Violin Sonata No. 2 (Prokofiev)
Encyclopedia
Sergei Prokofiev
's Violin Sonata No. 2 in D Major, Op. 94 bis, was based on the composer's own Flute Sonata in D
, Op. 94, written in 1942 but arranged for violin in 1943 when Prokofiev was living in Perm
in the Ural Mountains
, a remote shelter for Soviet artists during the Secord World War
. Prokofiev transformed the work into a violin sonata at the prompting of his close friend violinist David Oistrakh
. It was premiered on 17 June 1944 by David Oistrakh
and Lev Oborin
.
The work is about 23 minutes long and consists of four movements:
The work is highly classical in design: it opens with a sonata movement which is followed by a scherzo
, a slow movement, and a triumphant finale. The violin part is replete with virtuosic display but is also highly lyrical and elegant, evidence of the work's inception as a sonata for flute.
Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor who mastered numerous musical genres and is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century...
's Violin Sonata No. 2 in D Major, Op. 94 bis, was based on the composer's own Flute Sonata in D
Flute Sonata (Prokofiev)
The Flute Sonata in D, Op. 94, was written in 1942-3 by Sergei Prokofiev. It was later transcribed for violin, by the composer with the help of violinist David Oistrakh, as Op. 94a. There are four movements:*I. Moderato*II. Scherzo: Presto*III. Andante...
, Op. 94, written in 1942 but arranged for violin in 1943 when Prokofiev was living in Perm
Perm
Perm is a city and the administrative center of Perm Krai, Russia, located on the banks of the Kama River, in the European part of Russia near the Ural Mountains. From 1940 to 1957 it was named Molotov ....
in the Ural Mountains
Ural Mountains
The Ural Mountains , or simply the Urals, are a mountain range that runs approximately from north to south through western Russia, from the coast of the Arctic Ocean to the Ural River and northwestern Kazakhstan. Their eastern side is usually considered the natural boundary between Europe and Asia...
, a remote shelter for Soviet artists during the Secord World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Prokofiev transformed the work into a violin sonata at the prompting of his close friend violinist David Oistrakh
David Oistrakh
David Fyodorovich Oistrakh , , David Fiodorović Ojstrakh, ; – October 24, 1974, was a Soviet violinist....
. It was premiered on 17 June 1944 by David Oistrakh
David Oistrakh
David Fyodorovich Oistrakh , , David Fiodorović Ojstrakh, ; – October 24, 1974, was a Soviet violinist....
and Lev Oborin
Lev Oborin
Lev Nikolayevich Oborin was a Russian pianist. He was the winner of the first International Chopin Piano Competition in 1927.The family moved a lot during his early childhood. When they settled down in Moscow in 1914, he was sent to music school. He studied with Yelena Gnessin, a pupil of...
.
The work is about 23 minutes long and consists of four movements:
- Moderato
- Presto - Poco meno mosso - Tempo I
- Andante
- Allegro con brio - Poco meno mosso - Tempo I - Poco meno mosso - Allegro con brio
The work is highly classical in design: it opens with a sonata movement which is followed by a scherzo
Scherzo
A scherzo is a piece of music, often a movement from a larger piece such as a symphony or a sonata. The scherzo's precise definition has varied over the years, but it often refers to a movement which replaces the minuet as the third movement in a four-movement work, such as a symphony, sonata, or...
, a slow movement, and a triumphant finale. The violin part is replete with virtuosic display but is also highly lyrical and elegant, evidence of the work's inception as a sonata for flute.