Serge Prokofiev

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Serge Prokofievs Symphony Classique, Opus 25
Xian Xinghais Yellow River Piano Concert
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Serge Prokofieff

• Russian composer, pianist, and conductor
• Born in 1891 in Sonstavoska and died in 1953
• Some of his best known works are the suite
  Lieutenant Kije the ballet Romeo and Juliet
• Lived during the Russian Revolution, left the
  country in 1918 residing in Paris, the United
  States and Germany
• In 1936 he moved back to Russia and was forced
  due to finances to compose for Stalin

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Characteristics

• His compositions were innovative
• Known for strange new harmonies, dynamic rhythms
  and lots of humor
• He had a full portfolio of compositions by age of
  13 when he entered the St. Petersburg
  Conservatory

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St. Petersburg Conservatory

• Developed a reputation for being a rebellious
  composer
• He considered school to be boring
• Labeled as arrogant
• Graduated with poor grades
• Shows his natural talent for composition

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Symphony No. 1, Opus 25

• Prokofievs compositions were often imitations of
  his favorite composers
• Symphony No. 1 in D Major Opus 25 was an
  imitation of the styles of Haydn and Mozart
• One of the first neoclassical compositions,
  reflects modern compositional practices
• Four movements allegro, larghetto, gavotta, and
  finale
• 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2
  horns, 2 trumpets, timpani and strings

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Xian Xinghai

• Native of Guangdong Province (1905-1945)
• Raised by impoverishd single mother, no steady
  home
• First Chinese student to enroll in Paris Music
  Academy in 1934
• Composed Yellow River Cantata in six days in a
  cave

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Yellow River Cantata

• Great historical significance, very nationalistic
• Song of inspiration for Chinese people during
  horrific genocide
• The song has become a Chinese symbol of heroism
  and solidarity

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Yellow River Piano Sonata

• Adapted from Yellow River Cantata by a group of
  musicians from the Central Philharmonic Society
  in 1969
• Composed during anti-Japanese war and Cultural
  Revlution, bears great historical significance
• Chinese folk instruments
• Pentatonic scales

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His Composition

• European influence use of piano to capture tones
  and moods
• Western choral textures
• The Yellow River Cantata was transformed into a
  composition for an entire Western Orchestra
• Utilization of Western instruments

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Rhythm Prokofiev

• Begins allegro 100 bpm
• 2/2
• Pattern of quarter note followed by six eighth
  notes
• Variety of notations stacatto, tenuto, slur,
  accents, leggiero, caesura
• Each section has a different tempo

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Rhythm Xian Xinghai

• Begins vivace, 152 bpm
• Shifts between ¾ and 2/4 throughout
• Sixteenth notes and eighth notes
• Accents, ties in bass, slurs, grace notes,
  fermatas, triplets
• Each movement has a different tempo from 54 to
  160

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Similarities

• Little to no syncopation, notes land on accented
  syllables
• Fast and slow sections
• The tempo changes dramatically with each section
• Note values are similar throughout

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Differences
Prokofiev
Xinghai

• Frequent shifts in time signature
• Frequent shifts in tempo
• Long runs of notes with equal value (8th or 16th)
  with chromaticism
• Quick runs extend for longer periods

• Constant time signature throughout
• Four Movements Allegro, Larghetto, Gavotta,
  Finale
• Quick runs are grouped in flurries

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Works Cited

• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Prokofiev
• http//upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-0708200
  8-094928/unrestricted/dissertation.pdf
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xian_Xinghai