Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev

Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (1891–1953) was a Russian composer and pianist who occupies a central place in the musical history of the 20th century. After the Revolution, he worked abroad for a period before returning to the Soviet Union. His distinctive musical language combines sharp rhythms, clear and sometimes daring harmonies, irony and humor, forceful momentum, and lyrical melody. His music ranges from the concise gestures of neoclassicism to more progressive sonorities and intensely dramatic, expressive writing. His piano music includes nine piano sonatas, Visions fugitives, and major piano concertos, while piano arrangements drawn from the ballets Romeo and Juliet and Cinderella are also widely performed. These works reveal his vivid contrasts of rhythm and color, as well as a style that demands both considerable technical control and expressive flexibility from the pianist.