Symphony No. 5 (Prokofiev)

External audio
	Performed by the Berlin Philharmonic under Seiji Ozawa
	I. Andante
	II. Allegro marcato
	III. Adagio
	IV. Allegro giocoso

Sergei Prokofiev wrote his Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major (Op. 100) in Soviet Russia in one month in the summer of 1944.

Background

Fourteen years had passed since Prokofiev wrote the first version of his Symphony No. 4 in C major.

World War II was still raging during the symphony's gestation, and Prokofiev composed it in the Soviet Union. He gave out in a statement at the time that he intended it as "a hymn to free and happy Man, to his mighty powers, his pure and noble spirit."^[1] He added "I cannot say that I deliberately chose this theme. It was born in me and clamoured for expression. The music matured within me. It filled my soul."

Movements

The piece is in four movements, lasting 40–45 minutes:

Andante (in B-flat major)
Allegro marcato (in D minor)
Adagio (in F major)
Allegro giocoso (in B-flat major)

Movement I

The first movement is in a tightly argued sonata form: its exposition presents two themes - one calm and sustained, the other soaring with tremolo accompaniment from strings - which are then involved in an elaborate and climactic development section. The movement is wrapped up with an electrifying coda, punctuated by a roaring tam-tam and low piano tremolos.
1st theme - mm. 1 - 7

$\relative c' { \clef treble \time 3/4 \key bes \major \tempo "Andante" 4 = 48 f4(\p^"Flute/Bassoon" g a8. f16 | c'8. bes16 f'4 bes | d,8. ees16 f4.) g8( | f ees d c bes c | ees4 d4.) bes8( | c[ ees d] bes'4 g8) | g8.( a16 f2~ | f4) }$

mm. 8 - 10

$\relative c' { \clef treble \time 3/4 \key bes \major \tempo 4 = 48 << { \times 2/3 {g'8(^"Clarinet"\p ees' d} c2) } \\ { s4 r8. <bes ges>16_"Horns" <bes ges>4-> } >> }$

mm. 29 - 30

$\relative c { \clef bass \time 4/4 \key bes \major \tempo 4 = 48 f,\mp bes8( d) cis\< g'4( a8)\! | bes( a) e-- a16-- g-- f8.\> d16 bes4\! }$

2nd theme - mm. 54 - 64

$\relative c'' { \clef treble \time 4/4 \key bes \major \tempo "Poco più mosso" c2.(\p^"Flute/Oboe"_"dolce" bes8 a | c4) e( d cis | c8. bes16 a4~ a8) g( f e | \key c \major dis2) e4( fis | gis--) gis-- gis-- fis-- | a8.( cis16 b2 a4) | cis-- cis-- cis--( b8 a | gis fis fisis gis dis' cis fis,4~ | fis8.) g16\mp gis2(_"cresc." a4) | a8.--\mf_"cresc." ais16-- b2-- b8.( c16 | c,2.\f) }$

mm. 74 - 77

$\relative c'' { \clef treble \time 4/4 \key c \major \tempo "Tempo I" e'2~->(\ff e8. d16--) c8.( f16--) | c8. d16 c4~( c8. d16--) c8.( bes16--) | a8.->( bes16--) c8.->( des16--) d8.->( e16--) f8.->( g16--) | f8.->( g16) a4 f c }$

Closing theme - mm. 83 - 86

$\relative c'' { \clef treble \time 4/4 \key c \major r4 b'8.(\f_"animato" gis16) a( f') b,-. b-. b-. b-. b-- des-- | gis,( b) f-. a-. c,2.->~ | c4 r16 b'( aes des) a( f') b,-. b-. b( des) aes-. b-. | f( a) c,-. c-. c2._>~ | c4 }$

Movement II

The second movement is an insistent scherzo in Prokofiev's typical toccata mode, framing a central theme in triple time.
mm. 3 - 10

