Sergei Prokofiev

Prokofiev's music is characterized by motoristic rhythms, percussive piano writing, and harmonies that are tonal but 'wrong'—dissonant in distinctive ways. His melodies can be angular and mechanical or surprisingly lyrical. He favors clear textures and Classical forms, often with neoclassical clarity. His orchestration is brilliant and colorful, and he has a gift for the grotesque and ironic alongside genuine beauty.

He studied with Rimsky-Korsakov and Liadov at St. Petersburg Conservatory. Stravinsky's rhythmic vitality influenced him. He knew and competed with Shostakovich in Soviet musical life. His time in Paris exposed him to Diaghilev and Western modernism. His return to Russia forced accommodation with Soviet aesthetic demands.

His early Russian period produced shocking modernist works like the Scythian Suite. His Paris years (1918-1936) brought ballets for Diaghilev and neoclassical works. After returning to the USSR, he adapted to Socialist Realism with works like 'Romeo and Juliet' and 'Alexander Nevsky.' His late years saw increasing conflict with authorities and declining health.

At his Conservatory graduation, Prokofiev played his own fiercely modernist Piano Concerto No. 1 to win the Anton Rubinstein Prize—the jury was scandalized but gave him the prize (a grand piano) anyway. He then shocked them further by selling the piano for cash, showing his practical streak.

Prokofiev was a championship-level chess player who competed seriously—his strategic thinking and love of patterns influenced his compositional approach to thematic development and formal structure.

Prokofiev is constantly programmed—his ballets, concertos, and symphonies appear regularly on concert programs worldwide. Peter and the Wolf is a children's concert staple. His piano sonatas are repertoire essentials. He's absolutely secure in the canon and shows no signs of diminishing popularity.