Great
Classical Music
Composers

Sergei PROKOFIEV

23 April 1891 - 5 March 1953 (age 61)

Portrait by Paul Helm
click on image for more info

Sergio Prokofiev is probably the most popular Russian composer after Tchaikovsky. Best known for the musical children's tale "Peter and the Wolf" he created works in most genres - symphonic, opera, ballet, chamber music and solo piano.

Family

Born: 23 April 1891, Sontsovka, Russia (now Ukraine)
Father: Sergei Alekseevich Prokofiev, agricultural engineer.
Mother: Grigoryevna Prokofieva, pianist and well educated.
Siblings: two sisters who died in infancy.
1st wife: Carolina Codina (Lina Llubera)
Children: Two sons by Lina, Sviatoslav and Oleg
2nd wife: Mira Mendelson
Died: 5 March 1953, Moscow, Russia on the same day as Stalin
Cause: stroke.

Travels

1913 Paris and London
1918, May left Russia for USA - San Francisco and New York
1920 April - Paris
1922 March Ettal, Bavaria, Germany with mother
1923 married Lina and went to Paris
1927-8 toured Russia
1929 car accident, injured his hands
1935 returned to Russia

Works

- Peter and the Wolf - narrator and orchestra
- Ivan the Terrible - film score for Eisenstein's film
- 7 Symphonies
- 3 Piano concertos
- Violin Concerto
Operas:
- The Love for Three Oranges
- The Fiery Angel
- War and Peace
Ballets:
- Cinderella
- The Tale of the Stone Flower
Many compositions for the piano
Various other works

Quotes

- “Of course I have used dissonance in my time, but there has been too much dissonance. Bach used dissonance as good salt for his music. Others applied pepper, seasoned the dishes more and more highly, till all healthy appetites were sick and until the music was nothing but pepper.”

- “I thought with fury of the wonderful American orchestras that cared nothing for my music; of the critics who repeated for the hundredth time, 'Beethoven is a great composer,' while balking violently at new works; of the managers who arranged long tours for artists playing the same hackneyed programs fifty times over.”

- “I want nothing better, more flexible or more complete than the sonata form, which contains everything necessary for my structural purposes.”

- “I played rather well - in any case, jauntily. My success was rather great and, I should say, no doubt unexpected.”

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Prokofiev on eBay

You will find lots of Prokofiev related items on eBay, some new, some used, some common, some rare. Always good for a browse - you never know what you may find!