After his training as a concert pianist at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, Sergei Prokofiev played this single-movement concerto for his final examination. The concerto opens with a grandiose theme that unifies the entire work. Four contrasting sections are fashioned into a three-part sonata design, climaxing in a brilliant solo cadenza. Impressed with the young composer's unique style, the judges awarded Prokofiev the coveted Rubinstein prize.
This early work exhibits all the characteristics of Prokofiev's later achievements, including memorable melodies, propulsive rhythms, and an impish sense of humor. Reprinted from an authoritative source, this affordable, large-format volume is suitable for use by conductors, students, pianists, and all admirers of the twentieth-century master.