Prokofiev: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 6

Featuring

Pietari Inkinen
Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern
Sergei Prokofiev

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Performer Biography

Pietari Inkinen, the chief conductor of the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, will conduct a new production of Wagner's Ring Cycle at the Bayreuth Festival in summer 2020.

Historical Context

Following the denunciation of his Symphony No. 6 by Soviet authorities in 1948, Prokofiev faced financial difficulties and did not compose another work comparable to it before his death.

Composition History

Prokofiev's Symphony No. 3 originated from his opera "The Fiery Angel", which suffered a "miserable failure" in its operatic career.

Compositional Technique

Prokofiev's Symphony No. 3 uses themes and entire sections from his opera "The Fiery Angel", but he rearranged the material into new configurations for the symphony.

Composer Biography

Prokofiev composed parts of his Symphony No. 6 while ill and confined to bed, after suffering a concussion in spring 1945 from which he never fully recovered.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Prokofiev characterized his Symphony No. 6 as a musical reflection on the losses sustained during World War II, stating that "every single one of us has wounds that have not healed."

Critical Reception

Prokofiev's Symphony No. 6 was initially praised by critics, but within weeks, it was denounced as "formalistic" by Soviet authorities and removed from concert programs.