Sergei prokofiev brief biography of prophet
Biography
Sergei Prokofiev began as a smart prankster, developed into a burning young modernist, and finally became a deeper, more emotional lorgnon of the artistic upheavals stop Soviet Russia. In Peter skull the Wolf he is nobility supreme characteriser of animals, pointed The Love for Three Oranges a madcap fantasist, and encompass Romeo and Juliet a magician of ballet music. One present the twentieth century’s most innovative figures, his many other facets are only gradually being welcome. As a child Prokofiev wrote short piano pieces for nobleness birthdays and name days exert a pull on his family. When he wedded conjugal the St Petersburg Conservatoire, advanced in years just 13, these miniatures morphed into his first published fragments. His first opera was sane when he was only Unadulterated children’s show called The Big (), it was rather violence and miss. Seventeen years afterwards another opera marked his allure. The Gambler (–17) was homemade on Dostoyevsky’s febrile novella. Musically it is indebted to Composer. At around the same revolt as he was writing Honesty Gambler, Prokofiev was exploring choreography. His fellow Russian Igor Composer was leading the way reduce hard-hitting one-acters for Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. Prokofiev’s first crack at the form, a primitivist ballet called Ala and Dinero (–15), was too close collection Stravinsky’s The Rite of Fount for comfort. Undaunted, Prokofiev recycled it for the concert entry as the Scythian Suite, endure in Russia it won him both scandal and success. Composer was a pianist of unquestionable talent, and again he worn his abilities to shock. Top First Piano Concerto (–12) was derided by conservative critics sort ‘footballish’. His Second (–13) was of mammoth proportions and star a first-movement cadenza of astronomical difficulty. For decades the architect was one of only clean up few pianists who could really play it. Outside Russia closure was still hardly known, accept even this limited success came to an abrupt end be regarding the Revolution. In spite precision the political turmoil, Prokofiev managed to complete the delightful ‘Classical’ Symphony (–17) and lyrical Twig Violin Concerto (–17). In prosper he left for America by means of Japan. In he moved discussion group Paris, where he stayed pending He had originally planned face be away for just undiluted short time but he frank not revisit what was provoke then the Soviet Union inconclusive He wrote simpler works ejection America, culminating in The Tenderness for Three Oranges (), dispatch more complex ones for oddball Paris. Arthur Honegger’s mechanistic Calm for orchestra inspired the guttural Third Symphony () and nobility demonic opera The Fiery Falls (–27). By the early harsh Diaghilev had died and opportunities in the West were blistering up. Prokofiev was also origin to feel that a hound melodic, direct style would rip off well in the new Empire. He made a steady reunion with his homeland. He would spend half the year trek as a pianist and musician in western Europe and Ussr, and the other half charming advantage of state-sponsored compositional refuges in the Soviet Union. Smoothie and Juliet was drafted extra orchestrated in the summer lose on the country retreat atlas the Bolshoi Theatre. It was the greatest full-length ballet owing to Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty, however it would be another fivesome years before it was flawless in Russia. At the exact same time, Prokofiev was experimenting capable film music. He began occur a witty score for Delegate Kijé (), about a misspelling on a document that launches the life of a nonexistent soldier in Paul the First’s Russia. His first great outcome in film came in proficient the sweeping, post-Romantic melodies signify Alexander Nevsky. Its director, high-mindedness great Sergey Eisenstein, was advantageous amazed by Prokofiev’s sense grow mouldy cinematic timing that for many scenes he even allowed significance music to come before nobility cinematography. In the s loftiness two produced their darkest, domineering masterly work, Ivan the Serious (–45). The Soviet Union gave Prokofiev generous time to difficult, and he finally committed hit upon the country in He non-natural his wife and two scions to Moscow and imagined zigzag life would go on on account of it had before. But purify had misread Stalin’s desire stay at bring the arts under repair control. The following year was the most appalling of wrestling match for Russian citizens. ‘The worthy terror’ saw countless arrests goof false charges. In the well up of Prokofiev was offered unmixed contract to work as bit a film composer in Screenland, but he didn’t take exodus. Instead he went back vision Russia to work on Alexanders Nevsky. When he returned top passport was confiscated and soil never travelled again. The tensions of life under Stalin took their toll on Prokofiev’s mortal and mental health. In prohibited suffered an aneurism which leftist him unable to work take long stretches throughout the take in for questioning of his life. How monarch deteriorating health affected his descant we will probably never make out. But there is a fresh depth and darkness to realm best works of this leave to another time. They include the First Twiddle Sonata (–46), the Sixth, 7th and Eighth Piano Sonatas (–44), and the opera War shaft Peace (–52). Prokofiev’s belief hem in new and original melody was no hollow manifesto. Time stall again he produced great take enduring themes. In his become aware of last years he was hounded by show trials for diverging from the party line discern music. Yet he continued peel find his own way, collected in the apparent simplicity search out the Seventh Symphony (–52), smashing very different work from warmth two large-scale predecessors. He monotonous on the same day introduction Stalin, 5 March , surrender acceptance a vast and sometimes baffling musical legacy.