Violin Concerto No. 2 (Prokofiev)
Encyclopedia
The Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op.
63, written in 1935 by Sergei Prokofiev
, is a work in three movement
s:
It premiered on 1 December 1935 in Madrid
with the French violinist Robert Soetens
and the Madrid Symphony Orchestra
conducted by Enrique Fernández Arbós
. Prokofiev wrote it after the first performance of his Sonata for Two Violins, by Soetens and Samuel Dushkin
, which pleased him greatly. Dushkin had just recently had a concerto written for him, by Igor Stravinsky
, so Prokofiev did the same for Soetens. Prokofiev was on a concert tour with Robert Soetens while he was working on the concerto, and later wrote, "The number of places in which I wrote the Concerto shows the kind of nomadic concert-tour life I led then. The main theme of the 1st movement was written in Paris
, the first theme of the 2nd movement at Voronezh
, the orchestration was finished in Baku
and the premiere was given in Madrid."
The Spanish had liked the premiere so much that they sent a delegation of musicians to thank Prokofiev afterwards.
The first two British performances of the concerto were again with Robert Soetens: in 1936 under Sir Henry J. Wood, and in 1938, under the composer. Soetens played the work many times, all over the world, concluding with the premiere performance in South Africa
in 1972, when he was aged 75 (he continued appearing in public until age 95, and died in 1997, aged 100).
The concerto is more conventional than the composer's early bold compositions. It starts off with a simple violin melody related to traditional Russian folk music. The graceful violin melody flows throughout the entire second movement, ends with the initial violin theme reappears in solo cello, accompanied by solo violin. The third movement rondo
's theme has a taste of Spain, with the clacking of castanets each time the theme appears.
Opus 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...
63, written in 1935 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...
, is a work in three movement
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...
s:
- Allegro moderato
- Andante assai
- Allegro, ben marcato
It premiered on 1 December 1935 in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
with the French violinist Robert Soetens
Robert Soetens
Robert Soetens was a French violinist, remembered particularly for premiering the Violin Concerto No. 2 of Sergei Prokofiev in 1935.-Biography:...
and the Madrid Symphony Orchestra
Madrid Symphony Orchestra
The Madrid Symphony Orchestra , founded in 1903, is the oldest existing Spanish symphony orchestra not linked to an opera house in Spain.-History:...
conducted by Enrique Fernández Arbós
Enrique Fernandez Arbos
Enrique Fernández Arbós was a Spanish violinist, composer and conductor who divided much of his career between Madrid and London. He originally made his name as a virtuoso violinist and later as one of Spain’s greatest conductors.Fernández Arbós was born in Madrid...
. Prokofiev wrote it after the first performance of his Sonata for Two Violins, by Soetens and Samuel Dushkin
Samuel Dushkin
Samuel Dushkin was an American violinist of Polish birth.Dushkin was born in Suwałki, Poland. He studied at the Conservatoire de Paris as well as with Leopold Auer in New York City and Fritz Kreisler...
, which pleased him greatly. Dushkin had just recently had a concerto written for him, 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....
, so Prokofiev did the same for Soetens. Prokofiev was on a concert tour with Robert Soetens while he was working on the concerto, and later wrote, "The number of places in which I wrote the Concerto shows the kind of nomadic concert-tour life I led then. The main theme of the 1st movement was written in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, the first theme of the 2nd movement at Voronezh
Voronezh
Voronezh is a city in southwestern Russia, the administrative center of Voronezh Oblast. It is located on both sides of the Voronezh River, away from where it flows into the Don. It is an operating center of the Southeastern Railway , as well as the center of the Don Highway...
, the orchestration was finished in Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
and the premiere was given in Madrid."
The Spanish had liked the premiere so much that they sent a delegation of musicians to thank Prokofiev afterwards.
The first two British performances of the concerto were again with Robert Soetens: in 1936 under Sir Henry J. Wood, and in 1938, under the composer. Soetens played the work many times, all over the world, concluding with the premiere performance in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
in 1972, when he was aged 75 (he continued appearing in public until age 95, and died in 1997, aged 100).
The concerto is more conventional than the composer's early bold compositions. It starts off with a simple violin melody related to traditional Russian folk music. The graceful violin melody flows throughout the entire second movement, ends with the initial violin theme reappears in solo cello, accompanied by solo violin. The third movement rondo
Rondo
Rondo, and its French equivalent rondeau, is a word that has been used in music in a number of ways, most often in reference to a musical form, but also to a character-type that is distinct from the form...
's theme has a taste of Spain, with the clacking of castanets each time the theme appears.