Prokofiev Piano Sonata (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Sun Wéiquán / Cháo Zhìjué (editors)
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2005-04-01
Features: Prokofiev is not only a super prodigy in the history of Russian music but also one of the most outstanding prodigies in the history of world music. At the age of five, Prokofiev composed his first piano solo piece. By the age of nine, he had already written two operas and several piano miniatures. At this time, he studied under the Russian composer Glière, leaving his teacher greatly astonished. Prokofiev composed a total of nine piano sonatas. These nine sonatas span his entire creative career, reflecting the basic thread of the composer's stylistic evolution.
First Sonata (Op. 1), 1907 (rewritten two years later), in F minor, Allegro, 12/8 time, single movement, dedicated to Vasily Morolev. Originally a three-movement work, it was shortened to a single movement in 1909.
Second Sonata (Op. 14), 1912, in D minor, four movements.
Third Sonata (Op. 28), 1907 (revised ten years later), in A minor, single movement.
Fourth Sonata (Op. 29), 1908, in C minor (revised again in 1917), three movements, dedicated to his deceased friend Maximilian Schmidthof.
Fifth Sonata (Op. 38), 1923, in C minor, three movements. This sonata is now available in two versions: the original version (composed in 1923) and the revised version (revised by the composer between 1952 and 1953 and published again with the opus number Op. 135).
Sixth Sonata (Op. 82), 1939-1940, in A major, four movements. The composer himself premiered it on April 8, 1940, on the radio.
Seventh Sonata (Op. 83), 1939-1942, in B-flat major, three movements. Premiered by the pianist Sviatoslav Richter in Moscow on January 18, 1943, and awarded the second prize of the Stalin State Prize in March of the same year.
Eighth Sonata (Op. 84), 1939-1944, in B-flat major, three movements. Premiered by the pianist Emil Grigoryevich Gilels on December 30, 1944.
Ninth Sonata (Op. 103), 1947, in C major, four movements, dedicated to the pianist Sviatoslav Richter. Premiered in April 1951.