Alexander Nevsky (Prokofiev)
Encyclopedia
Alexander Nevsky is the score
for the 1938 Sergei Eisenstein
film Alexander Nevsky
, composed by Sergei Prokofiev
. He later rearranged
the music in the form of a cantata
for mezzo-soprano
, chorus
, and orchestra
. It has remained one of the most renowned cantatas of the 20th century.
(1934) and Pique Dame (1936). It was composed of 21 sections, and Prokofiev was heavily involved not just with the composition, but with the recording as well. He experimented with different microphone
distances in order to achieve the desired sound. Horns meant to represent the Teutonic Knights
, for instance, were played close enough to the microphones to produce a crackling, distorted
sound. The brass
and choral groups were recorded in different studios and the separate pieces were later mixed
.
Prokofiev employed different sections of the orchestra, as well as different compositional styles, to evoke the necessary imagery. For instance, the Teutonic Knights (seen as the adversary) are represented by heavy brass instruments, playing discordant
notes in a martial
style. The sympathetic Russian forces are represented by more folk
-like arrangements, played with more consonance.
In 1993, the first complete recording of the original film score was made for a new edition of the film, in which Prokofiev's score was entirely re-recorded in hi-fi digital
stereo by the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra
and Chorus conducted by Yuri Temirkanov
. While the new version of the film was released in 1995, the score was recorded on March 16 and 17, 1993 in Philharmonic Hall, St. Petersburg and released on the RCA Victor and RCA Victor Red Seal labels (ISBN 09026-61926-2).
) debuted in Moscow
on May 17, 1939. It was performed under the direction of Prokofiev, and like the film score was well-received by the public. The U.S. premiere was conducted by Leopold Stokowski
in 1943. It is performed in seven movements
, lasting approximately 40 minutes. It is sung in Russian
, but Prokofiev utilized Latin
for the third and fifth movements.
s, piccolo
, 2 oboe
s, English horn
, 2 clarinet
s, bass clarinet
, tenor saxophone
, 2 bassoon
s, contrabassoon
, 4 horns
, 3 trumpet
s, 3 trombone
s, tuba
, timpani
, snare drum
, bass drum
, cymbal
s, tambourine
, maracas, wood blocks, triangle
, tubular bell
s, tamtam
, glockenspiel
, xylophone
, harp
, strings, and chorus
.
texts chosen by Igor Stravinsky
for his 1930 Symphony of Psalms
. An explanation for this choice may be found in the life-long rivalry between the two Russian composers, specifically in the younger man (Prokofiev's) dismissal of Stravinsky's idiom as backward-looking "pseudo-Bachism", and his disdain for Stravinsky's choice to remain in western Europe, in contrast to Prokofiev's own return to Stalinist Russia in 1935. As has been observed by Dr Morag G. Kerr, then a soprano with the BBC Symphony Chorus
, he may have felt a temptation to put the words of his long-time rival into the mouths of the one-dimensional Teutonic villains of Eisenstein's film.
The suggestion is implicitly accepted by the BBC: "Even their words are gibberish, with Prokofiev mischievously creating them by chopping up Latin words from Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms and then randomly stringing them together".
The Latin Peregrinus phrase Prokofiev concocted ends with' est' which is not found in Symphony of Psalms, but possibly is a pun on the first letters of Stravinsky's surname in Latin (Prokofiev enjoyed such games). Dr Kerr's observation is acknowledged as the first in print, and is accepted and developed.
, and a live stereo version once released on the Music & Arts label, conducted by Leopold Stokowski.
Film score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film, forming part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects...
for the 1938 Sergei Eisenstein
Sergei Eisenstein
Sergei Mikhailovich Eisenstein , né Eizenshtein, was a pioneering Soviet Russian film director and film theorist, often considered to be the "Father of Montage"...
film Alexander Nevsky
Alexander Nevsky (film)
Alexander Nevsky is a 1938 historical drama film directed by Sergei Eisenstein, in association with Dmitri Vasilyev and a script co-written with Pyotr Pavlenko, who were assigned to ensure Eisenstein did not stray into "formalism" and to facilitate shooting on a reasonable timetable...
, composed by Sergei Prokofiev
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...
. He later rearranged
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
the music in the form of a cantata
Cantata
A cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir....
for mezzo-soprano
Mezzo-soprano
A mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above...
, chorus
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
, and orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
. It has remained one of the most renowned cantatas of the 20th century.
