Prokofiev's Five Melodies, Op. 35bis, were originally composed for the great Russian soprano Nina Koshetz, but he believed the violin transcription was 'better than it did for solo voice'.
Composition History
The Second Violin Concerto, Op. 63, has cosmopolitan roots, with its main subject invented in Paris, the Andante assai beginning in Voronezh, orchestration started in Baku, and the premiere in Madrid.
Composition History
The Sonata for Two Violins, Op. 56, was written for the Parisian chamber music society Triton, where Prokofiev served on the committee alongside composers like Poulenc, Honegger, and Milhaud.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Prokofiev enjoyed the challenge of unusual instrument combinations and aimed to make his Sonata for Two Violins interesting enough for audiences to listen for 10-15 minutes without fatigue.
Composer Biography
Sergey Prokofiev's works for violin were inspired by five violinists, including Jozef Szigeti and David Oistrakh, who inspired several later masterpieces.
Composition History
The First Violin Concerto's premiere in Paris in 1923 featured Marcel Darrieux, the 18-year-old leader of Serge Koussevitzky's orchestra, as soloist, whom Prokofiev described as a 'poor violinist'.
Composition History
Prokofiev began his First Violin Concerto in 1913, initially as a 'Concertino for Violin' with a 'beautiful, tender theme'.
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Prokofiev: Complete Violin Works. Violin Concertos, Violin Sonatas, Sonata for Solo Violin, Sonata for 2 Violins
