CD Review | Prokofiev, Nemanja Radulović, Warner Classics

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Warner Classics
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Prokofiev

Nemanja Radulović, violin; Philharmonia Orchestra; Santtu-Matias Rouvali, conductor; Johan Dalene, violin; Laure Favre-Kahne, piano; Les Trilles du Diable

Warner Classics, 2026

Serbian violinist Nemanja Radulović’s latest album transports us into Prokofiev’s ironical and highly characterized musical universe. Every note is played with intention and artistry.

Radulović’s phrasing draws us into the mercurial intricacies of Prokofiev’s music, which is marked by frequent and often sudden shifts in character. He inhabits each musical persona with conviction and moves between them with such agility that the narrative thread remains intact. In Cinderella, for example, his subtle rubato and accelerandos evoke the atmosphere of a ballroom in which something is quietly amiss.

He maintains a focused, concentrated tone without sacrificing lightness of articulation. In denser passages, the timbre shifts constantly—at times weeping, singing, or chanting—yet is always cloaked in a sense of mystery. Radulović preserves the enigma characteristic of Prokofiev’s music; nothing is revealed all at once, and the music unfolds like an epic, dramatic narrative. He draws on a remarkable tonal palette, at once airy and concentrated, placing each note with precision while allowing the line to move forward with momentum.

The album features Prokofiev’s violin concertos and sonatas, alongside arrangements of chamber works and ballet music. Particularly striking is Radulović’s ability to evoke the power of an entire orchestra through the violin alone. The “Capulets and Montagues” movement from Romeo and Juliet is delivered with urgency and drive, its intensity keeping listeners on the edge of their seats. He draws us into the music’s harmonic shifts, so that with each return of the opening theme, the listener is led deeper into the drama of the work.

Though clearly a virtuoso of the highest calibre, Radulović never sacrifices musicality for technical brilliance. Taken as a whole, this album is a true tour de force and merits a distinguished place in the recorded history of this repertoire.