Using ideas from a few years prior, Sergei Prokofiev completed the 3rd piano concerto in the summer of 1921 while he was living in Brittany, France. Many of these sketches were first written in 1911, while other themes were written in 1916. The second movement was written in 1913. During this time period, he wrote an opera called The Gambler in 1915-17, First Symphony (D Major) in 1916-17, and shortly after he started the 3rd concerto, he wrote the 3rd and 4th piano sonatas in 1917, as well as many arrangements for The Love for Three Oranges (opera, orchestral suite, and for solo piano) in 1919. A few years after the concerto was premiered, he wrote the 5th piano sonata, Quintet in G Minor, and Symphony No. 2. In the premiere, the solo part was played by the composer himself in December 1921 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO), conducted by Frederick Stock. Stock was a German composer and conductor but was most known for his long tenure as music director of CSO. The first performance given in the Soviet Union was in March 1925 by pianist Samuil Feinberg and conductor Konstantin Saradzhev.
The concerto is in a standard three movement concerto form which the movements are in fast-slow-fast tempi. The instrumentation for this piece are woodwinds (2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons), brass (4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones), percussion (timpani, bass drum, cymbals, castanets, tambourine), and strings (violins, violas, cellos, double bass). It’s quite interesting to see the orchestra Prokofiev uses compared to the chamber orchestras that Mozart used which makes it feel like playing chamber music with friends. In Prokofiev, the pianist is against the orchestra (1 person vs 70-80 people). I feel that this particular concerto shows off Prokofiev’s true characteristics/the way he performs – the writing is very witty and filled with approachable themes but also the soloist and orchestra is always well balanced.
In this movement, there is one theme that is played by the orchestra in the opening of the movement followed by five variations. This is the only theme and variation movement in all of Prokofiev’s piano concerti. In terms of the usage of the “Tema,” it is not directly used again in the movement however it is brought back with different rhythms, textures, and orchestration. Almost all of the figures used in the entire movement are mostly snippets from the opening theme.
Theme: Andantino – The theme is introduced by the flutes and clarinets beginning with a rising fourth (in red), followed by a dotted rhythm and chromatic descending scale (in blue) (see example 1). Eventually, these themes come back in the variations in both original and inverted forms. For example, the chromatic descending scale in thirds is used in the fourth variation, played by the solo piano (example 2). In example 3, you can see that Prokofiev uses the descending chromatic line again though this time, it is in single notes and one measure later, the solo oboe line answers in a chromatic line but in contrary motion. The red brackets in example 3 and 4 show the rising fourths used throughout the 3rd variation. Shortly before the theme comes to a close, the flutes an clarinets play the opening statement one last time before the soloist comes in.
1st Variation – L’istesso Tempo: The opening of this variation is very reminiscent of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue (written 3 years later in 1924) with the trill followed by a long scale from the piano soloist. The long scale starts right after the trill and shifts the tonality a half-step up. It is a F-sharp locrian scale if it starts from the F#. The tonality is shifted in the next 14 measures however it immediately comes back to the original key of E Minor when the orchestra joins in (one beat before Rehearsal #57). In example 5, you can see the use of fourths and chromatic elements in the piano solo. Once again, the flutes and clarinets plays the opening theme while the soloist has a ringing sound with measured trills and a few peak notes like the sound of a celeste (see example 6). Variation 1 comes to a close in a IV 6/4 – I Plagal cadence. In most recordings nowadays, you hear the pianists “end” the variation after the first pp note and immediately start the fast tempo of variation 2 for the second half of the measure as a pickup (see example 7) which I think takes away from the effect that Prokofiev had wanted. I’m sure if he wanted the last part of the measure to be in the new tempo, he could have easily started variation 2 a few beats earlier.
