Prokofiev's Piano Sonatas: Nos. 1 thru 3

A Brief Survey of Prokofiev's First Three Sonatas

Sep 10, 2009

The second article in a series that exclusively focus on Prokofiev's life and Piano Sonatas.

In 1906 Prokofiev composed his First Sonata in f minor, opus number one. He premiered it on March sixth, 1910, in Moscow. Prokofiev’s First Sonata is a reworking of a three movement sonata from his student years. Prokofiev states in his Autobiography the summer of 1906:

“That summer I decided to write a long sonata. I was determined that the music would be more beautiful, the sonata interesting technically, and the content not superficial. I had already sketched out some of the thematic material. In this way I began to work on the F minor Sonata No. 2, in three movements, and wrote a good deal of it in a very short time.

It proved to be a more mature work than my other compositions of that period, and for several years it towered above them as a solid opus. Later I discarded the second and third movements, then reworking the first and made it into Sonata No. 1, Opus 1. But alongside my serious numbered works, this was a solid opus when I fifteen, it could not hold its own among my more mature compositions” (Berman, 48).

Prokofiev also referred to his First Sonata as a naïve, simple little piece. Though,there aren’t any pedal markings found in the printed score, the musical language of Prokofiev’s First Sonata is traditionally Romantic in style. Scholars such as Delson often compare Prokofiev’s First Sonata to the music of Medtner, Rachmaninov and early Scriabin.

Thematic Material

The thematic material of Prokofiev’s First Sonata, are all related to each other. The themes are all based on ascending and descending tetrachords. These tetrachords bring a feeling of unity to Prokofiev’s First Sonata. This Piece also features powerful chords that add gravity to an already volatile mood.

Piano Sonata No. 2, Opus 14

Prokofiev’s Second Sonata in d minor, Opus fourteen was composed in 1912. Prokofiev first performed his Second Piano Sonata on February fifth, 1914, in Moscow. Prokofiev dedicated his Second Sonata to his schoolmate Maximilian Schmidthf, who committed suicide while they were attending St. Petersburg Conservatory. Prokofiev and Schmidthf were close friends.

Only a few years separate Prokofiev’s Second Sonata from his First. During this time Prokofiev made further efforts to define his musical voice by writing several works, including Suggestion diabolique, Opus Four, Number Four, Toccata Opus Eleven, and the Piano Concerto Number One, Opus Ten. Prokofiev’s Second Sonata features the main stylistic traits that later characterize his music.

Compared to the musically homogenous First Sonata, the Second contains a greater variety of styles. Musicologists coined the term “polypersonalia” to describe the expansive multitude of characters in Prokofiev’s Second Sonata. For example, thematically, what was treated in one measure with compassion and tenderness, a few bars later, becomes an object of mockery.

Prokofiev’s Second Sonata uses a variety of textures, with a superimposition of different themes layered on top of one another. The Second Sonata also contains a great deal of unexpected dissonances.

Prokofiev’s Third Sonata in a minor, Opus Twenty Eight, was composed in 1917 (first version 1907). The Third Sonata was first performed by Prokofiev on April fifteenth, 1918 in Petrograd. This one movement sonata is the shortest of Prokofiev’s sonatas. It is the most carefully crafted sonatas of all of his early works.

The Third Sonata originated during his early days in the conservatory, and was extensively revised to arrive at its final form. The Third Sonata encompasses an energy that propels it toward a sarcastic and ironic image.

Prokofiev’s Third Sonata uses several short motives as its building blocks. These three note motives are related through their pitch and interval relationships. Because of the motives’ brevity, they are utilized in almost every episode of Prokofiev’s Third Sonata. Another unifying aspect of this piece is its rhythmic organization, which is a motoric drive of triplets against a dotted rhythm and its more placid variation.

For more information on Prokofiev, please visit the first article in this series, Prokofiev: a Guide for the Listener and Performer.

Prokofiev’s Piano Sonatas: A Guide for the Listener and the Performer. By Boris Berman. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2008

The copyright of the article Prokofiev's Piano Sonatas: Nos. 1 thru 3 in Classical Music is owned by Jacqueline Banks. Permission to republish Prokofiev's Piano Sonatas: Nos. 1 thru 3 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.