Sergey ProkofievThe versatile composer and pianist Sergey Prokofiev (1891-1953) is among the most significant and individual figures in twentieth-century Russian music. Best known for the ballet Romeo and Juliet and his piece for children Peter and the Wolf, Prokofiev wrote primarily for the stage and also contributed notably to the genres of symphony and concerto. The pressure from Soviet authority, following his return to Russia after years abroad, stimulated as much as it limited his creativity, leading ultimately to the denunciation of his music in 1948 as 'formalistic'. This revealing and comprehensive biography examines Prokofiev's works--wild, brilliant, lyrical, sometimes unashamedly over-the-top--as inseparable from the political background of their composition [Publisher description]. |
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Alexander Nevsky April artists Asafyev audience Ballets Russes Balmont Bolshevik Bolshoi Boris cantata Cello Chout Cinderella completed composer's composition conductor Conservatory cultural d'acier December Diaghilev Eisenstein February Fiery Angel film final fp Moscow fp Paris friends Gambler Gennady Rozhdestvensky Glazunov heard Ivan the Terrible January Kirov Kislovodsk Koussevitzky later Leningrad Lina Lina's Love for Three lyrical March Maria Mayakovsky melody Meyerhold mother movement musicians Myaskovsky October official Oleg opera Orchestra conducted orchestration Peace performance Petrograd pianist piano score Piano Sonata playing poem première Prodigal production Prokofiev and Mira Prokofiev took Prokofiev wrote Prokofiev's music rehearsal revised Richter Rimsky-Korsakov Romeo and Juliet Rostropovich Russian Samosud scene scherzo Scythian Suite seems Semyon Kotko Sergey Prokofiev Shostakovich Sixth Symphony songs Sontsovka Soviet composer Soviet Union spring St Petersburg stage Stalin Stalin Prize Stravinsky style success summer Sviatoslav Symphony Orchestra theme Three Oranges tour Valery Gergiev writing written young