Violin Concerto No. 1 in D Major, Op. 19
Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953)

THE STORY

The music of Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev has had a reputation for being mechanical: many moving parts, seamlessly interacting. This description is not incorrect—the craftsmanship and attention to detail in his music is astounding.

Often overlooked, however, is his lyricism. Prokofiev himself said, “For a long time, I was given no credit for any lyric gift whatever, and for want of encouragement it developed slowly. But as time went on I gave more and more attention to this aspect of my work.” His First Violin Concerto—begun in 1915 as a smaller work for violin, then revived as a full concerto in 1917—is a perfect example of his gift for gorgeous themes.

1917 was one of the most productive periods of Prokofiev’s compositional life, in which he conceived works that would prove to be amongst his finest—also including his Classical Symphony No. 1, his Third and Fourth Piano Sonatas, and his Third Piano Concerto. However, this artistic outpouring would be overshadowed by the political and social chaos of the Russian Revolution. Prokofiev’s First Violin Concerto would be forced to wait until 1923 for a premiere, which was greeted with a lukewarm reception in Paris. It has since earned its status as one of the brightest jewels in the instrument’s repertoire.

LISTEN FOR

• The gorgeous melody played by the solo violin at the beginning of the first movement highlighting Prokofiev’s ability to write lyrical themes using seemingly dissonant notes
• The solo violin playing sul ponticello (“on the bridge”) in the second movement, creating an eerie, scratchy, and distorted sound
• The third movement’s opening, with a simple march led by the bassoon, leading into a powerful exploration of melody by the soloist and orchestra that ends in tranquility, with woodwinds and violins lifting the music into the stratosphere

INSTRUMENTATION

Solo violin; piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp, strings