The Piano Sonatas by Sergei Prokofiev: an overview of Sonatas 1-4.

Sergei Prokofiev was born on April 11, 1891 in Sontsovka, a village located in Ukraine. He lived in

Sontsovska until the age of thirteen. His father was an estate manager and his mother was an amateur

pianist and his first pianist teacher. The musical talent of Prokofiev was obvious from an early age.

During the years 1900-1902, he and his parents visited Moscow and St. Petersburg. These visits gave

to young Sergei the opportunity to attend music concerts and opera performances which were

influential to him. However, one of the most significant figures of his early musical life was his

mother. She was not a professional pianist, nevertheless as his teacher, she acquainted him with the

music of several substantial composers such as Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin and others. 1

Prokofiev’ s early musical years were also influenced by Sergei Taneyev, the teacher of

Rachmaninov, whom he met when he visited Moscow in 1901-1902. At that point, Taneyev’s

student, Reinhold Glière became the supervisor of Prokofiev’s music studies during the summers of

1902 and 1903, after Taneyev’s suggestion. Prokofiev started his formal studies at the St. Petersburg

Conservatory in 1904. He studied next to highly esteemed Russian musicians such as Nikolai

Rimsky-Korsakov, Alexander Glazunov, and Anatoly Lyadov. During his studies at the

Conservatory, he maintained his conservative musical background which was developed by his

mother and Gliere. He utilized traditional compositional techniques, without attempting any

experimentations.2

1
Boris Berman, Prokofiev’s Piano Sonatas: A Guide for the Listener and the Performer (New Haven; London: Yale
University Press, 2012), 1-2.
2
Ibid., 3.
Prokofiev’s musical style

Prokofiev composed mostly for the piano. He was inspired by Franz Liszt and he followed the same

path of virtuosic writing style. He exploits the whole range of the keyboard and he creates unique

sounds using a broad spectrum of sound colors, rhythm and articulation. His music is pianistic and it

is very well written for the piano, although it seems unusually challenging when the pianist attempts

to read it for the first time. His compositions include extreme contrasts, sudden modulations and

dissonances. He makes use of the classical form and he employs virtuosity as a device for creating

excitement and energy. It is also remarkable that within his complicated music, there are simple

melodic lines, harmonies and a really stable and clear structure. Lastly, he favors lyrical melodies, he

uses the rhythmic element of the toccata and it is obvious that he prefers to use his own harmonic

style. Overall, his music is characterized by a great sense of pianism. 3

Sonata No. 1

Prokofiev composed the Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 1 in 1907. In the beginning, the work

consisted of three movements but in 1909, Prokofiev revised the first movement and discarded the

other two (Andante and Finale). This sonata is an early work and it has elements of the music by

Schumann and Rachmaninov.4 The composer ‘s creative level was not very mature during the time

he wrote the piece but his piano writing was absolutely solid and skillful.5

3
Richard P. Anderson, The Pianist’s Craft: Mastering the Works of Great Composers (Lanham, MD: Scarecrow
Press, 2012), 193-194.
4
Rebecca Gena, Martin, “The Nine Piano Sonatas of Sergei Prokofiev” (PhD diss., University of Kentucky, 1982) 10-
14, accessed December 10, 2017, http://csulb.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search-proquest-
com.csulb.idm.oclc.org/docview/303070944?accountid=10351.
5
Frank Merrick, "Prokofiev's Piano Sonatas," Proceedings of the Royal Musical Association, 75th ser. (1948): 13-21,
accessed December 10, 2017, http://www.jstor.org/stable/765907.
 The sonata demonstrates sweeping and long scalar themes which are quite consonant and do

not require wide leaps. The scalar motion appears in the line of the bass and in inner voices. There is

also strong use of melodic sequences and the whole work is tonal and harmonically diatonic.

Regarding the rhythm, the composer uses duple meter quite consistently. However, there are some

Brahms-like hemiola spots.6

Sonata No. 2

Sonata No. 2 in D minor, Op. 14 was written by Prokofiev in 1912. This work is differentiated from

Sonata No. 1, as it is a piece of Prokofiev‘s mature musicianship. The first version of the piece was a

one movement sonatina but later, Prokofiev added three more movements.7

In the first movement (Allegro, ma non troppo), an energetic and confident subject is

contrasted to a second melancholic subject. When the second theme begins, the time signature

changes, highlighting the contrast between the two themes. In the development, the piece is gradually

moving towards a powerful climax. 8The second movement is a march-like Scherzo with driving

energy and it requires wide leaps across the keyboard. The Scherzo is followed by an elegant Trio

section where the composer features octaves to a great extent.9

The third movement (Andante) opens with a quiet and heavy accompaniment in the low

voices. After the first two measures, a theme is played by the right hand in the line of alto, creating

an atmosphere of grief and sadness. The movement builds an intense climax at the seventeenth bar,

6
Martin, 13.
7
Ibid., 15-19.
8
Ibid.
9
Frank Merrick, "Prokofiev' s Piano Sonatas 1 to 5," The Musical Times 86, no. 1223 (January 1945):9-11, accessed
December 10, 2017, http://www.jstor.org/stable/935947.
afterwards there is pp for about 3 bars and a codetta starts in 7/8 time.10 The last movement (Vivace)

includes vivid themes, sequential melodies, dissonances and repetitive accompaniment patterns.11

