He got me again yall... | Prokofiev Piano Sonata No. 7 in B-flat Major | Classical Music Reaction 

I wish I could randomly play the third movement at one of those public pianos at train stations!😂

OH HELL YEA MORE PROKOFIEV. I think the gidi-prok arc is so fucking funny because whenever Gidi thinks hes coming close to appreciating him, Prok goes "lol, lmao even"

I absolutely love these sonatas from Prokofiev. They can sound so confusing but I think that is supposed to paint a picture. His sonatas 6,7, and 8 were called the “War sonatas” because they were composed during the war. Each one paints pictures of the horrors of war. He really didn’t like this at all and tried to portray it through art (like many people do). Stalingrad was a Soviet city during WW2 and there was a battle there during the autumn and winter of 1942 to 1943. It was a battle of attrition and the Soviet army was throwing mostly unarmed cannon fodder to be fed by Wehrmacht troops during the duration. This was to chip away at Germanys morale and equipment. They had stalled there for so long. This sonata paints the picture of the events in Stalingrad. The beginning shows an anxious waiting for the Germans to arrive at Stalingrad on their way to reach Moscow. Hence the quite beginning and the sudden inferno. Then there are quiet parts. I think Prokofiev captures the concept of waiting in war perfectly. For a lot of the time troops are sitting there, waiting and waiting for hours, days and weeks while battle is happening in different places around them. It can be maddening, this peacefulness. The second movement could show the soldiers dreaming about memories and still waiting. The last movement shows the brutality of war. It is mechanical, unstoppable and cruel. The movement is named Precipitato which means to play in a rush without much thought. This can show the hatred in war and how uncontrolled and mindless it is. The war doesn’t have any remorse and it carries on and on without “much thought”. There are some of the high cartoonish melodies that you laughed at. Prokofiev may have used that to make fun of this war just like in his other works and Shostakovich’s as well. It could also represent the patriotic drummer boys and the bugles. Or it could even represent the concept of “watching you enemy grow younger”. True two armies were dwindling and dwindling and even by the end of the war, 12 year olds were firing Panzerfaust at Soviet T-34s. This juxtaposed melody could be there to show the new naïve youth arriving only to be slaughtered by German machine guns. The last chords on the piece shows the sudden end of battle. It ends as quickly as it started with the violent dance like first moments after the introduction. That’s my thoughts on it. ._.

I was going to suggest this one when you listened to the previous sonata #4. His war sonata - very timely. He comes out guns blazing. The last movement could win any war.

Prokofiev is good.

💣💣💣💣🙌👏🔥🔥 Prokofiev had it GOD DAMNNN. Man was made of red-hot metal

*TL;DR at the bottom* Sergei Prokofiev is one of those composers who has a lot of works that you need to listen to several times before grasping (his 2nd Piano Concerto, Scythian Suite, 3rd Symphony, 6th Piano Sonata, and this 7th Piano Sonata are prime examples). Also, keep in mind that this piece was composed during the especially brutal Battle of Stalingrad and is supposed to depict the chaos from it, hence the sonata's nickname. This is the reason for the biting tonal instability during the 1st movement, bittersweet nostalgia that quickly decays into crying out during the 2nd movement, and the rushed and frenzied tone that builds to a Pyrrhic victory in the 3rd movement. On that note, you should definitely listen to Ashkenazy's performance of Prokofiev's 8th Piano Sonata! Funnily enough, it's in the same key, but it's a lot easier to grasp on a first listen because it's "easier on the ears" (though it does go crazy in some parts, typical for Prokofiev). It was written in 1944, when there was less than a year left in WWII's European Theater, so there is a more nostalgic, tragic, brooding, and distant aspect about the first movement that devolves into a frenzied theme that becomes clangorous and seems to cry out about all the death and destruction of WWII (particularly all that had happened to the Soviet Union during that time), there's bittersweet nostalgia in the 2nd movement that's somewhat happier than the 2nd movement of the 7th Sonata, and there's an exciting, lurid theme that permeates the beginning and end of the 3rd movement, with an exciting then mysterious waltz section in the middle of it! All in all, I always recommend Prokofiev pieces that are easier on the ears the first time to new listeners of his works and those who are doubtful. These include his 1st Symphony, 3rd Piano Concerto, the 8th Piano Sonata, 9th Piano Sonata, Romeo and Juliet, the 5th Symphony, and his Symphony-Concerto for Cello and Orchestra. I used to hate the more grinding Prokofiev pieces I listed above, but as I listened to them more, I began liking them, and they're among my favorite works, and now Prokofiev is one of my favorite composers! If you really give Prokofiev a chance, especially by listening to his pieces that are easier on the ears first, and THEN moving on to the harsher pieces and giving them several listens, I promise you WON'T regret it! *TL;DR:* Prokofiev is someone who has a decent amount of works that need several listens before grasping them and truly enjoying them. Keep in mind that the 7th Sonata was composed during the infamous Battle of Stalingrad, which is the explanation for why this work is so grinding and acerbic right off the bat. This is why I highly recommend first listening to Prokofiev's pieces that are "easier on the ears," such as his 1st Symphony, 3rd Piano Concerto, Romeo and Juliet, 5th Symphony, 8th Piano Sonata (DEFINITELY listen to the 1995 Ashkenazy recording of the 8th Sonata), 9th Piano Sonata, and Symphony-Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, and THEN moving on to his harsher pieces and giving them several listens. Coming from someone who used to HATE Prokofiev's more grinding pieces, as I gave them more listens and listened to his more accessible pieces, I began to love Prokofiev even more and even began loving his harsher pieces. He is now one of my favorite composers, and I promise you WON'T regret giving him a chance!

