Symphony No. 6 (Prokofiev)

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Sergei Prokofiev wrote his Symphony No. 6 in E-flat minor (Op. 111) in 1947.

Contents 1 Background 2 Movements 3 Instrumentation 4 Premiere 5 Recordings

[edit] Background

The symphony, written as an elegy of the tragedies of World War II, has often been regarded as the darker twin to the victorious Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major.

The symphony was condemned by the Stalinist regime in 1948 for not conforming to party lines, but it was favourably received among critics.

[edit] Movements

The symphony is in 3 movements (rather than the conventional 4), and lasts 40-45 minutes:

1. Allegro moderato
2. Largo
3. Vivace

[edit] Instrumentation

The work scores for the following:

Woodwinds

• Piccolo
• 2 Flutes
• 2 Oboes
• 2 Cor Anglais
• 2 Clarinets
• E-flat Clarinet
• Bass Clarinet
• 2 Bassoons
• Contrabassoon

Brass

• 4 French Horns
• 3 Trumpets
• 3 Trombones
• Tuba

Percussion

• Timpani
• Bass drum
• Cymbals
• Snare drum
• Triangle
• Tam-tam
• Tambourine
• Wood Block

Keyboard

• Harp
• Piano
• Celesta

Strings

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

[edit] Premiere

[edit] Recordings

The first recording was made by Eugene Ormandy with the Philadelphia Orchestra on the CBS label in January 1950.

Orchestra	Conductor	Record Company	Year of Recording	Format
The Cleveland Orchestra	Vladimir Ashkenazy	Decca	1995	CD
London Symphony Orchestra	Valery Gergiev	Philips	2004	CD
Scottish National Orchestra	Neeme Järvi	Chandos	1985	CD
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra	Zdenek Kosler	Supraphon		CD
National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine	Theodore Kuchar	Naxos	1994	CD
National Orchestra of the O.R.T.F.	Jean Martinon	Vox		CD
Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra	Evgeny Mravinsky	Russian Disc	1959	CD
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra	Seiji Ozawa	Deutsche Grammophon	1991	CD
Orchestre National de France	Mstislav Rostropovich	Erato	1988	CD
USSR Ministry of Culture State Symphony Orchestra	Gennadi Rozhdestvensky			CD/LP
National Symphony Orchestra	Leonard Slatkin	BMG	1996	CD
London Philharmonic Orchestra	Walter Weller	Decca	1975	CD/LP

v • d • e Symphonies by Sergei Prokofiev No. 1 in D major (Classical) · No. 2 in D minor · No. 3 in C minor · No. 4 in C major · No. 5 in B flat major · No. 6 in E flat minor · No. 7 in C sharp minor List of compositions by Sergei Prokofiev