Prokofiev  

From  his  return  to  death  

‘Soviet  Composer’  

•  Khatchaturian  said  ‘In  the  Soviet  Union  the  composer  occupies  a  place  of  honour.    He  benefits  by  the  aBenCon  and  solicitude  of  the  people.    His  material  comfort  is  assured.    He  knows  that  his  work  is  necessary  ad  highly  appreciated  by  Society.    Moreover,  he  has,  of  course,  a  deep  consciousness  of  his  responshbility  towards  Society,  towards  history  and  towards  humanity.’  

•  But  had  to  remain  accessible.    

Meyerhold  on  Prokofiev  

•  ‘P’s  lyricism  is  peculiarly  shot  through  with  a  strong  virility.    It  is  not  a  world  limited  within  itself.    It  is  not  the  product  of  detachment  form  reality,  not  of  insubstantail  dreaming.    Prokofiev’s  lyricism  is  the  outcome  of  his  vital  happiness;  it  is  a  man  who  has  embraced  life,  and  whose  act  of  creaCon  is  taking  palce  at  the  very  heart  of  life,  rejoicing  in  all  its  problems’.  (Samuel,  131)  

Why  did  he  return  •  Why  did  he  return?    Constant  problems  with  geQng  his  work  

performed  in  the  West  –  many  dissappointments  in  the  1930s.    He  worked  Crelessly  only  to  find  his  efforts  come  to  nothing.    In  the  Soviet  Union  he  thought  he  would  always  be  appreciated,  wanted  and  performend.    

•  Work  with  Eisenstein  a  great  draw.    Big  projects  seemed  possible.    •  Would  be  taken  seriously  as  a  composer.    •  Did  he  believe  in  the  soviet  project?  –  wrote  lots  of  works  in  praise  

of  it  and  Stalin  –  but  probably  not  –  just  a  pragmaCc  decision  to  help  what  he  saw  as  flagging  career.    

•  PatroiCsm  –  in  view  of  the  coming  conflict  –  probably  yes.    •  A  disaster  for  his  wife  and  family  –  however  and  he  might  have  

foreseen  this.    

Romeo  and  Juliet  1936  •  Music  also  extracted  as  a  series  of  3  suite  for  orchestra  and  piano  piece.  

•  One  of  most  popular  of  all  classical  ballets.    •  Commissioned  in  1935  by  Kirov.  •  Same  Cme  as  Shostakovich’s  1936  denuncaCon.  Put  in  tradiConal  ending.    

•  Full  ballet  not  produced  unCl  1938  because  of  worries  that  it  would  not  be  acceptable.    But  it  was.  Revised  version  of  1940  is  the  one  used  today.  

•  Composed  Peter  and  the  Wolf  around  this  Cme  also  and  Ugly  Duckling.    

Romeo  and  Juliet  

Pavan  for  Montegues  and  Capulets  

Alexander  Nevsky  •  Great  soviet  fim  director  Sergei  Eisenstein  –  1938.    Depicts  invasion  of  Novgorod  in  13th  century  by  Tuetonic  Knights  who  are  defeated  by  Prince  Alexander  (Nevsky).    Did  not  stray  into  formalism.    Got  the  Stalin  prize  in  1941.  

•   Famous  BaBle  on  the  Ice.    Subplot  by  two  warriors  to  win  hand  of  Olga.      

•  Full  of  poliCc  overtones  and  sub  plots  –  German  invaders,  strong  community  minded  Russians.    Alexander  a  man  of  people,  etc.  AnC-­‐clerical  and  anC  catholic.    Nevsky  =  Stalin.    

BaBle  on  the  Ice  

Suite/Cantata  from  Alexander  Nevsky  1939  

•  Mongolian  Yoke.    •  C  minor  –  simple  tunes.    StarCng  chords  –  C  minor  –  d  unison.    Held  chords  with  diatonic  tunes  above  –  some  chromaCc  alternaCon.    Excellent  clear  orchestraCon.    

•  Dynamics  –  lots  of  contrast  and  Accents.    •  Played  as    

Russia  under  the  Mongolian  Yoke  

With  Film    

Arise  Ye  Russian  People  

Arise  ye  Russian  People  

•  4  part  choir.    •  Firmly  in  C  minor.  •  Simple  rousing  song  and  straighjorward.  rhythms  of  choral  parts.  

BaBle  on  the  Ice  

War  Years  

•  Increasingly  isolated  from  the  West.      •  His  wife  in  despair  –  she  constantly  tried  to  keep  her  contacts  with  the  west.    

•  Prokofiev  and  Lina  driled  apart  and  Prokovief  took  up  with  and  marries  a  new  woman  (Mira  Mendelssohn)  

•  Prokofiev  keeps  children.    •  Series  of  sickening  sycophanCc  works  to  please  Stalin.  (Cantata  for  the  20th  anniversay  of  the  RevoluCon;  Simeon  Kotko;  Ivva  the  Terrible  

•  Cinderellla,  War  and  Peace  

Love  of  Precision  •  A  methodical  worker.    •  Wrote  every  day.  ‘…  he  would  compose  every  day,  even  when  doctors  ordered  him  to  rest.    It  was  impossible  for  him  not  to  do  so,  and  those  days  when  he  was  forced  to  rest  were  for  him  the  most  painful  ones.    

•  Loved  science,  maths,  new  technology  –  and  above  chess  –  played  every  day.  Also  gambling  and  bridge.  

•  Though  sharp  tempered  he  also  tried  to  help  and  shield  those  close  to  him.    

Symphonies  

•  Wrote  7  –  the  first  and  filh  best  know.    2  -­‐4  seldom  played  and  most  avant-­‐guard.  2  shows  western  influence  

•  Filh  is  ‘overflowing  with  humanity’-­‐  addressed  to  masses  of  Soviet  People.  TradiConal  Harmonies,    

•  Composed  in  Summer  of  1944.  Performed  in  Moscow  1945.    

Filh  Symphony    

Second  movement  

Third  Movement  

Fourth  Movement  

Aler  the  War  

•  Prokofiev’s  health  began  to  fail.    •  He  is  aBacked  with  Shostakovich  as  a  formalist  in  1948  in  Zhdanov  degrees  –  never  recovers.  

•  His  new  opera  The  True  Man  aBacked  by  decrees  as  formalist.  He  accepted  criCcisms.    

•  Lived  quietly  protected  by  second  wife.    She  was  good  at  dealing  with  Soviet  system.      

•  Tragedy  of  first  wife  Lina  –  and  for  his  children.    

Lina  

•  Became  desperate  to  get  back  to  the  West  –  and  started  communicaCng  with  her  family  and  old  friends  in  the  West.    

•  The  KGB  started  to  monitor  and  follow  her.    One  night  they  picked  her  up  and  she  was  accused  of  being  a  western  spy.    Sent  to  labour  camps  for  10  years.    

•  She  served  her  Cme  and  was  let  out  and  returned  to  life  aler  Stalin’s  death.