This is one of my favorite pieces ever, I hope one day I'll be able to play the entire thing, truly an explosive gem

If I was cast away on a desert island and I was only allowed the recordings of one classical composer to take with me I'd unhesitatingly choose Prokofiev. Apart from the 6th, 7th & 8th piano sonatas, among my favourite works of his are the piano concertos 1 to 3, his two great ballet scores Romeo and Juliet and Cinderella, the two violin concertos, both violin sonatas, the 'Classical' symphony along with symphonies nos. 3, 5 & 6, the cantatas Alexander Nevsky and The 20th Anniversary of the October Revolution and the orchestral suites from Lieutenant Kije and The Love For Three Oranges.

I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with Maurizio Pollini but the guy is a machine and perfect for a colossal piece like this. His interpretation of Petruschka is on the same album and is jaw-dropping.

I think it's actually a great sonata. Such an immense power.

We need more of this type of content on the internet. Keep it rolling

GIDI's intro music Rap + Ballet is pleasantly gritty. It may be a new music genre. I'd call it Rap-o-let. :)

loving all the prokofiev!!! i really think you should react to his 3rd piano concerto again, Argerich's performance this time. I just know you'll fall in love with prokofiev For easier sonatas, I'd highly recommend the 3rd and 2nd ((: then, maybe you can give the 8th (my favorite) a shot XD

Hi Gidi, The Prokofiev Sonata no 2 is fun . It's good fun to play and quite good for the ears too.

Prokofiev is definitely hard to relate too upon first hearing. He had a very intellectual approach to composition - much like bach - his pieces are thoroughly structured, and really, genius, as every note in each of his pieces serves a unique purpose. That's why I think it can be intimidating to listen to for the first time - in order to understand the pieces, you have to really know them well due to how intricate and complex they are. Personally, Prokofiev is my absolute favorite composer. I think he is a contender for the best composer of the 20th century, and possibly one of the best of all time, alongside people like Beethoven. He was just such a genius. I think that once you listen to one of his pieces through enough times, you'll realize that there's nothing random about them and that every note is placed with extreme precision, creating some of the most intense emotions in music.

That last movement 😈

I fell in love with Prokofiev's music when I first heard his piano concerto No 3 over 40 years ago. His piano sonatas are really enjoyable to listen to but they can take a few listens. I never tire of listening to them (or anything else by Prokofiev but I'm a bit biased) . I love watching your reactions to classical music.

Haha I actually adore this sonata and since the sonata is one of prokofievs three war sonatas and even is titled "Stalingrad" ,which was a place where one of the most bloody battles of all of the second world war took place, I always picture a horrific and chaotic battlefield in my head. Moreover it also really captures the argony and grief one experiences in war thus the slower dissonant parts. And in the last movement you literally just need to headbang which is easy since it's so rhythmic

"This man is crazy." Lol

Thing is, Gidi: if you don"t commit to listen to the pieces at least another time or twice more, you won't be able to have a grasp of them. It gets better the more you know a composer but Prokofiev surely is one of the more complex ones.

I'm glad to see you listened to this. Prokofiev can take a few listens before you really get it, but once you do it'll be the most emotion you've ever felt listening to classical music. I really think you should listen to his 6th symphony, it's one of my favorite pieces by him. I recommend this recording ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-03PO9m25vIE.html

Propably my favorite Russian composer. Please check out these pieces that are even more insane: piano concerto No.3 and 2, symphony No. 5, Romeo and Juliet suite, and the Scythian suite,

Hey Gidi, where can I recommend pieces? I often wrote some recommendations in the comment section, but without response. If you want to listen to another interpretation of it, i highly recommend Sviatoslav Richter (Prokofiev himself liked his playing of his own music so much that he dedicated him his ninth sonata). Best regards, Giacomo

"I wish you to react to Rite of spring Ballet russes". 'Get it?" "Rite of spring but u watched the ballet" yes?" 🌸🌹💮

Prokofiev is a chameleon. Watch it live and you'll get him.

Do Proko's piano concerto #3!!!!

It's never easy with Prokofiev. I'd suggest Lieutenant Kije Suite by him, he is extremely versitile, sounds nothing like this sonata.

Prokofiev refers to this sonata as the ‘War Sonata.’ He was very unhappy about the war going on at this, consequently if you listen to the last movement of this piece it sounds very angry. That’s what he was going for. Pollini played it well. But Argerich owns this one. I’ve heard her play it probably 50 times. It is particularly her left hand articulating the total anger Prokofiev was feeling at the time. Sometimes it’s difficult to find recordings of her doing it because most were done live….not recorded. But IMO no one comes close to her phrasing, dynamic and sheer intensity of her interpretation. It’s Queen Martha for this one.