GRAMMY-WINNING SAINT PAUL CHAMBER ORCHESTRA CONFIRMS NEW ALBUM PROKOFIEV RE-IMAGINED

OUT JUNE 5 VIA PHENOTYPIC RECORDINGS

HEAR PIANO SONATA NO. 7 IN B-FLAT MAJOR, OP. 83 “STALINGRAD”: III. PRECIPITATO TODAY

May 8, 2026—The Grammy Award-winning Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (SPCO) today confirms a new album, Prokofiev Re-Imagined, set for release June 5 via Phenotypic Recordings—pre-order/pre-save here.

Prokofiev Re-Imagined grew out of a long creative friendship. For more than three decades, SPCO concertmaster and leader Steven Copes and pianist-composer Stephen Prutsman have shared a musical language built through concertos, collaborations, artistic partnerships and countless conversations, along with a deep connection to a particularly special orchestra.

The album presents new orchestrations of two Sergei Prokofiev sonatas: the Piano Sonata No. 7 in B-flat Major, Op. 83 "Stalingrad" and the Sonata for Violin and Piano in F Minor, Op. 80, both reimagined for chamber orchestra by Prutsman and recorded by The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra with Copes as solo violin and leader.

"These are orchestrations," says Prutsman. "Not arrangements. Not fantasies. Not transcriptions. Not a note was harmed. The pitches are Prokofiev's. Almost entirely in their original register. What changed is the color."

For Copes, the project fills a meaningful gap in the orchestra's repertoire. The SPCO's distinctive musician-led model, in which players share interpretive responsibility without a traditional conductor, is essential to the recording's character.

“The goal is the for the whole orchestra to lead the music and each other as one organism, a goal which we work towards and problem-solve during the rehearsal process so everyone has a vital stake in the performance.”

The album's first single, "Piano Sonata No. 7 in B-flat Major, Op. 83 'Stalingrad': III. Precipitato," is out now—listen/share here. Composed in 1942 at the height of World War II, the Seventh Piano Sonata is one of Prokofiev's three so-called "War Sonatas," music of volatility and propulsion. The Precipitato finale remains one of the most electrifying movements in twentieth-century piano literature. In SPCO's hands, its machine-like energy becomes collective, with rhythmic cells surging through strings, winds and percussion with shared urgency.

The album's second work, the Sonata for Violin and Piano in F Minor, Op. 80, was started in 1938 and completed in 1946, spanning years of political tension and artistic uncertainty. It is one of Prokofiev's most emotionally complex works: bleak, biting and unexpectedly tender. The opening movement's low, tolling chords deepen in orchestral form, with winds and low strings evoking the spectral atmosphere performers often describe as "wind over the graveyard." The sarcastic, rhythmically biting second movement thrives on precision, while the third achieves a paradox of intimacy at scale, with a broader dynamic spectrum that intensifies rather than dilutes the violin's inward voice. The finale's restless energy dissolves into muted, spectral stillness, with closing pages that shimmer across winds and strings, revealing harmonic nuances often submerged in the piano version.

Prokofiev Re-Imagined steps beyond a simple reframing of the two canonical works; through Prokofiev's uncompromising voice, Prutsman's singular ear and vision for color and The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra's collective artistry, these three interacting forces come together into a portrait all their own. Each piece stands independently, yet together they create an ongoing dialogue between composer, orchestrator, and ensemble, illuminating music that the orchestra might not usually perform. This is achieved not through exaggeration but by uncovering the music in a new light.

ABOUT THE SAINT PAUL CHAMBER ORCHESTRA

Founded in 1959, the Grammy Award-winning Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (SPCO) is renowned for its artistic excellence, remarkable versatility of musical styles and adventurous programming. SPCO concerts are primarily musician-led and include a broad range of repertoire, from Baroque works to new music, in close collaboration with a dynamic roster of internationally acclaimed Artistic Partners. Through a distinctive musician-led artistic model, SPCO musicians lead and develop the orchestra’s programming, determine members and choose artistic collaborators.

Deeply rooted in its community and committed to accessibility, the SPCO presents performances in venues throughout the Twin Cities, creating meaningful connections between artists and audiences. Through its innovative approach to performance and engagement, the orchestra fosters an environment where music is both intimate and expansive — inviting listeners into experiences that are personal, powerful and profoundly human.

ABOUT PHENOTYPIC RECORDINGS

Phenotypic Recordings brings to light new music by world-class musicians and innovative composers, with a focus on music that highlights the most important issues facing the world today. Artists include Kronos Quartet, Osvaldo Golijov, Kenji Bunch, MoVE (Modern Violin Ensemble), W4RP and more. As another way of amplifying artistic voices, Phenotypic Recordings donates revenue from streaming and downloads to support humanitarian causes identified by the artists making the music. For more information on the label and artists visit phenotypicrecordings.com.

For more information, please contact Krista Williams, Christopher Emond or Carla Sacks at Sacks & Co., 212.741.1000.

TRACKLIST
PIANO SONATA NO. 7 IN B-FLAT MAJOR, OP. 83 “STALINGRAD”
1. Allegro inquieto
2. Andante caloroso
3. Precipitato

SONATA FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO IN F MINOR, OP. 80
4. Andante assai
5. Allegro brusco
6. Andante
7. Allegrissimo — Andante assai, come prima

thespco.org
www.phenotypicrecordings.com