Tales of an Old Grandmother, Op. 31, No. 2 "Andantino"
Five Pieces from the Ballet Cinderella, Op. 87
Visions Fugitives, Op. 22
War and Peace, Op. 91 "Waltz"
Egyptian Nights: Suite Op. 61 "The Fall of Cleopatra"
Childhood Manuscripts "Tarantella"
Boris Godunov, Op. 70 "Amoroso"
Four Pieces for Piano, Op. 32
- Minuet in B flat major
- Gavotte
Music for Children, Op. 65 "Evening"
The Love for Three Oranges: Suite Op. 33 "March"
The Tale for the Stone Flower, Op. 118 "Diamond Waltz"
Ten Pieces for Piano, Op. 12
- Legend
- Rigaudon

With certain composers like Sergei Prokoviev (1891-1953) for example, it's sometimes difficult for uninitiated listeners to know from which angle to approach this composer's music, or even which works to use as a proper introduction to his prolific output (choose the wrong piece and you may never want to try again). Fortunately, with well curated collections like this one, it's safe to test the waters and get a taste of the wide spectrum of a composer's unique outlook and style. Toccata Classics have a whole series of these By Arrangement collections, ranging from piano arrangements of the music of Dietrich Buxtehude to string orchestra arrangements of the music of Alban Berg. In this particular case, the arrangements for Violin and Piano were written by some of the great violinists of the past who admired Prokofiev's music so much, that they wanted to pare down the orchestral works or augment the solo piano pieces so they could themselves perform these to a wider audience.

I know some people who don't particularly appreciate solo piano music, or much prefer the sound of a chamber group over a full orchestra, in which case collections like this one are perfectly adequate. Plus, most of Prokofiev's melodies have such a unique twist to them, they always leave a positive impression regardless of their source. For example, the angular rhythms and uniquely quirky harmonic intervals which are trademarks of Prokofiev's music are in full evidence in the March from The Love for Three Oranges (which you can hear in the audio clip below). Violinist Yuri Kalnits and pianist Yulia Chaplina do this orchestral piece full justice by bringing out the ridicule of its militaristic precision and resoluteness. They also well capture and project the tenderness within the Tales of an Old Grandmother as well as the pathos behind The Fall of Cleopatra and the jauntiness of Rigaudon. Both Kalnits and Chaplina alter the sound of their individual instruments to suit the temperament of each piece, which goes a long way in setting the proper tone and emotional state of the music.

Sergei Prokofiev may have been unjustly considered the black sheep of Russian music, but nonetheless Yuri Kalnits brings out the merits of each piece that aficionados as well as neophytes can enjoy.