Prokofiev wrote a set of variations for piano in 1913, and
over the years continued to expand on it until it took form as his 3rd
piano concerto in 1921. The work is now one of Prokofiev’s most popular, but
that wasn’t the case after its premiere. It took a few years for the concerto
to develop in popularity until it became one of the mainstays of piano concerto
literature in general, and one of the best concertos of the 20th century.
I.
Andante - Allegro - The work begins with a soft rendition of a theme, first
by a solo clarinet that is joined by another. The orchestra takes up the theme,
but briskly whisks it away as it builds in speed and volume. The soloist enters
with a different theme, and this builds to a climax, after which the soloist
plays a short cadenza that fades away as another theme is played by the winds
accompanied by the strings and the clicking of castanets.
The piano and orchestra comment on some of the material
heard until the orchestra takes up the opening clarinet theme. The soloist plays
an expansive variant of the theme. After tremolo strings softly play in
accompaniment to the piano, the piano descends in a delicate figure that ends
with the orchestra beginning to chug out the opening of the fat-paced material
heard in the beginning, and orchestra and soloist rapidly bring the themes back
from the exposition. The whirlwind of
piano and orchestra returns one more time and brings the movement to a close
with a bang.
II. Tema con variazioni - The theme is played by flute and clarinet,
and is followed by 5 variations:
1.
The piano broadens the theme and is joined by the
orchestra that repeats the theme, as the soloist plays high in the treble.
2.
A trumpet plays the theme as soloist and orchestra play a
rapid accompaniment.
3.
The theme is barely recognizable as it is torn asunder by
the soloist as the orchestra tried to get things back on track, but not for
long.
4.
The theme has transformed to an ethereal dream as the
orchestra and soloist slowly unwind the mystery.
5. The music quickens as orchestra and soloist pound out
parts of the theme, as it builds to a climax that quickly dissolves into a more
recognizable appearance of the theme. A coda helps the music wind down further,
until a low E minor chord ends the movement.
III. Allegro ma non troppo - Bassoons and pizzicato
strings play the A minor first theme while the soloist interrupts periodically
with a theme of its own. These two themes are developed until the tempo and
dynamics slacken with the second theme in C-sharp minor. The piano interrupts
this theme as well with another of its own before the C-sharp minor theme returns
with the mood taking a late Romantic turn as it is developed. Shifting
harmonies change the theme as the soloist plays rippling scales. A climax is
reached, and the quiet return of the first theme begins.
The soloist’s part becomes a virtuosic tour deforce as the
pace is quicked, along with very difficult maneuvers such as double-note
glissandos for each hand. Prokofiev’s piano technique must have beene
impressive, for he premiered the work in Chicago in 1921 as soloist. The piano and orchestra continue to battle
each other until the final C major chord.
Near the end of the last movement, there is a short passage where the pianist plays arpeggios on the white notes, striking two keys each time a finger lands. That is, the pianist plays in the cracks between the keys in order to play two notes with every finger-touch. The arpeggios are very rapid, and the effect (when the pianist does not fake it) is quite original.
ReplyDeleteI heard an interview with a virtuoso pianist on the radio. The interviewer asked him if it was difficult to play between the keys. "Not at all," he said. "I do it by accident all the time."
The famous pianist and pedagogue Heinrich Neuhaus described Prokofiev's technique as 'truly phenomenal, impeccable...' With Prokofiev's 3rd concerto it is hard to think of any piano concerto with more original piano writing. The playing on the cracks near the end is one example but how about the the overlapping black/white note triplet chords on the final pages, or the hand crossing 'hit one black note at the top and then at the bottom in the first movement'. Many 20th century composers merely take Chopin or Liszt techniques or hit random clusters of notes in an attempt to be original. Prokofiev re-thought piano writing, harmony and orchestration on his own terms. Prokofiev's 3rd concerto was compiled over 10 years, which accounts for it's wealth of amazing ideas and inspiration.
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