Michel Beroff, Kurt Masur
"Prokofiev: Piano Concerto no. 3 op. 26" (CD)

I've spent this week playing and observing the music of one great Soviet composer, Dmitri Shostakovich.  It seemed fitting to visit the work of his equally notable contemporary, Sergei Prokofiev.

While Shostakovich wrote deeply personal, almost programmatic works, Prokofiev wrote with a cinematic flair and enjoyed a deep romantic streak.   I suppose the personality of both of these musicians lies on the surface of their respective works.

The piano concerto has long been a benchmark for composers: write a good one and your reputation is solidified.  Don't, and you are taken less seriously by audiences.   I'm not  a scholar of Prokofiev's piano literature, but I have performed this concerto before and recall the fun of playing the work with pianist James Dick.