Symphony No. 1 (Prokofiev)
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Sergei Prokofiev wrote his Symphony No. 1 in D major in 1917. It is also widely known as the Classical Symphony.
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[edit] Background
The symphony can be considered as one of the first neo-classical compositions. Prokofiev composed the symphony in an attempt to emulate Joseph Haydn's composing style; however, he still changed some of the structure of the symphony to reflect changing practices in composition. The idea was partly inspired by Prokofiev's conducting studies at the Conservatory, in which the instructor, Teneev, prepared his students to conduct Haydn.
Prokofiev wrote the symphony on holiday in the country, and he used this piece as an exercise in composing away from the piano. (As an accomplished pianist, it was understandable that he had developed a habit of composing at the keyboard.)
Prokofiev gave the symphony the nickname Classical partly in the hope that his piece might indeed become a classic someday, and also because of his attempt to imitate the classics of Haydn. The symphony has become one of Prokofiev's most popular and accessible works, and several themes have been used as television background music.
[edit] Movements
The symphony is in 4 movements, lasting approximately ten to fifteen minutes:
[edit] Orchestration
The symphony is scored for an orchestra of classical period proportions.
- 2 Flutes
- 2 Oboes
- 2 Clarinets
- 2 Bassoons
- 2 Trumpets
- 2 French Horns
- Timpani
- Strings (1st and 2nd Violins, Violas, Cellos, Double Basses)
[edit] Recordings
| Orchestra | Conductor | Record Company | Year of Recording | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scottish National Orchestra | Neeme Järvi | Chandos Records | 1985 | CD |
| London Symphony Orchestra | Valery Gergiev | Philips | 2004 | CD |
| London Symphony Orchestra | Walter Weller | Decca | ? | CD |
| Orchestre National de France | Mstislav Rostropovich | Erato | ? | CD |
| London Symphony Orchestra | Vladimir Ashkenazy | Decca | 1974 | CD |
| National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine | Theodore Kuchar | Naxos | CD | |
| National Orchestra of the O.R.T.F. | Jean Martinon | VoxBox | CD | |
| Czech Philharmonic Orchestra | Zdenek Kosler | Supraphon | CD | |
| Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra | Herbert von Karajan | Deutsche Grammophon | CD | |
| Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra | Seiji Ozawa | Deutsche Grammophon | 1989 | CD |
| Leonard Bernstein | CD | |||
| USSR Ministry of Culture State Symphony Orchestra | Gennadi Rozhdestvensky | CD/LP |
[edit] External links
| Symphonies by Sergei Prokofiev |
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 Symphony No. 1 in D major Classical Symphony No. 2 in D minor Iron and Steel Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major |
