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Sergei Prokofiev

75K views 388 replies 145 participants last post by  FluteLover2459 
#1 ·
Prokofiev

Among some of the best few Russian composers would definitely be Prokofiev. I have to be honest, I don't listen to his music that often (just hearing his first piano concerto again for the...3rd or 4th time :eek: I thought to start a thread on him).

To mention some favorites: The Love for Three Oranges, Romeo and Juliet (I only have excerpts, so any recommendations for a full album would be helpful), Pno Concerto 1 in D flat, and symphonies 5 and 7.
 
#281 ·
I was dancing in some dream recently. I dislike dancing. Moving in rhythm and tandem. Moving in accordance with others. I cannot recall much more, but on review, I cannot imagine it being pleasant.

Still, when I woke up, Cinderella's Waltz was floating through my hypnopompic mind. That is worth it.

Lovely stuff. Actually, scrach that. PERFECT stuff.

I feel like I am dancing that in my life, step-by-step, leading to Midnight. Profound and pertinent. Scary, really.
 
#283 ·
I haven't been much of a fan of Prokofiev: there is a certain sense in which I am more impressed by the virtuosity of the performer than the music itself. But I went to a couple of concerts recently featuring the symphony-concerto (performed by Pieter Wispelwey) and the second piano concerto (Yuja Wang) and found them quite enjoyable. I gather from a quick browse of this thread that the latter at least is regarded as being at the more accessible end of the spectrum, which fits with my impressions of the work.
 
#296 · (Edited)
I don't get Prokofiev. He's certainly popular but I find his music to be very naive, superficial, and unsophisticated.
I would be inclined to agree. (What, all of it? The War Sonatas? The First Violin Sonata? The Second Symphony? The Sixth Symphony?)

Do you get the concept of a guest book? You have probably seen them at funeral homes, wedding receptions, and other affairs where the host might be unable to personally greet each guest. In case you are unfamiliar with the concept: It is generally considered bad form to criticize ones host in a guest book (e.g., "I'm sorry for your loss, but wasn't Alfred a waste of flesh anyway?" "Great party, Phoebe, but I'm amazed you could have married such a schmuck." ;) )
 
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#298 ·
I am particularly fond of Prokofiev's Second Symphony, which he, presumably after the pressure of bad reviews, conceded to be inferior, but I think it is a marvellous work. I think it must be his most dissonant symphony, too :p The Sinfonia-concertante is a huge favourite, too. And his cello works are ravishing (I have the Polyansky/Ivashkin set on Chandos that I prize highly). As for his Piano Concertos, few seem to favour his Fifth, which is my favourite (so far/currently).
 
#307 · (Edited)
The end of Prokofiev Symphony 2 (last 2 minutes or so) is so powerful! It reminds me of my younger days for some reason.

A feeling of beauty and wonder and time to spare (don't experience much of the latter anymore). That last chord! So haunting and powerful. Reminds me of the middle movement of Bartok PC 2.

Somehow that eerie last chord provides solace and closure, by acknowledging the dark and dangerous things that were there simultaneously in this naĂŻve beautiful time? Like an accurate description by including what I was only aware of subconsciously? Another reality revealed in the twilight? The more I try to explain this the less sense it is making?
 
#309 ·
We've got three performance of the Alexander Nevsky soundtrack this weekend synced along with the film. Here's something I wrote after the first rehearsal on Wednesday (I'm in the chorus)

Orchestration: piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion (anvil, bass drum, bells, chimes, cymbals, gong, maracas, snare drum, steel plate, tambourine, tom-tom, triangle, woodblock, xylophone), harp, strings, chorus, and mezzo-soprano soloist.

Our percussion arsenal included a mounted I-beam and a suspended brake drum hit with hammers. The very low bells are being played on the organ.

The sax part is quite prominent, including a solo.

The original film (1938) was recorded with three tracks: dialogue, soundscape, and film music. Of the music, Andre Previn had said it is "the greatest film score ever written trapped inside the worst soundtrack ever recorded." The film music track is dropped, played by the orchestra. What I heard of the dialogue and sfx last night is very good sound quality.

The screen measures about 12x12 meters (40x40 feet) and is hung over the orchestra (actually directly over the horn section). Maybe about 4-5 meters off the ground? The chorus has sight lines to the conductor but, above orchestra seating, the audience will not see us. The conductor is working with a score and three monitors. I think the monitors are: film, click track, clock. The production includes offstage horns, conducted through an open door in the acoustic shell.

We are playing the PGM Productions version (1987) which is a reconstruction of the original score by William Brohm based on Prokofiev's derivative cantata, as the manuscript was locked behind the Iron Curtain and not released until 2003. Because of this (and because the film recording is so bad) certain political intentions of Prokofiev are being interpolated, much like Shostakovich. This is supposedly especially apparent in the final scene: Alexander Nevsky's entry into Pskov, which in the cantata is a triumphal allegory in praise of Stalin, but in the manuscript is scored with rather empty instrumentation (lack of upper and lower register instruments and spare mid-range) evoking a sober unsettling impression in the listener. In short: the aural information contradicts the visual information.

I am grateful to these two sources for information I included. (X) (X)
 
#315 · (Edited)
Personal preference I suppose, but to not listen to Prokofiev's Symphonies, to me, means that you haven't heard them or haven't heard good recordings.

I didn't much care for 5 til I heard Levine with Chicago. It is magic.

I would think that as a fan of Shostakovich, the music frustration poster child, that you might really like Prokofiev 6. It is all about frustration, angst, determination, and hope in the face of obstacle. Jarvi and the Royal Scottish NO do a fine job.

In short, you may prefer Shostakovich, which is fine, but to cast aside Prokofiev, IMO, is a bit of a tragedy!
 
#312 ·
Complete Films that feature Prokofiev's Film Music

Alexander Nevsky 1938 by Sergei Eisenstein (this Youtube version has better sound that the other one):



Ivan the Terrible 1944 (part 1) / 1958 (part 2) by Sergei Eisenstein





Lieutenant Kijé 1934 by Sergei Yutkevich (one of the first Soviet sound films):



Queen of Spades 1936 unrealised film, complete film music by Sergei Prokofiev:

 
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