One of the most impressive characteristics of this movement is that the second theme of the first

movement is restated in the development. The reappearance of this theme is followed by an

accelerando which reintroduces the music material and the spirit of the last movement. In the

recapitulation, the first and the second theme are intertwined imaginatively and the piece comes to a

highly entertaining conclusion.12

Sonata No. 3

Sonata No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 28, Prokofiev uses meticulously the sonata form. The work is

shorter in duration than the first two sonatas, lasting only seven minutes. Its music material is

structured in one movement and the whole piece shows that Prokofiev was influenced by Franz Liszt

in terms of compositional techniques such as thematic transformation. The work also depicts

Prokofiev ‘s favor towards virtuosity and excessively different and intense emotions.13 It is a strong

example of Prokofiev ‘s Romanticism, while his familiar compelling energy overwhelms the piece.

At the same time, there are moments of pure lyricism.14

The sonata is built on short motives, which are developed by the composer in great detail.

The opening subject with its thrilling, ‘’hunting’’ energy is followed by a Moderato section which

introduces a slow, lyrical second subject. Afterwards, the frenzy of the development leads to an

exciting and powerful climax of fff before the recapitulation. Throughout the piece, Prokofiev uses

10
Merrick, “Prokofiev's Piano Sonatas."
11
Martin.
12
Merrick, "Prokofiev' s Piano Sonatas 1 to 5," 9-11.
13
Anderson, 195.
14
Berman, 75-76.
the element of rhythm as a unifying device, establishing a rhythmic context of continuous triplets and

two types of rhythm: dotted rhythm and placid rhythm.15

Figure 1. Sonata No. 3, m. 12-15

Sonata No. 4

The Sonata in C minor, Op. 29 is the last sonata that Prokofiev wrote before he left Russia.16 It is

quite different from the first three sonatas, lacking the driving, energetic and romantic spirit of the

composer. Prokofiev embraces a thoughtful character and manipulates his musical ideas in a more

controlled and introverted way.17

In the first movement, two main themes are projected: The first theme is more solid and firm

followed by the second theme which is more sensitive and gentle. In the development, Prokofiev

demonstrates the two themes at the same time, creating an atmosphere of darkness.18 The second

15
Merrick, “Prokofiev's Piano Sonatas."
16
Berman, 84-85.
17
Martin, 27.
18
Merrick, “Prokofiev's Piano Sonatas."
movement is introduced with a slow accompaniment in the bass and a gloomy subject following in

the second bar. In the beginning, the composer manipulates this subject contrapuntally but later he

features a simultaneous inversion which intensifies its emotional character. Later, the listener can

enjoy a beautiful interlude which illustrates the atmosphere of a quiet, cold night.19 After the

interlude, the movement returns to its former character. The third movement is in rondo form, it

expresses a vivid mood and its middle episode is reminiscent of the A-flat middle episode in the

finale of Beethoven‘s first piano sonata.20

Conclusion

Prokofiev ‘s music includes various characteristics. Based on these characteristics, the pianist Boris

Berman makes interesting suggestions for the performers.21 The composer ‘s energetic musical style

can be efficiently expressed only if the pianist keeps the tempo steady without using any rubatos

which may disrupt the stability of the musical pulse. In order to achieve technical artistry, the

performer should be highly precise in terms of playing the right notes, use wrist technique and have a

well-controlled touch. One of the most challenging elements of Prokofiev ‘s music is his lyricism

which should be efficiently expressed through long, clear melodic lines and warm tones. Lastly,

Prokofiev ‘s imaginative orchestration is obvious in his piano works. Thus, a performer should be

able to depict the composer ‘s broad spectrum of orchestral colors, after listening carefully to his

orchestral works and using a touch while playing which will help him fulfill this purpose.

19
Merrick, "Prokofiev' s Piano Sonatas 1 to 5."
20
Merrick, “Prokofiev's Piano Sonatas."
21
Berman, 215-216.
 Bibliography

Anderson, Richard P. The Pianists Craft: Mastering the Works of Great Composers. Lanham, MD:
Scarecrow Press, 2012.

Berman, Boris. Prokofiev’s Piano Sonatas: A guide for the Listener and the Performer. New Haven;
London: Yale University Press, 2012.

Merrick, Frank. "Prokofiev's Piano Sonatas." Proceedings of the Royal Musical Association, 75th
ser. (1948): 13-21. Accessed December 10, 2017. http://www.jstor.org/stable/765907.

Martin, Rebecca Gena. “The Nine Piano Sonatas of Sergei Prokofiev.” PhD diss., University of
Kentucky, 1982. Accessed December 10, 2017.
http://csulb.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search-proquest-
com.csulb.idm.oclc.org/docview/303070944?accountid=10351.

Merrick, Frank. "Prokofiev' s Piano Sonatas 1 to 5." The Musical Times 86, No. 1223 (January
1945): 9-11. Accessed December 10, 2017. http://www.jstor.org/stable/935947.

Prokofiev, Sergei. "Piano Sonata No. 3, Op. 28." Edited by Levon Atomvayan. In Collected Works,
Vol. 2, 53-68. Moscow: Musgiz, 1955.