$\relative c'' { \clef treble \time 4/4 \key d \minor \tempo "Allegro marcato" 4 = 132 r8 bes(^"Clarinet"\mp a gis bes a d a | e' a,-- cis-- e-- a2->) | r8 a(\< aes g c4--) a--\! | f8.->(\f c16) c8-. c-. c-. c-. c-. c16^"Oboe/Viola"( d | b4-> bes16)[ r bes( c] a4->) aes-- | g8.->( c,16) c8-.\> c-. c-. c-. c-. c-.\! | \clef bass c(->\mf^"Cello"[ des)] bes(\>->[ c)] aes->([ bes)] g(-.[ aes->)\!] | f\mp-> }$

mm. 56 - 58

$\relative c'' { \clef treble \time 4/4 \key d \minor \tempo 4 = 132 bes\p->~(^"Violin (con sord.)" bes16 c bes a) d4->~( d16 c bes a) | gis4->~( gis16 c bes a) d( c bes a) d( c bes a) | bes( ees,) g g bes2.-> }$

mm. 112 - 115

$\relative c'' { \clef treble \time 4/4 \key d \major \tempo "Meno mosso" a'4->\f~(^"Oboe/Clarinet" a16 g fis e d4->~ d16 e f g | a8 d) gis,-- eis-- eis->~( \times 2/3 {eis16 fis g} fis4) | fis->~( fis16 e d cis c2~ | c4.)\> a8--\! d2->\mf }$

mm. 120 - 127

$\relative c' { \clef treble \time 3/4 \key d \major \tempo "Più mosso (un poco più animato ch'el tempo I)" 4 = 132 a2.->\p^"Clarinet/Viola"(~ | a8 b a fis g gis | a gis a4) d,-- | e4.-- g4( fis8 | a2.) | c2-- \times 2/3 {c8( b bes} | a2.->) }$

mm. 154 - 157

${ \new PianoStaff << \new Staff \relative c'' { \clef treble \time 3/4 \key d \major \tempo 4 = 132 a'8(\p^"Piano" d16 fis a8) a a a | a( gis,) gis g g fis | \key c \major fis(\p f16 des aes8 f) f f | f( aes') aes f, f f' | f4 } \new Staff \relative c' { \clef bass \key d \major \time 3/4 a,8( d16 fis a8) a a a | a( bes) bes b b c | \key c \major c( des16 aes f8 des8) des des | des( des') des des, des a' | f4 } >> }$

Movement III

The third movement is a dreamy slow movement, full of nostalgia, which nevertheless builds up to a tortured climax, before receding back to dreaminess. mm. 4 - 8

$\relative c'' { \clef treble \time 3/4 \key f \major \tempo "Adagio" 4 = 60 f\p(_"espress." e) f8( e | d c d b c4~ | \time 4/4 c8] f([ a c] e a b, g' | \time 3/4 bes,4-- f'-- a,--~ | a8) }$

mm. 55 - 62

$\relative c { \clef bass \time 3/4 \key c \major \tempo 4 = 60 c,4.->\f ais8 c b | e c'( b) g' e( e') | d c16 a e'8 a,4 b16( g) | b4 \clef treble b'4. b8 | ais8.-> fis16 g8.-> e16 fis8.-> b16 | ais8.-> fis16 g8.-> e16 fis8.-> bis16 | cis8.->\dim gis16 a8.-> fis16 g8.-> e16 | fis4\mf }$

mm. 82 - 84

$\relative c'' { \clef treble \time 3/4 \key c \minor \tempo "a tempo" 4 = 60 \partial 8*2 g8.--\p fis16 | g4( c,) d\trill( | ees8.--) d16-- f4( ees) | g,8.( c16 f4) d-- | ees-- }$

"tortured climax" mm. 125 - 131

${ \new PianoStaff << \new Staff \relative c' { \clef treble \time 3/4 \key fis \minor \tempo 4 = 60 <cis' fis, b,>8.-> <fis fis,>16 <eis a,>8.-> <cis a>16 <d bes>8.-> 16 | <cis fis, b,>8.-> <fis fis,>16 <eis a,>8.-> <cis a>16 <d bes>8.-> 16 | <cis fis, b,>8.-> <fis fis,>16 <eis a,>8.-> <cis a>16 <d bes>8.-> 16 | \time 9/8 \key a \minor c'8.->(\ff[ bes16)] aes64([ g f ees d c b aes)] g4-> fis8-> f4.-> | c''8.->(\ff[ bes16)] aes64([ g f ees d c b aes)] g4-> fis8-> f4.-> } \new Staff \relative c { \clef bass \time 3/4 \key fis \minor <fis, b,>8. 16 8. <d' bes f>16 <d bes f>8. <fis,, b,>16 | <fis b,>8. 16 8. <d' bes f>16 <d bes f>8. <fis,, b,>16 | <fis b,>8. 16 8. <d' bes f>16 <d bes f>8. <d, d,>16 | \time 9/8 \key a \minor << { aes'8 c d g, b <d fis,> f, bes d | aes8 c cis d b fis eis b' cis } \\ { aes,4. b cis | aes4. b cis } >> } >> }$

