Symphony No. 1 (Prokofiev)

The Symphony No. 1 in D Major, Opus 25 (composed 1916-17, premièred on 21 April 1918 in Petrograd ) is both the shortest and the most famous symphony by Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev.

The symphony owes its nickname " Classical " their lovingly - parodic use of a Joseph Haydn and the early Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ( his hand was an admirer of Mozart ) reminiscent tonal language. The work is marked by serenity and vitality, and is characterized by an elaborate rhythms and the transparent use one of the cast forth by no means pre-Romantic orchestra. Leonard Bernstein called it a prime example of " Humor in Music".

Prokofiev came to his own statement through his teachers Nikolai Tcherepnin on the " flavor of the scores of Haydn and Mozart ." This also brought him eventually to the idea of ​​" an entire symphonic work without the help of the piano to compose. In a work thus created the orchestral colors would sound pure. So the plan to write a symphony in the style of Haydn came about because me his technique at my teaching in the Composition class was somehow appeared particularly clear and it should be easier under such circumstances familiar to pounce without piano into the dangerous water. Haydn If still alive, I thought he was going his way of writing retained, and. lot to take from the New Such a symphony I wanted to write - a symphony in the classical style. "

The work consists of four movements. The total duration is about 15 minutes.

Reception (selection)

A portion of the first set was for many years the cultural magazine aspects used as the theme song.

The symphony was chosen by a number of choreographers as ballet music, including Boris Pilato (Essen 1972).