2nd Variation – Allegro: This is the first fast variation of the movement and shows lots of virtuosity for the pianist. The instrumentation also changes in this variation – the brass have a prominent part from the start of the variation. French horns and the second violins have a repeated figure in tritone (E-B-F) while the trumpet has a solo line (example 8). While the chaos is going on in the piano solo part with lots of chromaticism, you can hear the flutes, oboes, and both violin sections are playing the same melody that starts with a Perfect fourth (example 9). In example 10, you can see how Prokofiev weaves together the many different chromatic lines (some in quarter notes and others are in 32nd notes) as well as the main theme. You can see the use of both ascending and descending fourths in the orchestra part while the piano has very virtuosic jumps (see example 11). To end the variation, there is an accelerating ascending chromatic line from the piano solo with flutes, oboes, clarinets, and violins I/II to a fortissimo D-minor chord. Suddenly, the bassoon and low strings play a descending d minor from mezzo piano to piano bringing the variation to a close.
3rd Variation – Allegro moderato (Poco meno mosso): The meter from the opening has been in 4/4 common time until the third variation where the meters changes from simple to compound time (12/8). Officially, the variation begins in the last measure of the previous variation which causes a displacement of beats and shows angularity since the low strings (cello and double bass) begin on the downbeat of the new variation. Shown in example 12 are the combination of chromatic and fourths used in the solo part as well as in the double bass part. Towards the end of the variation, the angularity starts again however this time, the winds (flutes, oboes, clarinets) have a melody with new thematic material. The piano soloist will end with an upward arpeggio into a plagal cadence but the orchestra immediately answers with a dissonant chord and finally resolves to the home key of E Minor.
4th Variation – Andante meditativo: Given the tempo marking, this next variation is calmer and almost gives an impressionistic feel due to the constant chromatic elements used in all parts (see example 13), especially when the soloist has chromatic thirds coming down which occurs three times throughout the variation. The marking for the strings are ppp and con sordino “with mute” while the the 1st and 3rd horn are playing. The meter changes back to 4/4 but the quarter note still remains the same. In example 14a/14b, the piano has an “eerie” melody and one bar later, the clarinet solo answers the piano melody. In continuation with the eerie effect, at rehearsal 72, the strings have tremolando marked which could be played measured instead of as fast as possible. It’s quite obvious that the pedal point is the low “C” even though there isn’t a key signature written. To close, the soloist has chromatic Major 3rds coming down two octaves. At the end of the chromatic, the harmonies in the last 2 measures are quite complicated – left hand is playing an A-flat Major 6/3 chord and right hand is in E Major…and the following measure has a tritone in the left hand with A-flat in the bass and right hand is playing A minor 6/3 chord with an A-natural in the top. With no proper cadence to end, the 4th variation closes with three quarter notes (F-E-D) that lead to C as the first note of the next variation (see example 15).
5th Variation – Allegro giusto: This is in a completely different character from the previous variation in that the tempo is faster with a march, galloping-like motion with the ascending leaping 4ths while the strings is playing pizzicato without mutes and bassoon and trumpet playing staccato accented notes (see example 16). In example 17, the strings have specific bowing and f/p written in so in my own experience as the soloist, I would follow their dynamic scheme to make the effect greater. At rehearsal number 77, there’s a pedal point of “D” by both piano and orchestra. But what’s interesting is that timpani is playing in eighth notes with accent on the first note and the dynamic marking is mf/mp (see example 18). I think this helps bring out the downbeats and makes the section sound more march-like. In example 19, you can see that “Sul G” (on G-string) is marked for the first violins and I believe it’s Prokofiev’s way to make the sound a darker. I think this helps bring out the downbeats and makes the section sound more march-like. The figure repeats twice and while the piano plays with the orchestra, there are lots of non-melodic notes however at rehearsal 79, the pianist is completely in unison with the orchestra until it reaches the peak. Then, there’s a fortissimo descending chromatic bass line in the orchestra filled with lots of arpeggios in the solo piano part that leads to E Minor for the return of the Tema.
Tema – L’istesso tempo: While the orchestra has the original melody (see example 20a/20b), the soloist has staccato chords accompanying the orchestra. Since the opening theme is back again, the tempo is taken from the beginning of the movement. After a glissando-like effect from the soloist, the melody comes back one last time in the flutes and clarinets. The last “statement” from the statement is a very dissonant chord with LH chromatic notes which resolves to an E Minor chord. The orchestra respond with a 2 measure interlude and ends on an E-Major chord however a final E Minor chord by the piano (while the bass drum just plays a quarter note E) ultimately ends the movement.