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Prokofiev’s Revolution ‘Cantata’ Performance, Birmingham – UKby Roland Williams |
Photo, Left to Right: Martynas Levickis, Rafal Luc, Conductor Valery Gergiev, Ksenija Sidorova, Amadej Herzog and Trang Nguyen On October 14/15th 2009, during a visit to the UK, the Chorus of the famous Mariinsky Theatre gave two splendid performances of Prokofiev’s ‘Cantata for the 20th Anniversary of the October Revolution’. They performed with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Valery Gergiev. Prokofiev’s ‘Cantata’ is an extraordinary work of musical theatre and of huge proportions in the musical forces it employs. It uses an extended orchestra and choir, a brass band and an accordion band. A most interesting historical background to this work and a review of the concerts is online: Cantata Review From the accordionist’s point of view the work (written in the mid-1930s) is of obvious interest as it is probably one of the first large orchestral and choral works to include an accordion band or significant part for a group of accordions. Further information online at: Cantata Review |