Improved Analysis of Prokofiev Symphony

 This movement of the symphony (a 4-movement work for full orchestra begun in the Classical period) by Prokofiev demonstrates many elements of the music at the time (the Romantic Period), for example it utilises a string-dominated orchestra. The piece is in Sonata form, a form typical to the Classical period. It also involves periodic (symmetrical) phrases, another feature typical of the time. The use of terraced dynamics, which, in the Romantic period, was known as ‘Sturm und Drang’ (storm and stress) We can tell that the piece was written in the early 20th century because it seems to be part of a precursor to Neoclassicism in its style, (as it was not yet the 20^th century when Neoclassicism had begun) with its balanced structure (ABA) and arguably emotional restraint.

The piece begins in D major, and as I mentioned, uses terraced dynamics throughout, with the dynamics ranging from pp to ff (e.g. bars 1 and 10). These dynamics are enhanced by the instrumentation- Prokofiev uses a thinner texture for quieter sections and a thicker texture for louder ones, for example in bar 1 when the dynamic is ff, every instrument is playing. In bar 10 however, only the violin I is really playing, because the dynamic is pp. This use of instrumentation means that the sections are naturally louder or softer, and more or less dramatic and intense. In general the piece is at quite a fast tempo, as it is marked Allegro (lively), which is enhanced by the 2/2 time signature, giving the piece a forward moving feel. Although this time signature does change in bars 27 and 61 to 2/4, it returns to 2/2 in the following bars. During the melodies, there is a lot of unison used, for example the melody in the beginning of the piece, between the flute, clarinet and all strings (except the bass).

The structure of the piece is of course that it uses a Sonata form, which means that it has an Exposition, followed by a Development for much of the piece, and finally has a Recapitulation. The piece begins in D major, up until bar 7, when it moves to the relative minor- B minor (there are A#’s in the clarinet part- VII for the key of Bm), then it moves to CM in bar 11, then goes to the relative minor of C in bar 16 (Am). In bar 18 it goes to AM, the dominant key of the original (DM). Along with the sudden change in the rhythms of the parts, I believe this dramatic key change signifies a new subject. This new subject consists of most of the the parts having a crotchet on the last beat of bar 18, which seems to be an anacrusis into the subject, at which point the viola takes the melody, consisting of quaver movement. The Violin I in the next bar imitates this short melody, and then in bar 23 the Violin II takes the melody, although it is now simply quavers moving in a step-wise motion only, in a small, pivotal contour.

A: 5

B: 4

C: 5

D: 5