Sergei Prokofiev completed the Scythian Suite op. 20 in 1914, when he was about to turn his back on his homeland. The Symphonic Suite op. 60 was composed almost two decades later, after Prokofiev had returned to Russia in 1933. The biographical turning points at which the two suites stand also represent ideological turning points in Prokofiev's conception of art. While the earlier work is characterised by a tendency towards chromatic melody, the later work is dominated by diatonicism and incorporates archaic scales. Another interesting feature: the two music tracks have been remastered and edited from the original 1 inch 8-track tapes for the first time for this release.

 

The audiophile vinyl series The Original Source presents outstanding recordings from the 1970s in a whole new sound quality. For this, the renowned Emil Berliner Studios have remastered and edited the original four-and eight-track tapes in 100% analog quality (AAA) using technologies developed specifically to produce the series. The sonic differences to the original releases are considerable: greater clarity, more subtleties and improvements in frequency response, while at the same time less background noise, distortion and compression allow for an audiophile listening experience like never before.

 

On 180g vinyl records and in a deluxe gatefold edition with original covers and lyrics, the copies of this series are released limited and numbered, accompanied by additional photos and facsimiles of the recording logs and tape boxes.

 

Tracklisting:

 

LP1

Side A

1. Prokofiev: I. The Adoration of Veless and Ala [Scythian Suite, Op. 20]

2. Prokofiev: II. The Enemy of God and the Dance of the Spirits [Scythian 

Suite, Op. 20]

3. Prokofiev: III. Night [Scythian Suite, Op. 20]

4. Prokofiev: IV. Lolly's Departure and the Sun’s Procession [Scythian 

Suite, Op. 20]

 

Side B

1. Prokofiev: I. Birth of Kijé [Lieutenant Kijé Suite, Op. 60]

2. Prokofiev: II. Romance [Lieutenant Kijé Suite, Op. 60]

3. Prokofiev: III. Kijé’s Wedding [Lieutenant Kijé Suite, Op. 60]

4. Prokofiev: IV. Troika [Lieutenant Kijé Suite, Op. 60]

5. Prokofiev: V. Burial of Kijé [Lieutenant Kijé Suite, Op. 60]