Prokofiev Symphony No 1 in D Major Op 25 Review

Composing his first symphony, Prokofiev's declared intention was to create an original piece of music in classical style, drawing inspiration from the works of Joseph Haydn and other classical composers, such as the Mannheim group. Only how could a composer who made a name for himself with modernistic pieces as his Piano Concerto No.i or the Sarcasms for pianoforte op. 17 could remain faithful to his own spirit while composing in the old style? This is a task for a genius, resolved elegantly by Prokofiev. While elements of the former and the new styles are intermixed, the piece creates an overall sense of balance, lightness and brilliance so characteristic to the galant style. In the same time, the tricks discovered by modern music make it sound daring and mischievous, just as Haydn would have liked it.

Looking more than closely to the form and content of the slice, we can notice clear resemblances with classical symphonies. Information technology has four movements, first and last in sonata form, the 2nd is a slower lyrical one and the third is a Gavotte (French folk dance). The melodies are brought forward crystal clear, prepared and supported by a vibrant and dynamic texture. Soft and loud sections are alternate, linked past masterful transitions stylish in classical times, such as Mannheim rockets (e.yard. first move measures 1-2, 140- 141 and 205-206). Notwithstanding, the tonal language of the piece is innovative. While there is still a basic coaction betwixt tonic and dominant, Prokofiev would use modulations to rather anomalous keys.  Another difference is in the manner Prokofiev handles phrase length. Although Haydn would change phrase length to create a surprise event, Prokofiev is doing it much more freely and often.

Prokofiev Symphony No. ane, Danmarks Radio SymfoniOrkestret – conductor: Thomas Søndergård

Movement I

The first movement preserves the basic elements of the sonata form, but the overall structure is more concise than the average classical sonata movement. While in the classical mode we would expect repetition (east.m. in the exposition) hither nothing is repeated, we get more than diverseness, in terms of harmonic modulation and rhythm. Also, pitch organisation is more disjunct, jumping and rolling very bravely betwixt high and low notes. It starts with an energetic, spectacular classical introduction – a full orchestra crescendo – Mannheim Rocket.

The get-go theme (theme A) is played four times, first in a neat, classical mode, in the tonic key of D major. In the second display in that location is an "un-classical" modulation to the rather remotely related C major key. Then the theme returns to D major, only this time the phrase length is altered, sounding quite irregular. Where we would expect an eight mensurate hypermetric structure, it becomes half measure longer in the third accept and one-half measure shorter in the 4th, and is modulated to a minor key. The bridge between the first and second theme volition then stabilise the music in the ascendant A major primal.

Bridge – after all this tonal and rhythmic instability the bridge seems to stabilise the music in a few rhythmically regular measures, leading us through another Mannheim crescendo to the second theme presented in the ascendant A major key.

2d theme – it displays a cute melodic line, eight measures, with regular structure in its starting time presentation. However, in the second presentation, afterward seven-and-half measures another three and a half measure sequence is stitched to the theme, in a weird F major key. In the third statement we are introduced a seventh chord, leading to a vigorous and electrifying codetta with spectacular dynamic furnishings.

The following few chords from the 2d theme provide an example of a chord progression unusual to the classical menses:

mm46 – 47: Am

mm48 – 49: Thousand♯m

mm50 – 51:  Fm

mm52 – 53: BM

mm54 – 55: Am

mm56 – 57: 1000♯m

mm58 – 61: FM

mm62: F♯1000

m63: G♯M

thousand 64: Fm

In an eighteenth century symphony such a progression would be highly unusual, as they would work around the ascendant, subdominant, mediant or relative minor, occasionally including a seventh chord to create dissonance.

In the development section (starting at Measure out 87) short sequences of the first and second themes are presented kaleidoscopically in keys tonally un-related to the tonic (A♭ major, E major, C major, G major). The rhythm gets out of residuum and unexpected changes of tone colour occur, due east.g. when the trombones join in with a quintuplet figure in measure 127. For a while we feel like travelling in a machine where the commuter lost control. Only then control is restored by a firm Mannheim crescendo, unifying all the instruments under the key of C minor.

In the recapitulation at that place is a strong trend to reach the dominant D major. Commencement the commencement them transposed to C major leads to a restatement in D major, then again from B Major getting to D major. The 2nd theme now is firmly established in the tonic key and is followed by a short and concise coda in perfect classical manner.

Movement II

The second movement takes a slower pace and sounds lyrical and soothing, with a graceful balance betwixt regular and irregular, familiar and unexpected. It is congenital around two major melodic themes, just similar the get-go.

The commencement theme (Theme A) is presented after a cursory introduction (mm1-4) played on the violins (mm 5-12) in the key of A major, lasting eight measures. It is followed past a second version (mm13-nineteen) lasting 7 ½ measures, played by violins and flutes.