Alexander Nevsky (film music)
The score was Prokofiev's third for a film, following Lieutenant KijéLieutenant Kijé (Prokofiev)
Lieutenant Kijé is the score composed by Sergei Prokofiev for the 1934 Soviet film Lieutenant Kijé directed by Aleksandr Faintsimmer based on the novel of the same title by Yury Tynyanov.-Suite from Lieutenant Kijé:...
(1934) and Pique Dame (1936). It was composed of 21 sections, and Prokofiev was heavily involved not just with the composition, but with the recording as well. He experimented with different microphone
Microphone
A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
distances in order to achieve the desired sound. Horns meant to represent the Teutonic Knights
Teutonic Knights
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem , commonly the Teutonic Order , is a German medieval military order, in modern times a purely religious Catholic order...
, for instance, were played close enough to the microphones to produce a crackling, distorted
Distortion
A distortion is the alteration of the original shape of an object, image, sound, waveform or other form of information or representation. Distortion is usually unwanted, and often many methods are employed to minimize it in practice...
sound. The brass
Brass instrument
A brass instrument is a musical instrument whose sound is produced by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips...
and choral groups were recorded in different studios and the separate pieces were later mixed
Audio mixing (recorded music)
In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
.
Prokofiev employed different sections of the orchestra, as well as different compositional styles, to evoke the necessary imagery. For instance, the Teutonic Knights (seen as the adversary) are represented by heavy brass instruments, playing discordant
Consonance and dissonance
In music, a consonance is a harmony, chord, or interval considered stable, as opposed to a dissonance , which is considered to be unstable...
notes in a martial
Martial (disambiguation)
Martial refers to anything connected with war or combat.Martial may also refer to:-People:* Martial, 1st century Roman poet* Saint Martial, 3rd century bishop of Limoges* Quintus Gargilius Martialis, Roman writer on horticulture-Other uses:...
style. The sympathetic Russian forces are represented by more folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
-like arrangements, played with more consonance.
In 1993, the first complete recording of the original film score was made for a new edition of the film, in which Prokofiev's score was entirely re-recorded in hi-fi digital
Digital
A digital system is a data technology that uses discrete values. By contrast, non-digital systems use a continuous range of values to represent information...
stereo by the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra
St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra
The Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra was formed in 1882 and is Russia's oldest symphony orchestra.It was initially known as the "Imperial Music Choir" and performed privately for the court of Alexander III of Russia. By the 1900s it had started to give public performances at the...
and Chorus conducted by Yuri Temirkanov
Yuri Temirkanov
Yuri Khatuevich Temirkanov is a Russian conductor of Circassian origin.Yuri Temirkanov has been the Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic since 1988.-Early life:...
. While the new version of the film was released in 1995, the score was recorded on March 16 and 17, 1993 in Philharmonic Hall, St. Petersburg and released on the RCA Victor and RCA Victor Red Seal labels (ISBN 09026-61926-2).
Movements
- Prelude
- The 13th Century
- Plescheyevo Lake (Song about Alexander NevskyAlexander NevskyAlexander Nevsky was the Prince of Novgorod and Grand Prince of Vladimir during some of the most trying times in the city's history. Commonly regarded as the key figure of medieval Rus, Alexander was the grandson of Vsevolod the Big Nest and rose to legendary status on account of his military...
) - PskovPskovPskov is an ancient city and the administrative center of Pskov Oblast, Russia, located in the northwest of Russia about east from the Estonian border, on the Velikaya River. Population: -Early history:...
in Flames - "Death to the Blasphemer!" (Peregrinus expectavi)
- Arise, Russian people!Arise, Russian people!"Arise, Russian people!" - patriotic song from the great Soviet film "Alexander Nevsky" directed by Sergei Eisenstein. The composer is Sergei Prokofiev, author of the words is Vladimir Lugovskoy...
- The Teutonic Camp (Peregrinus expectavi)
- Nevsky's Camp: Night before the Battle
- April 5, 1242 (Peregrinus expectavi)
- Fight for Russia!
- Spears and Arrows (Peregrinus expectavi)
- The Duel with the Grand Master
- The Battle is Won
- The Ice Breaks
- The Field of the Dead
- Pskov: Procession of the Fallen and Judgement of the Prisoners
- "And now let's celebrate!"
- Final Chorus
Alexander Nevsky (cantata)
The cantata for Alexander Nevsky (Op. 78Opus number
An Opus number , pl. opera and opuses, abbreviated, sing. Op. and pl. Opp. refers to a number generally assigned by composers to an individual composition or set of compositions on publication, to help identify their works...
