Symphony No. 2 (Prokofiev)

Sergei Prokofiev wrote his Symphony No. 2 in D minor (Op. 40) in 1924-5. He characterized this symphony as a work of "iron and steel".

Structure

Prokofiev based the symphony's overall structure, of a tempestuous minor-key first movement followed by a set of variations, on Beethoven's last piano sonata (Op. 111). The first movement, in traditional sonata form, is rhythmically unrelenting, harmonically dissonant, and texturally thick. The second movement, twice as long as the first, is a set of variations based on a diatonic theme played by a plaintive oboe, giving a strong contrast to the defiant coda of the 1st movement. The subsequent variations contrast moments of beautiful meditation with cheeky playfulness, while the last variation integrates the theme with the violence of the first movement, reaching an inevitable climax. The symphony ends with a touching reinstatement of the initial oboe theme, eventually dispelled by an eerie chord on the strings. [cite web |first=Dorothea|last=Redepenning|coauthors=L. Macy (editor)|year=2007|url=http://www.grovemusic.com|title=Prokofiev, Sergey (Sergeyevich)|accessdate=2007-06-21|work= [http://www.grovemusic.com Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians / Grove Music Online] ]

Public reaction

After the premiere, Prokofiev commented that neither he nor the audience understood the piece. Prokofiev later said that this symphony led him to have doubts about his ability as a composer for the first time in his life. [cite web |first=Sergei |last=Prokofiev|url=http://www.prokofiev.org/biography/america.html|title=quoted in: Prokofiev Biography: America and Europe|accessdate=2007-06-21|work= [http://www.prokofiev.org www.prokofiev.org] |quote=Neither I nor the audience understood anything in it. It was too thickly woven. There were too many layers of counterpoint which degenerated into mere figuration... This was perhaps the first time it appeared to me that I might be destined to be a second-rate composer.] Prokofiev intended to reconstruct the piece in three movements, going so far as to assign the project the opus number 136 ["List of projected compositions." Sergey Prokofiev / Daniel Jaffé. London; New York: Phaidon Press, 2008. pp. 211-212.] , but the composer died before he could undertake the revisions. The symphony has remained an obscure work, possibly the least-played of Prokofiev's seven symphonies.

Instrumentation

The work scores for the followings:

Woodwinds
*Piccolo
*2 Flutes
*2 Oboes
*Cor Anglais
*2 Clarinets
*Bass Clarinet
*2 Bassoons
*ContrabassoonBrass
*4 French Horns
*3 Trumpets
*3 Trombones
*TubaPercussion
*Timpani
*Bass drum
*cymbals
*Snare drum
*castanets
*Triangle
*Tambourine

Keyboard
*Piano

Strings
*Violins (1st and 2nd)
*Violas
*Cellos
*Double Basses

Movements

The symphony is in 2 movements, lasting 35-40 minutes:
*"Allegro ben articolato" (12 minutes)
*Theme and Variations (25 minutes)
**Theme: "Andante"
**Variation 1: "L'istesso tempo"
**Variation 2: "Allegro non troppo"
**Variation 3: "Allegro"
**Variation 4: "Larghetto"
**Variation 5: "Allegro con brio"
**Variation 6: "Allegro moderato"
**Theme

Premiere

The piece was premiered in Paris on June 6, 1925, conducted by Serge Koussevitzky, and was not well received.

Recordings

Notes