Sergei Prokofiev Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev; alternative transliterations of his name include ''Sergey'' or ''Serge'', and ''Prokofief'', ''Prokofieff'', or ''Prokofyev''., group=n (27 April .S. 15 April1891 – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer, ...

's Piano Sonata No. 6 in A major, Op. 82 (1940) is a sonata for solo piano, the first of the Three War Sonatas. The sonata was first performed on 8 April 1940, in

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 millio ...

, with the composer at the piano.

Movements

#''Allegro moderato'' (in A major) #''Allegretto'' (in E major) #''Tempo di valzer lentissimo'' (in C major) #''Vivace'' (in A minor, ending in A major)

1. Allegro moderato

The first movement introduces the main

motto A motto (derived from the Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organisation. Mot ...

, where the melody is played in minor thirds and parallel major thirds. This makes the movement tonally unstable, since both A major and A minor are established. Also, the motto is accompanied by a rising and falling augmented 4th between notes A and D#, creating sharp dissonances. Thus, it already introduces the uncertainty of the work. The greater part of it is dominated by grinding dissonances and frequent modulation, further increasing the despair of the work. Throughout most of the piece, there is a lack of key signature.

2. Allegretto

The second movement has been described as having a

march March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the second of seven months to have a length of 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of March ...

-like sound with staccato chords. There is also a very bouncy, humorous, and jaunty character to the outer sections of the piece. The middle section is more melodic and a little more pensive and mysterious.

3. Tempo di valzer lentissimo

The third movement is similar to a

waltz The waltz ( ), meaning "to roll or revolve") is a ballroom and folk dance, normally in triple ( time), performed primarily in closed position. History There are many references to a sliding or gliding dance that would evolve into the w ...

, slower and romantic in the outer sections, but with an stormy, bell-like middle section.

4. Vivace

The closing movement is a headlong

rondo The rondo is an instrumental musical form introduced in the Classical period. Etymology The English word ''rondo'' comes from the Italian form of the French ''rondeau'', which means "a little round". Despite the common etymological root, rondo ...

. The middle section recalls the opening motto from the first movement, albeit with the first note missing. In the extremely virtuosic coda, the motto, transformed and abbreviated, is hammered out violently amid swirls of harried notes, and then played in full in rapid, stammering descending chords, as if to proclaim a most Pyrrhic victory.

References

External links

Prokofiev's Sonata No. 6 on Classical Connect.
*
Video - Prokofiev Piano Sonata No 6 - Complete (30:34).
{{Authority control Compositions by Sergei Prokofiev Piano sonatas by Sergei Prokofiev 20th-century classical music 1940 compositions Compositions in A major Piano compositions in the 20th century