Music Appreciation: Serge Prokofiev - The prodigal son

This musical appreciation course will look at the life and work of the Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev. He wrote a wide range of music in different genres both instrumental, opera, and music for ballet and film. He lived at a time of great creativity and invention and mixed with leading figures such as the impresario Diaghilev and the composer Stravinsky when on his travels in Europe and the USA as a performer of his compositions for piano (solo and with orchestra). As a part of the course, we will explore the political and social background both in the USSR and in Western Europe and the States, and the consequences of Prokofiev’s decision to return to live in Stalinist Russia. For those who followed the recent course on Shostakovich, these sessions will provide a stimulating comparison for you. By the end of the course, one should be able to have attained the following five Learning Objectives • To know five facts about Prokofiev’s life. • To be able to name three of his operas. • To know how many symphonies and piano concertos he composed. • To know which of his works upset the Soviet authorities and why. • To know why his funeral almost went unnoticed.