Question by GYoung: Do you have to be a seasoned listener of classical music to like/understand music of Prokofiev?
I find his music hard to listen to. I understand that he was trying to do something different but it just seems like his music has no distinguishable theme or pattern to concentrate on. All the music I like (Rach, Mozart, Chopin, Liszt, Beethoven) results in the melody sticking in my head. This never happens with composers like him.
Also,
Why did Rachmaninoff feel threatened by him and other, “Contemporary” composers?
Answers and Views:
Answer by glinzek
Prokofiev has been dead 57 years — it’s time to give him his due.
I will disagree and say that Prokofiev;s music is all about pattern. I view him as a traditionalist, very neo-classical
Start with some of the tamer pieces
I’m sure you’ve heard “Peter and the Wolf” — many memorable melodies there.
Then there is his 1st Symphony, known as the “Classical” Symphony. The idea was to write a piece that would sound like Haydn if he had lived in the 20th century.
Now we can dig a little deeper —
The 1st and 3rd Piano concertos, as well as the 2nd Violin Concerto are a little more in his “new” style but still very tuneful. The 5th Symphony is lush and romantic.
His piano works are also accessible — the “Visions Fugitives” are sort of his answer to the Chopin Preludes. short but taught and chock-full of Prokofiev’s wit and lyricism.
Not all of his piano music is as acerbic as “Sarcasms” and “Toccata”
The 6th and 7th Piano Sonatas are both highly dramatic works that you should try to grasp.
I am not at all sure that Rachmaninoff felt threatened by Prokofiev. Their personalities were very different, and they didn’t like each other. Prokofiev could be quite abrasive, and Rachmaninoff could be pretty snobbish. But Rach deeply admired the music of Scriabine, Debussy, Ravel.
There is more to music than just the melodies. Broaden your ear just a bit, and embrace the dissonance, as there is beauty there too. In the end, after giving him a chance, if you still don’t like him, then so be it. No composer’s music pleases everybody’s taste.
Cheers
Glinzek
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duhmightybeanz says
The more you listen to music,the more it will be seem familiar to you is what I believe…I had this problem too…But it was with Alkan and Bartok,their usage of harmonics didn't sit well into me but after a while of listening,I became much more comfortable.Truthfully there are some which I can't make head or tail of what the composition is supposed to express…One of the composers is Sorabji,insanely difficult(which I like but haven't attempted any yet)is hard to make out his compositions expressions…I'd like to know but its just hard.
del_icious_manager says
Prokofiev was one of the great melody-writers of all time and so I suspect you have just been unlucky in your choice of music. You already have some great suggestions from my learnèd collegues but forgive me if I repeat any of them in my slightly different approach to 'curing' your Prokofiev indigestion.
You say you like Rakhmaninov. Then you need to look-out some of Prokofiev's early works, many of which have heavy hints of Rakhmaninov. Try the wonderful symphonic sketch 'In Autumn' (or 'Autumnal') Op 8 first. The single-movement First Piano Sonata Op 1 is also strewn with Rakhmaninov-like writing. The First Piano Concerto has already been suggested to you and I'd second that – it's a great, rather fun work (not very Rakhmaninovian, though!).
I don't think anyone has suggested the First Violin Concerto Op 19. It's not quite as well known as the gloriously lyrical Second Violin Concerto but it's still very melodious and is an early example of what was to become Prokofiev's mature melodic style. Of course, the 'Classical Symphony' (his Symphony No 1) is a deliberate 'take' on Haydn and you should have no trouble with this.
If you want to experience Prokofiev the melody-writer, look no further than these works (again apologies for duplicating any earlier suggestions):
Alexander Nevsky Op 78 (cantata based on music for the film of the same name)
Lieutenant Kijé Op 60 (suite based on the film of the same name – and from which comes the famous 'Troika')
Romeo and Juliet Op 64 (ballet and the 3 suites extracted from it)
Cinderella Op 87 (ballet and the suites extracted from it)
Violin Concerto No 2 in G minor Op 63
Symphony No 5 in B flat Op 100
Symphony No 7 in C sharp minor Op 131
Violin Sonata No 2 Op 94
Piano Sonata No 8 Op 84
Then you could progress to slightly 'grittier' works (mostly – but not entirely – from his Paris period in the late 1920/early 1930s):
The Love of Three Oranges Suite Op 33a (could almost be in the first list above)
Chout ('Shute') Op 21 (ballet and suite extracted from it)
Piano Concerto No 3 in C major Op 26
Symphony No 6 in E flat minor Op 111 (arguably Prokofiev's symphonic masterpiece)
Piano Sonata No 7 in B flat Op 83
The Prodigal Son Op 46
Visions fugitives Op 22
Divertissement Op 43
Finally, when you feel ready, you can 'graduate' to some of his most challenging works:
Symphony No 2 in D minor Op 40
Symphony No 3 in C minor Op 44
Scythian Suite Op 20
They are Seven Op 30
Toccata for Piano Op 11
Four Portraits from 'The Gambler' Op 49
The trick when trying to learn the music of a new composer is to be methodical rather than plunging-in blindly; one can so easily become overwhelmed that way.
Have fun, explore and enjoy!
rdenig_male says
I would agree with all the above (interested to see that there is someone else who is hooked on the wonderful 7th symphony). I have just one more piece to suggest and that is the suite from the opera, Love for Three Oranges
Mark says
Good, thorough answers above, but let me offer you one potential "gateway piece" to get you started: Lt. Kije Suite.
Very easy to listen to, very programmatic, and relatively short. From there you can branch out to other works by Prokofiev.
Jack Herring says
Glinzek, hardly recognized you with the beard. Well said.
The first piece I came to love by Prokofiev was his 7th symphony. If you have a difficult time finding beauty in his music try this approach.
Pick one piece and listen to it when you first get up in the morning, listen to it when you are brushing your teeth, eating breakfast in other words constantly. Eventually a fragment will catch you attention and you will say to yourself "Gosh, that very nice" and then something magical happens. The whole symphony will click in your brain and it will become one of your favorite pieces.
That is the way it happened for me with the 7th symphony when I was 12 years old and it is still one of my favorites today, I'm 63.