---FIRST HALF HOUR---
:04—Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953): “Romeo & Juliet,” introduction, 1940, Charles Dutoit, Montreal Symphony [London 430 279].
:07—Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953): March from “The Love for Three Oranges,” 1919, Boris Berman, piano [Chandos 8851]. Drawn from his four-act satirical opera, premiered in Chicago in 1921.
:09—Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953): March from “The Love for three Oranges,” 1919, Neeme Jarvi, Scottish National Orchestra [Chandos 8729].
:11—Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953): “The Street Awakens,” from “Romeo & Juliet,” 1940, Charles Dutoit, Montreal Symphony [London 430 279].
:13—Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953): Symphony No. 5 in B flat major, Op. 100, scherzo, 1945, Leonard Slatkin, Saint Louis Symphony [RCA Victor 5035]. This recording won a Grammy.
:22—Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953): “Balcony Scene,” from “Romeo & Juliet,” 1940, Charles Dutoit, Montreal Symphony [London 430 279].
---SECOND HALF HOUR---
:30—Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953): “The Execution,” from “Semyon Kotko,” Op. 81, 1940, Neeme Jarvi, Scottish National Orchestra [Chandos 8803]. Opera delayed by the Soviet murder of the director, and a peace accord with the Nazis that required changing the villains of the opera from Germans to Ukrainians.
:33—Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953): Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major, Op. 19, finale, 1917, Itzhak Perlman w/Gennadi Rozhdestvensky, BBC Symphony [EMI 47025]. Premiered in Paris in 1923.
:42—Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953): Piano Concerto No. 3 in C, Op. 26, first move., 1921, Martha Argerich w/Charles Dutoit, Montreal Symphony [EMI 56654]. Composed mostly in Brittany and premiered, with the composer on the piano, in Chicago.
:52—Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953): Toccata, finale from Piano sonata No. 7 in B flat major, Op. 83, 1943, Boris Berman [Chandos 8881].
:56—Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953): “Toccata,” Free Flights: Jim Walker, flute; Mike Garson, piano; Jim Lacefield, bass; Ralph Humphrey, drums [Hindsight 616].
---THIRD HALF HOUR---
:04—Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953): “Peter & the Wolf,” 1936, David Bowie w/Eugene Ormandy, The Philadelphia Orchestra [RCA Victor 2743]. The first thing Prokofiev did after returning to Moscow.
:11—Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953): Flute Sonata, scherzo, James Galway, flute; Martha Argerich, piano [61615].
:17—Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953): Piano Concerto No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 53, for the left hand, third move., 1931, Boris Berman w/Neeme Jarvi, Concertgebouw Amsterdam [Chandos 8791]. Commissioned by Paul Wittgenstein, who never played it. Rudolph Serkin played the premiere in 1958.
:25—Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953, arr. Carl Palmer: “The Enemy God Dances with the Black Spirits,” based on the second movement of the “Scythian Suite,” Op. 20, 1915, Emerson Lake & Palmer [Atlantic 81409]. Drawn from a ballet commissioned by Sergei Diaghilev but then rejected even before it was finished, so Prokofiev turned it into a concert suite. The Scythians lived on the north side of the Black Sea and were among the first to master warfare on horseback, so think Dothraki.
---FOURTH HALF HOUR---
:30—Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953): Symphony No. 5 in B flat major, Op. 100, 1945, finale, Marin Alsop, Sao Paulo Symphony [Naxos 573029]. Another instant success and dozens of recordings.
(TRICK QUESTION: WHY DOES THIS MUSIC CONFUSE PEOPLE?)
:41—Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953): Piano Concerto No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 53, for the left hand, fourth move., 1931, Boris Berman w/Neeme Jarvi, Concertgebouw Amsterdam [Chandos 8791]. Because piano concertos typically have three movements, and this is the 90-second fourth movement of Prokofiev’s Fourth Piano Concerto.
:43—Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953): Symphony No. 1 in D major, Op. 25, “Classical,” finale, 1917, Yoel Levi, Atlanta Symphony [Telarc 80289]. Prokofiev conducted the premiere in St. Petersburg in 1918 and it has been a hit with symphonies ever since.
:47—Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953): “Troika Song,” from “Lieutenant Kije,” 1934, Andre Previn, Los Angeles Philharmonic [Telarc 80143]. This started out as a film soundtrack. A suite from the score quickly entered the concert repertory.
:50—Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953): “Midnight Sleighride,” 1955, Sauter-Finegan Orchestra [Jasmine 459].
:53—Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953): “Russians,” Sting’s song based on a theme from “Lieutenant Kije,” 1985, Darryl Way, London Symphony [Angel 55344].