Sergei Prokofiev
(1891-1953)

Symphony No. 5 in B-flat Major, Op. 100

Composed 1944

To describe Sergei Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5 as a product of its time is an understatement. Written in the summer of 1944 at the height of World War II, it stands not only as a stirring musical achievement but also as a powerful cultural statement. For Prokofiev, it marked both a culmination of past experience and, tragically, a summit before a long and painful decline.

By 1944, Prokofiev had returned full-time to the Soviet Union after nearly two decades of self-imposed exile in the West. Initially drawn back by patriotic impulse and the promise of opportunity, he quickly found himself navigating the narrow, shifting boundaries of Soviet cultural policy. Stalin’s regime demanded that music be “accessible,” ideologically sound, and emotionally uplifting. Modernist innovation was dismissed as “formalism,” and composers such as Prokofiev and Shostakovich lived under constant scrutiny.

Ironically, the war years offered a brief reprieve. As Moscow came under threat, the Soviet government relocated its top artists to safe rural retreats. It was at one such sanctuary in Ivanovo—150 miles from Moscow—that Prokofiev, alongside other composers including Shostakovich and Khachaturian, wrote his Fifth Symphony. Working with remarkable focus, he completed the initial draft in just one month.

Prokofiev described the symphony as “a hymn to free and happy Man, to his mighty powers, his pure and noble spirit.” Though this aligns with Soviet ideals, it may also reflect Prokofiev’s deeper personal longing—for peace, for dignity, or for artistic freedom.

The premiere took place on January 13, 1945, with the composer himself conducting. As he raised his baton, celebratory artillery fire erupted outside—marking the Red Army’s advance across the Vistula River. Pianist Sviatoslav Richter recalled the moment as “symbolic,” saying, “It was as if all of us—including Prokofiev—had reached a shared turning point.”

The symphony opens unconventionally with a broad Andante, introducing a noble melody in the flute and bassoon. This theme anchors a sonata form structure rich in harmonic color, Prokofiev’s trademark key shifts, and striking orchestration. The movement’s fiery coda, driven by militaristic rhythms, earned spontaneous applause at its premiere.

The second movement, Allegro marcato, is a biting scherzo full of rhythmic energy. Clarinet and piano exchange jabs, percussion punctuates with force, and the music bristles with sardonic humor. The trio section, more whimsical, features folk-like melodies in the winds. Upon return, the scherzo grows darker and more intense.

The third movement, Adagio, is perhaps the emotional heart of the work. A hauntingly lyrical theme unfolds over a gently pulsing accompaniment. The mood becomes increasingly somber, culminating in a dissonant climax. A restatement of the opening theme follows, subdued and mournful, capped by an upward-reaching clarinet line. It’s a deeply affecting movement, evoking loss, reflection, and resilience.

The finale, Allegro giocoso, begins with echoes of the first movement before launching into an exuberant, almost playful main theme. The clarinet leads a colorful parade of dancing melodies, interspersed with sudden dark outbursts. Just when triumph seems certain, Prokofiev introduces a chaotic whirlwind of sound. At the last moment, order prevails, and the symphony closes in a blaze of color.

Symphony No. 5 remains one of Prokofiev’s most beloved and frequently performed works—a masterpiece that combines sweeping lyricism, biting wit, and profound humanity. Sadly, it was the last piece he would conduct. A fall days later led to a head injury from which he never fully recovered. After the war, political censorship tightened, and his music was soon banned. He died in 1953, the same day as Stalin, his voice silenced too soon. Yet in this symphony, it rings out—bold, defiant, and unforgettable.

Instrumentation – two flutes and piccolo, two oboes and English horn, E-flat clarinet, two clarinets and bass clarinet, two bassoons and contrabassoon, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp, piano, and strings

Duration – 46 minutes

~ Kenneth Bean 
Georg and Joyce Albers-Schonberg Assistant Conductor
Princeton Symphony Orchestra