Sergei Prokofiev
Email from Carl Smith to Robert Moody, Music Director of the Portland Symphony Orchestra
Dear Robert,
Never before have I heard live or on records as fine a performance of the 5th symphony as what I heard tonight. The enormous size of the orchestra, the density and complexity of the orchestration, and the vast range of dynamics pose a unique challenge that you and the orchestra overcame triumphantly. I was especially impressed by the rhythmic pace you maintained throughout, the clarity you brought to the extremely complex first movement, and the masterful transition at the end of the finale where Prokofiev seems to be snubbing his nose at the Soviet artistic police---not quite as obvious as the last bars of Ives' 3rd symphony but I'm pretty sure the intent was the same. In each case the composer was declaring his independence from conventional artistic standards even while demonstrating his mastery of them.
My sincere congratulations on an outstanding concert.
All the best,
Carl Smith
