Prokofiev, Sergei

Prokofiev, Sergei – Ouverture russe op. 72

(b. Sontsovka, 27 April 1891 – d. Moscow, 5 March 1953)

Preface
Sergei Prokofiev was one of the composers who contributed the most to the renovation of the music language in his motherland and abroad. While studying at the St Petersburg Conservatoire (1904 – 1909), he soon assumed the pose of an enfant terrible, always placing himself in dispute with the traditional principles – theoretical and practical – that were imparted to him by his teachers Anatoly Lyadov, Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, Jāzeps Vītols, and Alexander Winkler.

Initially fascinated by the mystical boldness of Aleksandr Skryabin, he soon developed an innovative language, rich in rhythmic frenzy, plasticity, grotesque tones, which nevertheless often left space for moments of intense lyricism.

He was 27 years old when he decided to leave the Revolutionary Russia and attempt a professional venture in the United States (1918). There, he had the possibility to sign contracts with outstanding institutions and artists, such as Cleofonte Campanini (1860 – 1919), for the staging of his opera The Love for Three Oranges op. 33, and started projecting The Fiery Angel Op. 37 and other pieces. Unfortunately, not all his works were appreciated, and some of his projects met a stop due to the death of the conductor. Prokofiev was strongly disappointed in his expectations towards the American music milieus. As he recalled in his memoirs: “I wandered along the avenues of the immense New York park; I contemplated the skyscrapers in front of me and dreamed with cold anger of the wonderful orchestras that absolutely did not want to deal with my music; I thought about the critics, who continued to chew over what had been said and written a thousand and a thousand times, and who grossly mocked my innovations; I thought about the impresarios, who organized tours on the sole condition of presenting a universally known program, and feared the unheard like the plague. I had arrived too early: young America was not mature enough to appreciate young music!” …

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