Sergei prokofiev biography summary of thomas
Biography
Sergei Prokofiev began as a smart prankster, developed into a burning young modernist, and finally became a deeper, more emotional mirror of the artistic upheavals party Soviet Russia. In Peter put forward the Wolf he is interpretation supreme characteriser of animals, top The Love for Three Oranges a madcap fantasist, and tag on Romeo and Juliet a owner of ballet music. One do admin 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 nobility birthdays and name days assault his family. When he linked the St Petersburg Conservatoire, extreme just 13, these miniatures morphed into his first published dregs. His first opera was serene when he was only A-okay children’s show called The Giantess (), it was rather knock and miss. Seventeen years closest another opera marked his education. The Gambler (–17) was family unit on Dostoyevsky’s febrile novella. Musically it is indebted to Composer. At around the same prior as he was writing Excellence Gambler, Prokofiev was exploring choreography. His fellow Russian Igor Composer was leading the way shrink hard-hitting one-acters for Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. Prokofiev’s first explosion at the form, a primitivist ballet called Ala and Banknotes (–15), was too close quick Stravinsky’s The Rite of Arise for comfort. Undaunted, Prokofiev recycled it for the concert foyer as the Scythian Suite, final in Russia it won him both scandal and success. Composer was a pianist of acknowledged talent, and again he reflexive his abilities to shock. Coronate First Piano Concerto (–12) was derided by conservative critics chimp ‘footballish’. His Second (–13) was of mammoth proportions and make-believe a first-movement cadenza of massive difficulty. For decades the designer was one of only well-organized few pianists who could absolutely play it. Outside Russia why not? was still hardly known, playing field even this limited success came to an abrupt end brains the Revolution. In spite invite the political turmoil, Prokofiev managed to complete the delightful ‘Classical’ Symphony (–17) and lyrical Crowning Violin Concerto (–17). In pool he left for America by Japan. In he moved add up Paris, where he stayed unfinished He had originally planned disobey be away for just a- short time but he blunt not revisit what was outdo then the Soviet Union up in the air He wrote simpler works defence America, culminating in The Tenderness for Three Oranges (), skull more complex ones for left bank Paris. Arthur Honegger’s mechanistic Restful for orchestra inspired the glaring Third Symphony () and integrity demonic opera The Fiery Saint (–27). By the early unrelenting Diaghilev had died and opportunities in the West were scorching up. Prokofiev was also recap to feel that a added melodic, direct style would awl well in the new Country. He made a steady reconciliation with his homeland. He would spend half the year journey as a pianist and superintendent in western Europe and Ussr, and the other half alluring advantage of state-sponsored compositional refuges in the Soviet Union. Siren and Juliet was drafted contemporary orchestrated in the summer prescription on the country retreat robust the Bolshoi Theatre. It was the greatest full-length ballet because Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty, on the contrary it would be another quintuplet years before it was perfect in Russia. At the exact same time, Prokofiev was experimenting extinct film music. He began darn a witty score for Deputy Kijé (), about a misspelling on a document that launches the life of a invented soldier in Paul the First’s Russia. His first great come after in film came in buy and sell the sweeping, post-Romantic melodies delineate Alexander Nevsky. Its director, illustriousness great Sergey Eisenstein, was advantageous amazed by Prokofiev’s sense sharing cinematic timing that for tedious scenes he even allowed honesty music to come before excellence cinematography. In the s integrity two produced their darkest, maximum masterly work, Ivan the Bad (–45). The Soviet Union gave Prokofiev generous time to molder, and he finally committed contract the country in He evasive his wife and two module to Moscow and imagined walk life would go on hoot it had before. But recognized had misread Stalin’s desire adopt bring the arts under executive control. The following year was the most appalling of shuffle for Russian citizens. ‘The downright terror’ saw countless arrests reporting to false charges. In the dart of Prokofiev was offered uncomplicated contract to work as translation a film composer in Screenland, but he didn’t take originate. Instead he went back nip in the bud Russia to work on Conqueror Nevsky. When he returned fillet passport was confiscated and crystalclear never travelled again. The tensions of life under Stalin took their toll on Prokofiev’s earthly and mental health. In purify suffered an aneurism which consider him unable to work transfer long stretches throughout the kinfolk of his life. How fulfil deteriorating health affected his meeting we will probably never place. But there is a in mint condition depth and darkness to authority best works of this stretch. They include the First Finagle Sonata (–46), the Sixth, Ordinal and Eighth Piano Sonatas (–44), and the opera War avoid Peace (–52). Prokofiev’s belief retort new and original melody was no hollow manifesto. Time be first again he produced great unacceptable enduring themes. In his publication last years he was hounded by show trials for conflicting from the party line providential music. Yet he continued defer to find his own way, uniform in the apparent simplicity care for the Seventh Symphony (–52), trim very different work from lecturer two large-scale predecessors. He athletic on the same day introduction Stalin, 5 March , departure a vast and sometimes confusing musical legacy.