Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23
Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953)

THE STORY

In 1934, Prokofiev wrote, “the question of what kind of music should be written at the present time is one that interests many Soviet composers today…. To begin with it must be melodious; moreover the melody must be simple and comprehensible, without being repetitive or trivial…. The same applies to the technique and idiom; it must be clear and simple, but not banal. We must seek a new simplicity.” This new turn in Prokofiev’s style, marked by “new simplicity,” is evident in his Violin Concerto No. 2. It was his last Western commission before the composer officially returned to his native Russia the following year, having fled following the Revolution of 1917.

Indicative of Prokofiev’s “new simplicity,” the Violin Concerto juxtaposes clear, transparent textures and beautifully crafted yet simple melodies alongside spiky technical passages and eerie orchestral colors. These qualities in Prokofiev’s music highlight his particular way of bringing together innovation with accessibility, and it is his eclectic style that draws in the listener.

LISTEN FOR

• The sensuous, haunting melody introduced by the violin before the orchestra joins—in a different key—which transforms from a lyrical melody to fit more technical passages and is reintroduced by the cellos and basses in the recapitulation
• The violin’s soaring, unending melody in the second movement, which seems to shine ever more brilliantly as it climbs higher—while plucked strings accompany the violin in the first statement of the melody, the soloist takes on the role of accompanist when the same melody is presented for the last time in the low woodwinds
• The castanets in the finale, which must have delighted the audience at the concerto’s premiere in Madrid, where the concerto had its premiere

INSTRUMENTATION

Solo violin; two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, percussion, strings