Synopsis

By a coincidence, the last two symphonies of Soviet composer Sergei Prokofiev premiered on today’s date: His Sixth Symphony premiered in Leningrad in 1947, and his final, Seventh Symphony, in Moscow, in 1952.

The Sixth Symphony is tragic in tone, and Prokofiev confided that it was about the physical and emotional wounds suffered by his countrymen during World War II. The Sixth was premiered at the opening concert of the Leningrad Philharmonic’s 1947 season and was applauded warmly by both audiences and the official Soviet critics. But early in 1948, Prokofiev somehow ran afoul of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, and his Sixth was quickly withdrawn from further performances.

Prokofiev’s Seventh was intended to be a symphony for children, a kind of symphonic Peter and the Wolf, written in a deliberately populist style and with a wary eye on the dictates of the Central Committee. It’s an airy, almost transparently melodic score. Originally, it had a wistful, somewhat melancholic ending, with the music trailing off into silence. During the final dress rehearsals, however, Prokofiev wrote an alternative, perhaps more “politically correct” finale, decidedly chipper and upbeat in tone.

Music Played in Today's Program

Sergei Prokofiev (1891 – 1953) Symphony No. 6 - National Symphony; Leonard Slatkin, cond. RCA/BMG 68801

Symphony No. 7 - French National Orchestra; Mstislav Rostropovich, cond. Erato 75322