Gramophone Magazine’s Mark Pullinger reviews Thierry Fischer and the Utah Symphony’s Prokofiev: Alexander Nevsky – Lieutenant Kijé Suite in their February 2020 issue:

“Thierry Fischer pairs two contrasting Prokofiev film scores in this Utah Symphony release: the gritty, rarely heard cantata Alexander Nevsky and the quirky, satirical Lieutenant Kijé. The latter is… guaranteed to raise a smile. … Nevsky is given a sober reading here, the University of Utah A Cappella Choir and University of Utah Chamber Choir on their best behaviour in the ‘Song of Alexander Nevsky’ and ‘The Crusade in Pskov’. … Alisa Kolosova sings mournfully in ‘The Field of the Dead’… From its plaintive opening trumpet call, the playing of the Utah Symphony is much more sprightly in a fine account of the Lieutenant Kijé Suite. Fischer draws out Prokofiev’s puckish humour well, high woodwinds in jocular mood. There’s a jaunty step to ‘Kijé’s Wdding’ and the ‘Troika’ clips along at a good pace.”

—Mark Pullinger, Gramophone

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