Sergey Prokofiev (20th Century Composers) [Paperback]

Daniel Jaffé (Author)

Book Description

Series: 20th Century Composers | Publication Date: November 6, 1998

This is a comprehensive, illustrated biography for the music enthusiast of the Russian composer and pianist Sergey Prokofiev (1891-1953) who composed some of this century's most widely loved music, be it the ballet "Romeo and Juliet", his work for children "Peter and the Wolf", or the march from his opera "The Love for Three Oranges". Yet paradoxically, due to his itinerant lifestyle and the secrecy that cloaked his final years in the USSR, he remains one of the least understood musicians of this century. Born in an isolated rural estate in the Ukraine, Prokofiev studied at the St Petersburg Conservatory and soon gained notoriety as a gifted "enfant terrible" with his fiery piano-playing and "modern" compositions. He became friends with many of Russia's leading cultural figures including Maxim Gorky, but equally crucial, though stormy, were his relationships with the great impresario Sergey Diaghilev and fellow-composer Igor Stravinsky, who both admired and were wary of Prokofiev's precocious talent. Prokofiev left Russia in the wake of the 1917 Revolution, and bedazzled western audiences with his hard-edged, virtuoso performances on the piano and exuberantly colourful scores including "The Love for Three Oranges", his Third Piano Concerto and the three ballets he wrote for Diaghilev - "Chout", "Le Pas d'Acier" and "The Prodigal Son". He then astonished the world by returning the the USSR in 1936 at the height of Stalin's notorious purges. Initially cosseted and feted by the Soviet state, Prokofiev was profoundly shaken by the arrest of several leading cultural figures as well as some of his friends. Against this terrible background Prokofiev composed some of his greatest scores, the First Violin Sonata and his Symphonies Nos.5 and 6, before he himself was berated for writing anti-Soviet "formalist" music in 1948. Demoralized, and suffering poor health, Prokofiev died five years later, ironically on the same evening as his chief persecutor, Joseph Stalin. This comprehensive biography, which contains several hitherto unpublished illustrations, combines an intimate portrait of Prokofiev and his circle with a lucid account of the political events that shaped his career. His works - wild, brilliant, lyrical, sometimes unashamedly over-the-top - are revealed as inseparable from the political background to their composition. This text is part of the 20th-century composers series, examining composers in a biographical context, and offering a comprehensive study of key figures in the creation of 20th-century music. None of the books in the series presume a knowledge of specialized terms or musical notation. Each book in the series features a list of works, a bibliography, and a discography.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Daniel Jaffe is a freelance music journalist, specializing in 20th-century music, and is currently the Reviews Editor at Classic CD magazine --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Phaidon Press (November 6, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0714835137
• ISBN-13: 978-0714835136
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,366,601 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars best single volume on Prokofiev, October 24, 2002

By 

R. Hutchinson "autonomeus" (a world ruled by fossil fuels and fossil minds) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sergey Prokofiev (20th Century Composers) (Paperback)

This is another solid entry in Phaidon's 20th Century Composers series -- heavy-stock paper and great photos (including one of his first performance of "Peter and the Wolf" for a group of children) add to Jaffe's text. Jaffe offers the best answer I've found (searching through several books) to the question of why Prokofiev returned to Russia at the height of Stalin's terror. Apparently it was a combination of homesickness, vanity, political naivete, and aesthetic theory. The Soviet regime promised Prokofiev an exceptional privileged status, which appealed to his vanity -- he was overshadowed by Stravinsky in the West, where he never felt he was properly appreciated. And the turn to "social realism," forced on Soviet artists by Stalin, coincided with Prokofiev's voluntary turn away from modernism toward simplicity, melody, and populist narratives. I enjoy both the early and late Prokofiev, but I can see the point of those who claim that his later works are more accomplished. While his music is not on the cutting edge, and thus he was never a critics' darling, Prokofiev's music is marvelous.

This is the best single book available at the moment for anyone who wants to know more about one of the greatest early 20th century composers!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Overview - Short but Sweet, January 1, 2006

By 

T. Knowlton - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sergey Prokofiev (20th Century Composers) (Paperback)

I must admit that this is the first biography of Prokofiev that I have ever read. Jaffe must have been mindful of the book's length. I would guess that the good folks at Phaidon told him to 'keep it short.' As such, he moves rather quickly through the events of Prokofiev's life, with occassional commentary on important works and insight into Prokofievs' character and personality.

With that in mind I would say that it is a great first Prokofiev bio to read. Having read it I would now like to read more of the details and the personal accounts of what happened.

Jaffe writes with authority, I can tell he has really done his research!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars an accurate and essential biography, September 8, 2001

By 

Fabio Degli Esposti (Bologna,Italy) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sergey Prokofiev (20th Century Composers) (Paperback)

This is an accurate,clear and very well documented Biography
that is worth for everyone who is interested in the composer and accessible to the uninitiated.
The requirement for brevity compelled the author to
fly rather fast over Prokofiev childood. The best and most amazing source for this period is the composer own autobiography
Prokofiev by Prokofiev now unavailable. I suggest to read both if you can find Prokofiev own autobiography used or in a public library.
The early years are very essential and enlightening even if not from a strict musicologist point of view.
The photos in this book are very beautiful and well coupled with the text. In some cases they speak alone.For example the very expressing '46 photo with other soviet composers included Shostakovich is worth the price of the book for an almost fanatic Prokofiev(&Shostakovich) lover.
Personally I would have prefered a less fastened and concise
overlook. Such a life deserves a narration that leaves you breathless. This is not achieved by Jaffé biography.
He gives well structured information but he doesn't pretend to offer good literature . I would have both, but maybe I ask too
much and the alternatives aren't better written,for what I know(they 're only less concise and more aproximative). Probably only the massive Dorigné Biography (available only in french) can stand up.
So I strongly suggest this book.