, Piano
  

Program

Sergei Prokofiev
The Love for Three Oranges, Suite Op. 33a: Excerpts

Sergei Prokofiev
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 16

Sergei Prokofiev
Piano Concerto No. 4 in B-flat Major, Op. 53

Sergei Prokofiev
Symphony No. 1 in D Major, Op. 25 "Classical Symphony"


The symphonic suite from “The Love for Three Oranges” reveals Prokofiev's grotesque humor: absurd, charming, and melodically memorable. It demonstrates his ability to transform stage music into an independent concert form.

The Piano Concerto No. 2 is a radical, highly virtuosic work. Prokofiev himself performed it in St. Petersburg in 1913. With its dissonant harmonies, unusual rhythms, and extreme runs, it was far ahead of its time and is now considered one of the most exciting piano concertos of the early 20th century.

The Piano Concerto No. 4 “For the Left Hand,” composed for Paul Wittgenstein, was not premiered until after Prokofiev's death in Berlin (1956, Siegfried Rapp, West Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra). Despite being written for only one hand, it produces orchestral richness and sophistication—an impressive testament to his creativity.

Symphony No. 1 “Symphonie classique” rounds off the block: charming, formally elegant, with subtle humor. It demonstrates Prokofiev's ability to combine tradition with modernity – an early work full of self-confidence and wit.