) debuted in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
on May 17, 1939. It was performed under the direction of Prokofiev, and like the film score was well-received by the public. The U.S. premiere was conducted by Leopold Stokowski
Leopold Stokowski
Leopold Anthony Stokowski was a British-born, naturalised American orchestral conductor, well known for his free-hand performing style that spurned the traditional baton and for obtaining a characteristically sumptuous sound from many of the great orchestras he conducted.In America, Stokowski...
in 1943. It is performed in seven movements
Movement (music)
A movement is a self-contained part of a musical composition or musical form. While individual or selected movements from a composition are sometimes performed separately, a performance of the complete work requires all the movements to be performed in succession...
, lasting approximately 40 minutes. It is sung in Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
, but Prokofiev utilized Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
for the third and fifth movements.
Movements
- "Russia under the MongolianMongol EmpireThe Mongol Empire , initially named as Greater Mongol State was a great empire during the 13th and 14th centuries...
Yoke" - The opening movement begins slowly, and in C minorC minorC minor is a minor scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. The harmonic minor raises the B to B. Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with naturals and accidentals as necessary.Its key signature consists of three flats...
. It is meant to evoke an image of destruction, as brought to Russia by the invading Mongols. - "Song about Alexander NevskyAlexander NevskyAlexander Nevsky was the Prince of Novgorod and Grand Prince of Vladimir during some of the most trying times in the city's history. Commonly regarded as the key figure of medieval Rus, Alexander was the grandson of Vsevolod the Big Nest and rose to legendary status on account of his military...
" - This movement (B flat) represents Prince Alexander Yaroslavich's victory over the SwedishSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
army at the Battle of the NevaBattle of the NevaThe Battle of the Neva was fought between the Novgorod Republic and Swedish armies on the Neva River, near the settlement of Ust-Izhora, on July 15, 1240...
in 1240. Alexander received the name 'Nevsky' (a form of Neva) in tribute. - "The Crusaders in PskovPskovPskov is an ancient city and the administrative center of Pskov Oblast, Russia, located in the northwest of Russia about east from the Estonian border, on the Velikaya River. Population: -Early history:...
" - For this movement (C-sharp minor), Prokofiev's initial intention was to use genuine 13th century church music; however, the examples he found in the Moscow Conservatoire sounded so cold, dull and alien to the 20th century ear that he abandoned the idea and instead composed an original theme "better suited to our modern conception" to evoke the brutality of the Teutonic KnightsTeutonic KnightsThe Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem , commonly the Teutonic Order , is a German medieval military order, in modern times a purely religious Catholic order...
. - "Arise, ye Russian People" - This movement (E flat) represents a call to arms for the people of Russia. It is composed with folk overtones.
- "The Battle on the IceBattle of the IceThe Battle of the Ice , also known as the Battle of Lake Peipus , was a battle between the Republic of Novgorod and the Livonian branch of the Teutonic Knights on April 5, 1242, at Lake Peipus...
" - The fifth (and longest) movement is arguably the climax of the cantata. It represents the final clash between Nevsky's forces and the Teutonic Knights on the frozen surface of Lake PeipusLake PeipusLake Peipus, ) is the biggest transboundary lake in Europe on the border between Estonia and Russia.The lake is the fifth largest in Europe after Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega in Russia north of St...
in 1242. The serene beginning (representing dawn on the day of battle) is contrasted by the jarring middle section, which is cacophonous in style. - "The Field of the Dead" - Composed in C minor, the sixth movement is the lamentLamentA lament or lamentation is a song, poem, or piece of music expressing grief, regret, or mourning.-History:Many of the oldest and most lasting poems in human history have been laments. Laments are present in both the Iliad and the Odyssey, and laments continued to be sung in elegiacs accompanied by...
of a girl seeking her lost lover, as well as kissing the eyelids of all the dead. The vocal solo is performed by a mezzo-soprano. - "Alexander's Entry into Pskov" - The seventh and final movement (B flat) echoes the second movement in parts, and recalls Alexander's triumphant return to Pskov.
Orchestration
The work is scored for 2 fluteFlute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
s, piccolo
Piccolo
The piccolo is a half-size flute, and a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments. The piccolo has the same fingerings as its larger sibling, the standard transverse flute, but the sound it produces is an octave higher than written...
, 2 oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
s, English horn
Cor anglais
The cor anglais , or English horn , is a double-reed woodwind instrument in the oboe family....
, 2 clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
s, bass clarinet
Bass clarinet
The bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common soprano B clarinet, it is usually pitched in B , but it plays notes an octave below the soprano B clarinet...
