Composer of the Month: Sergei Prokofiev (20th Century)

“In my view, the composer, just as the poet, the sculptor, or the painter, is in duty bound to serve Man, the people. He must beautify life and defend it.” — Sergei Prokofiev

Sergei Prokofiev (1891 - 1953) was one of the most beloved composers in Russian music, second to Tchaikovsky. He wrote music for children, ballets, operas, and even for film.

Prokofiev’s musical ambitions were fueled by hearing his mother playing Chopin and Beethoven on the piano in the evenings. The young musician composed his first piano piece at five years old and his first opera at aged nine.

In 1904, the 13-year old Prokofiev was introduced to the composer Glazunov, who was so impressed by him, that he encouraged him to apply to the St. Petersburg Conservatory. As a student there, Prokofiev found his education boring and was viewed as eccentric by his much older classmates.

In 1917, Prokofiev composed his first symphony and was later commissioned to compose three ballets, all of which were successful.

After the Russian Revolution, Prokofiev fled Russia for the West, living in the U.S., Germany, and France. He married a Spanish singer and had two sons. During this time, he turned to composing the music he loved most: operas.

In Paris, Prokofiev experienced instant fame and success as a composer, and when he returned to Russia in 1927, he was lauded as a musical hero. He was commissioned by the Soviets to write music for films and ballet. In 1936, when he returned to Russia for good, his life became overshadowed by his music being routinely censored by the Soviets and by his political persecutions for failing to adhere to their ideologies.

Prokofiev’s hard-edged modernist music simplified over time, proving his command of traditional idioms while also blazing new musical paths forward. He died on the same day as Stalin in March 1953.

Click here to listen to Sergei Prokofiev's "Dance of the Knights" from his Romeo and Juliet ballet.