Cello Concerto (Prokofiev)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 58 is a concerto written by Sergey Prokofiev between 1933 and 1938. Its duration is approximately 35 minutes. It consists of three movements:

1. Andante - Poco meno mosso (andante assai) - Adagio
2. Allegro giusto
3. Tema (allegro) - Interludio 1 - Variations 1-3 - Interludio 2 - Variation 4 - Reminiscenza (meno mosso) - Coda (poco sostenuto) - Più mosso

[edit] History

The concerto was premiered on November 26, 1938 in Moscow by the USSR State Symphony Orchestra. Alexander Melik-Pashayev was the conductor and Lev Berezovsky played the cello.

The premiere of Prokofiev's Cello Concerto (Op. 58) was generally thought to have been very poorly interpreted by the cellist, though the blame fell on Prokofiev for writing a "soul-less" concerto. The concerto was seldom played afterwards, until Prokofiev heard Rostropovich play it at a 1947 concert at the Moscow Conservatory. The performance reawakened Prokofiev's interest in the cello, and he rewrote his concerto (with advice from Rostropovich) to create the Symphony-Concerto (Op. 125).

[edit] Orchestration

The work is scored for solo cello, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, tuba, timpani, percussion (cymbals, castanets, bass drum, snare drum, tambourine), and strings.

[edit] External links

• Prokofiev.org

v • d • e Concertos by Sergei Prokofiev Piano No. 1 in D flat major, Op. 10 · No. 2 in G minor, Op. 16 · No. 3 in C major, Op. 26 · No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 53 (for left hand) · No. 5 in G major, Op. 55 · No. 6, Op. 134 (unfinished) Violin No. 1 in D major, Op. 19 · No. 2 in G minor, Op. 63 Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 58 · Symphony-Concerto in E minor, Op. 125 · Concertino in G minor, Op. 132 List of compositions by Sergei Prokofiev