, tenor saxophone
Tenor saxophone
The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
, 2 bassoon
Bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
s, contrabassoon
Contrabassoon
The contrabassoon, also known as the double bassoon or double-bassoon, is a larger version of the bassoon, sounding an octave lower...
, 4 horns
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
, 3 trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
s, 3 trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
s, tuba
Tuba
The tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the...
, timpani
Timpani
Timpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick called a timpani stick or timpani mallet...
, snare drum
Snare drum
The snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom...
, bass drum
Bass drum
Bass drums are percussion instruments that can vary in size and are used in several musical genres. Three major types of bass drums can be distinguished. The type usually seen or heard in orchestral, ensemble or concert band music is the orchestral, or concert bass drum . It is the largest drum of...
, cymbal
Cymbal
Cymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
s, tambourine
Tambourine
The tambourine or marine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zils". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though some variants may not have a head at all....
, maracas, wood blocks, triangle
Triangle (instrument)
The triangle is an idiophone type of musical instrument in the percussion family. It is a bar of metal, usually steel but sometimes other metals like beryllium copper, bent into a triangle shape. The instrument is usually held by a loop of some form of thread or wire at the top curve...
, tubular bell
Tubular bell
Tubular bells are musical instruments in the percussion family. Each bell is a metal tube, 30–38 mm in diameter, tuned by altering its length. Its standard range is from C4-F5, though many professional instruments reach G5 . Tubular bells are often replaced by studio chimes, which are a smaller...
s, tamtam
Gong
A gong is an East and South East Asian musical percussion instrument that takes the form of a flat metal disc which is hit with a mallet....
, glockenspiel
Glockenspiel
A glockenspiel is a percussion instrument composed of a set of tuned keys arranged in the fashion of the keyboard of a piano. In this way, it is similar to the xylophone; however, the xylophone's bars are made of wood, while the glockenspiel's are metal plates or tubes, and making it a metallophone...
, xylophone
Xylophone
The xylophone is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets...
, harp
Harp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
, strings, and chorus
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
.
Analysis
The Latin words chanted by the Teutonic knights—"Peregrinus expectavi, pedes meos in cymbalis (A pilgrim – I waited – my feet – upon the cymbals)"—seem at first sight to be meaningless. Prokofiev himself referred to the knights as "sing[ing] Catholic psalms, as they march into battle". The words are indeed from the Psalms, specifically from the VulgateVulgate
The Vulgate is a late 4th-century Latin translation of the Bible. It was largely the work of St. Jerome, who was commissioned by Pope Damasus I in 382 to make a revision of the old Latin translations...
texts chosen by Igor Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
for his 1930 Symphony of Psalms
Symphony of Psalms
The Symphony of Psalms by Igor Stravinsky was written in 1930 and was commissioned by Serge Koussevitzky to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. This piece is a three-movement choral symphony and was composed during Stravinsky's neoclassical period. The symphony derives...
. An explanation for this choice may be found in the life-long rivalry between the two Russian composers, specifically in the younger man (Prokofiev's) dismissal of Stravinsky's idiom as backward-looking "pseudo-Bachism", and his disdain for Stravinsky's choice to remain in western Europe, in contrast to Prokofiev's own return to Stalinist Russia in 1935. As has been observed by Dr Morag G. Kerr, then a soprano with the BBC Symphony Chorus
BBC Symphony Chorus
The BBC Symphony Chorus is a British amateur chorus based in London. It is the dedicated chorus for the BBC Symphony Orchestra, though it performs with other national and international orchestras....
, he may have felt a temptation to put the words of his long-time rival into the mouths of the one-dimensional Teutonic villains of Eisenstein's film.
The suggestion is implicitly accepted by the BBC: "Even their words are gibberish, with Prokofiev mischievously creating them by chopping up Latin words from Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms and then randomly stringing them together".
The Latin Peregrinus phrase Prokofiev concocted ends with
Premiere
17 May 1939, Moscow. Valentina Gagrina (mezzo-soprano), Sergei Prokofiev (cond), Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus.Recordings
There are many other recordings of the cantata, including a version in English conducted by Fritz ReinerFritz Reiner
Frederick Martin “Fritz” Reiner was a prominent conductor of opera and symphonic music in the twentieth century.-Biography:...
, and a live stereo version once released on the Music & Arts label, conducted by Leopold Stokowski.
External links
- Article from Three Oranges, the Journal of the Sergei Prokofiev Foundation, on the radio version of the Nevsky soundtrack.