Symphony No. 7 (Prokofiev)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2008)

Sergei Prokofiev's Symphony No. 7 in C-sharp minor, Op.131, was completed in 1952, the year before his death. It is his last symphony.

Contents 1 Background 2 Movements 3 Instrumentation 4 Recordings

[edit] Background

This symphony represents a turning away from the more dissonant aspects of Prokofiev's music, toward a simpler style and reduced orchestral size, and was premiered as part of a radio program for children. Because of this it has been called the "Children's symphony". Shostakovich expressed admiration for the work, and it may have influenced his 15th symphony.

Most of the symphony is emotionally restrained, nostalgic and melancholy in mood, including the ending of the Vivace final movement. However, Prokofiev was later convinced by members of the Composers' Union to add an energetic and optimistic coda, so as to avoid reprisals similar to those following the 1948 Zhdanov decree (in the month after the decree, Prokofiev's wife Lina was arrested and sentenced to twenty years in a labour camp). It is reported that, on his deathbed, Prokofiev indicated that the original quiet ending was to be preferred.

The premiere was well-received, and in 1957, four years after Prokofiev's death, the symphony was awarded the Lenin Prize.

[edit] Movements

The symphony is in four movements, lasting 30-35 minutes:

1. Moderato
2. Allegretto
3. Andante espressivo
4. Vivace

[edit] Instrumentation

The work scores for the following:

Woodwinds

• Piccolo
• 2 Flutes
• 2 Oboes
• Cor Anglais
• 2 Clarinets
• Bass Clarinet
• 2 Bassoons

Brass

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

Percussion

• Timpani
• Bass Drum
• Snare Drum
• Cymbals
• Tambourine
• Triangle
• Wood blocks
• Xylophone
• Glockenspiel

Keyboard

• Piano

Strings

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

[edit] Recordings

The first recording was made by Eugene Ormandy with the Philadelphia Orchestra for the CBS label in April 1953.

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	1986	CD
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra	Zdenek Kosler	Supraphon		CD
National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine	Theodore Kuchar	Naxos		CD
Philharmonia Orchestra[1]	Nikolai Malko	EMI	1955	CD
National Orchestra of the O.R.T.F.	Jean Martinon	Vox		CD
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra	Seiji Ozawa	Deutsche Grammophon	1989	CD
Orchestre National de France	Mstislav Rostropovich	Erato	1988	CD
USSR Ministry of Culture State Symphony Orchestra	Gennadi Rozhdestvensky			CD/LP
Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra	Gennadi Rozhdestvensky			LP
London Symphony Orchestra	Walter Weller	Decca	1975	CD

1. ^ This recording was made directly after the UK Premiere, with Malko conducting.

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

This article does not cite any references or sources. (September 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.