Sergey Prokofiev (20th-Century Composers) (Paperback)

by Daniel Jaffé (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
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 This comprehensive biography, which contains several hitherto unpublished illustrations, combines an intimate portrait of Prokofiev and his circle with a lucid account of the political events that shaped his career.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.

About the Author
Daniel Jaffé, born in Cambridge, studied music at Southampton University. After three years in publishing he worked freelance as a music journalist, reviewing regularly for Strictly Off The Record andClassic CD. Since 1994 he has been Reviews Editor at Classic CD. --This text refers to the 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 (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,881,031 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 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 (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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!

4 of 4 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 (REAL NAME)

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!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Read Biography on Sergei Prokofiev., July 31, 2005

By	Louie Bourland (Garden Grove CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Along with Rachmaninoff, Stravinsky and Shostakovich, Sergei Prokofiev is one of the 20th century's greatest Russian composers. His seven symphonies, works for piano and his ballets (most notably "Romeo and Juliet") are widely well known alongside his immortal children's classic "Peter and The Wolf".
In this biography, part of Phaidon Press's 20th Century Composers series, author Daniel Jaffe not only digs deep into Prokofiev's creative genius but also gives detailed annotations on the composer's personal life and his surroundings in communist Russia. It is written in such as way that it's like getting to meet Prokofiev in a very personal manner.
This book is definitely a must-read on one of Russia's greatest masterminds. It is very well-written and packed with detail as well as some great photos (one of which depicts Prokofiev at the piano surrounded by children as he was giving a first-reading of "Peter and The Wolf" in 1936).
A Must for any Prokofiev fan!!