Theme B is presented by the bassoons (mm 20- 26), it is fragmented betwixt different instruments and modulated to unlike keys – starts in A major (m27 bassoon), passed to 1000 major and doubled by the lower strings (m28) and switched to C major (m29- 30) and finally to Bb major. It is played confronting a dense texture, featuring homophonic and antiphonal arpeggios

Motility III

The third movement – a French Gavotte is the 1 with closest resemblance to a classical dance move, presenting ii melodies embedded in an ABA structure. This movement is very curt, concise and economical, an experiment to reduce the musical elements to the minimum that tin deliver the musical content.

Movement IV

The quaternary motility is a vivid, vibrant, virtuosic motility with a fast pace. It is centred on the D major key and is written in sonata grade, featuring 3 main themes.

First theme (A) – there is no introduction, it starts with a tutti D major chord head jump into the outset theme (A) based on a D major arpeggio. We are presented iii variants of theme A, once more, the first one lasting 8 measures, in a perfect classical style. This passage is gracefully linked past a small chromatic step to the second variant of the theme, transposed to G major, which comes this time with more variation in tone color, as the flutes and oboes join in. The third variant returns to D major, and after 6 bars it suddenly changes direction, and after two artful measures based on Thousand♯major scalar progressions, we are landed in the bright and bright world of C major. This is a longer sequence (bridge) that leads to the 2nd theme.

2nd theme (B) – information technology has an irregular phrase structure and is based on a three bar conjunct melodic phrase get-go presented in mensurate 50 by the wind section, while the vii measures betwixt m43 and m49 prepare this moment, generating tension by sustaining the ascendant in a dense orchestral buzz. This pattern of preparation followed by melody would remain the design for the entire cluster of theme B, merely before we could realise the rule, it is already broken by a sudden, unprepared modulation of the tune to East major in mensurate 54. Likewise, the preparatory sections vary in length betwixt vii and 4 measures.

Third theme (C) – after the second theme cluster, from measure 75 it seems to me that a tertiary theme emerges, played by the flute. Regarding the melodic content, this movement gives me a strong impression of symmetry. There are ascending and descending figures post-obit each other in quick succession. I noticed three major melodic themes, offset presented as starting in measures 1, 50 and 75, respectively, with a certain degree of symmetry and similarity between them. For case, in the first theme in that location is a modest effigy with 2 8th notes and a quarter note, followed by a figure of ii quarter notes, while in the second theme two quarter notes are followed by a effigy with two 8th notes and a quarter note:

– in theme A there is a small effigy with ii 8th notes and a quarter notation, followed by a figure of ii quarter notes:

– in theme B there is a symmetrical pattern, a figure of two quarter notes, followed by one with two 8th notes and a quarter notation

– in both theme A and B we notice sequences of four quarter notes, such as:

 or

– the tertiary melody seems to unify the first and second in one single phrase, as it contains figures similar to the ones in the first 2 themes, although they are not perfect copies, avoiding a sense of mechanical repetition. There is as well an element of intrinsic symmetry within the third theme, although, again, this is not a perfect one:

The outcome of these similarities is that when the third theme occurs, information technology sounds perfectly natural and well prepared. Also, information technology shows us Prokofiev's ability to ingeniously expand short rhythmic and melodic patterns into a full movement. And considering he permanently modulates them, passes them between different instruments, combines them in many ways and presents them on different backgrounds they would always sound fresh and interesting.

Tibor Kovacs

References:

Burkholder, J. P., Grout, D. J., Palisca C. 5. (eds.) (2005) A history of Western music. 7^th ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company Inc.

Rosen, C, (2005). The Classical way. Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven. iv^th ed. Great U.k.: Faber and Faber Limited

Lebrecht, Northward. (2000). The Complete Companion to 20^th Century Music. 2^nd ed. Uk: Simon & Schuster United kingdom Ltd.

Morgan, R. P. (1991). Twentieth-century Music: A History of Musical Fashion in Mod Europe and America. London: Westward. Due west. Norton & Company, Ltd.

Greenberg, R. (2011) How to Listen to and Empathize Great Music. 3^rd ed. United States of America: The Education Company

Green, E (2007) Prokofiev's Classical Symphony and the abiding question of sincerity in music. Three Oranges Periodical. xiii. Available from Serge Prokofiev Foundation website: http://www.sprkfv.cyberspace/periodical/three13/classical2.html [Accessed 28 October 2013]

Prokofiev, Southward. (1917). Symphony No. 1, 'Classical' op. 25 In: S. Prokofiev: Nerveless Works vol. 14A. Muzgiz, Moscow, 1963. Reprinted in Melville, NY: Belwin Mills, n.d.(ca.1975). Plate 5038. Musical score. Score available from IMSLP on

http://imslp.org/wiki/Symphony_No.1,_Op.25_%28Prokofiev,_Sergey%29

Wikipedia (2013) Sergei Prokofiev [online] Wikipedia website. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Prokofiev [Accessed 26^thursday September 2013]

Wikipedia (2013) Symphony No. 1 (Prokofiev) [online] Wikipedia website. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._1_%28Prokofiev%29 [Accessed 27^th September 2013]

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