Sergei Prokofiev. April 27 marks the 120th birthday anniversary of the great Russian composer. He was born in Sosnovka, an isolated rural estate in what is now Ukraine but in 1891 was part of the Russian Empire. By the age of five Sergei started taking piano lessons with his mother, a gifted pianist herself (she was from a family of serfs of counts Sheremetev, an old Russian nobility. The Sheremetevs, patrons of arts and music, provided education to the children of their indentured peasants). It was also his mother who asked Sergei Taneyev, the director of Moscow conservatory, to arrange for private lessons for her son. His tutor was Reinhold Glière, himself a budding composer. While studying with Glière, the 11-year old Prokofiev attempted to write a symphony. At the age of 13, on a trip to Petersburg, Prokofiev met with Alexander Glazunov, who was so impressed (Prokofiev by then had composed two operas) that he urged Sergei to apply to the Petersburg Conservatory. Prokofiev was accepted and became one of the youngest students in the Conservatory's history. While there, he wrote two piano concertos and Sarcasms, among other pieces (he played the First concerto to win a competition among the five best students of the Piano department; the score of the Second concerto was lost and Prokofiev rewrote it in 1923). In 1914 Prokofiev traveled to London where he met with Diagilev. He started a ballet Chout (Сказка про шута, or the Tale of the Buffoon). In 1917 he composed The Gambler and his first symphony, Classical. But by then, the Russian revolution was on the horizon and with it, the end of the first Russian period of Prokofiev's life.
In our playlist we have three pieces. The first one, Suggestion Diabolique, Op.4, No.4 was composed in 1910-12. It's played by the pianist Tania Stavreva. The Violin Sonata No. 2 in D Major, Op. 94 bis, 1943, based on the flute sonata, was transcribed for the great violinist David Oistrach. It's performed by Brendan Conway, with Anna Balakerskaia on the piano. Finally, Natasha Paremski plays Piano Sonata No. 7 in F-flat Major, Op. 83. To listen, click here.
April 25, 2011
Sergei Prokofiev. April 27 marks the 120th birthday anniversary of the great Russian composer. He was born in Sosnovka, an isolated rural estate in what is now Ukraine but in 1891 was part of the Russian Empire. By the age of five Sergei started taking piano lessons with his mother, a gifted pianist herself (she was from a family of serfs of counts Sheremetev, an old Russian nobility. The Sheremetevs, patrons of arts and music, provided education to the children of their indentured peasants). It was also his mother who asked Sergei Taneyev, the director of Moscow conservatory, to arrange for private lessons for her son. His tutor was Reinhold Glière, himself a budding composer. While studying with Glière, the 11-year old Prokofiev attempted to write a symphony. At the age of 13, on a trip to Petersburg, Prokofiev met with Alexander Glazunov, who was so impressed (Prokofiev by then had composed two operas) that he urged Sergei to apply to the Petersburg Conservatory. Prokofiev was accepted and became one of the youngest students in the Conservatory's history. While there, he wrote two piano concertos and Sarcasms, among other pieces (he played the First concerto to win a competition among the five best students of the Piano department; the score of the Second concerto was lost and Prokofiev rewrote it in 1923). In 1914 Prokofiev traveled to London where he met with Diagilev. He started a ballet Chout (Сказка про шута, or the Tale of the Buffoon). In 1917 he composed The Gambler and his first symphony, Classical. But by then, the Russian revolution was on the horizon and with it, the end of the first Russian period of Prokofiev's life.
In our playlist we have three pieces. The first one, Suggestion Diabolique, Op.4, No.4 was composed in 1910-12. It's played by the pianist Tania Stavreva. The Violin Sonata No. 2 in D Major, Op. 94 bis, 1943, based on the flute sonata, was transcribed for the great violinist David Oistrach. It's performed by Brendan Conway, with Anna Balakerskaia on the piano. Finally, Natasha Paremski plays Piano Sonata No. 7 in F-flat Major, Op. 83. To listen, click here.