Sergei Prokofiev's Piano Sonata No. 8 in B♭ major, Op. 84 (1944) is a sonata for solo piano, the third of the Three War Sonatas. The sonata was first performed on December 30, 1944 in Moscow by Emil Gilels.[1]
Movements [edit]
- Andante dolce
- Andante sognando
- Vivace
1. Andante dolce [edit]
The movement begins with a melancholy, and mysterious theme that wanders. The key is B♭ major but the sense of tonality is weak due to Prokofiev's frequent modulations to remote keys. After the theme ends, a development, reminding one of the first movement of the Piano Sonata No.7, follows. Next is a more brooding theme in G minor which goes through a series of modulations as the music prepares for the development section. The development section is unstable and perpetuated by motoric rhythms.
2. Andante sognando [edit]
3. Vivace [edit]
The movement begins with several arpeggios, introducing one of the main themes, in B♭ major. Tonality is weak, as the very next theme is in a minor. After a brief return to B♭, it then introduces another theme in the key of B major. Then another theme enters, this one in C major. After the initial excited section, the piece enters into a waltz-like portion that is in D♭ major. This waltz-like section is full of dissonances. The piece finally quiets down, entering into a much quieter, more mysterious section, still in D♭. Throughout this section, the left hand includes references to the waltz-like section. Then after this section, the A minor theme returns, building into the return of the opening theme. The final section combines nearly all of the elements that have come before. Tonality is still weak. The C major theme enters transposed to B♭. Then the a minor theme returns, also transposed to B♭. There is a new theme, building up to a grand finale in B♭.
See also [edit]
References [edit]
External links [edit]
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- No. 1 in F minor, Op. 1
- No. 2 in D minor, Op. 14
- No. 3 in A minor, Op. 28
- No. 4 in C minor, Op. 29
- No. 5 in C major, Op. 38
- No. 6 in A major, Op. 82
- No. 7 in B♭ major, Op. 83 (Stalingrad)
- No. 8 in B♭ major, Op. 84
- No. 9 in C major, Op. 103
- No. 5 in C major (revised), Op. 135
- No. 10 in E minor, Op. 137 (unfinished)
- No. 11, Op. 138 (unrealised)
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