Movement IV

The finale starts with a cello choir playing a slow introduction containing elements from the first theme of the first movement, which then launches into the movement proper, a rondo. The playful ("giocoso") main theme is contrasted with two calmer episodes, one played by the flute, the other a chorale on strings. At the end, just as the movement is striving to end in a victorious tone, the music unexpectedly degenerates into a manic frenzy (rehearsal mark 111), which is then interrupted by a string quartet playing staccato "wrong notes" (rehearsal mark 113) with rude interjections from low trumpets, making the ultimate orchestral unison on B flat sound all the more ironic.
mm. 3 - 6

$\relative c'' { \clef treble \time 2/2 \key bes \major \tempo "Allegro giocoso" 2 = 72 \partial 4*1 f'(\p a, bes2~ bes8) cis( | d4 e, f bes) | bes,4.( ees8 b2 | c1) }$

Theme from first movement - mm. 15 - 22

${ \new PianoStaff << \new Staff \relative c' { \clef treble \time 3/2 \key bes \major \tempo "Poco più tranquillo" 2 = 72 c2(\mf d) e4.( c8)-- << { \stemUp g'4.(\< f8--) c'2\! f\f | a,4.( bes8) c2.( d4--) | c\dim bes( a) g( f) g | bes2 a2.\p } \\ { \stemDown b,4.( c8--) e4.( f8) gis2 | f2.. e8( f2) | e4 d( cis) d( c) d | des2 c2. } >> f4 | g(\< bes) a\! f'2\mf\> d,4\! | d4.(\mp e8 c1\> | c1.\!\fermata\p } \new Staff \relative c { \clef bass \time 3/2 \key bes \major << { <e c>2 <f b,> fis4.( e8--) | <d gis,>4.( <dis a>8) <gis b,>4.( <a c,>8) <bes d,>4.( 8) | c2.. gis8( a2) | aes4 ges( e) d( c) d | <ees ges,>4.( <e g,>8) <f a,>2. <a c,>4 | ( <des ges,>) <c e,> aes'2 f,4 | <f c,>4.( <g g,>8 <e c>2( <f d>) | g1.\fermata } \\ { c,,1 <bes' c,>2 | c,1. | d'4.( des8) c1~ | c2 cis4 g( aes) g | s1 c,2->~ | c1 b2 | c1 s2 | d'2( e1)\fermata } >> } >> }$

mm. 29 - 36

$\relative c'' { \clef treble \time 2/2 \key bes \major \tempo "Tempo I" 2 = 72 \partial 8*1 f8\p(^"Clarinet" bes,4.-- c8-- d4.-- a'8-- | bes2.--) a16( g f g | a4.) bes16( c bes4.) d,8 | d2..-> e16( fis | g4.-> fis16 e d cis b a g8)[ r16 ges-.] | ges8-> aes'2.-- ges,8( | f4.-- ees8-- f'4.--) c16( ees | d8) bes'2.-- }$

mm. 37 - 38

$\relative c'' { \clef treble \time 2/2 \key bes \major \tempo 2 = 72 \partial 8*1 d'16( f) | e,->[ e-. e-. e-.] e-.[ e-. f-. e-.] ees-.[ d-. des-. c-.] ces-.[ bes-. a-. cis-.] | aes,2.. }$

mm. 54 - 55

$\relative c'' { \clef treble \time 2/2 \key c \major \tempo 2 = 72 \partial 4*1 aes16( bes b g | c8) g'16 g g8-. c-. b-. fis-. fis-. g-. | dis-. dis-. dis-. e-. c4-> }$

mm. 83 - 90

$\relative c'' { \clef treble \time 2/2 \key f \major \tempo 2 = 72 \partial 2*1 f'4.(^"Flute"\p e8 | f4 a,2.) | f'4( c,2 a'4) | a2.( c4 | a8 g e g a2) | a4(^"Clarinet" e2) e8.( a16 | e4 c2) c8.( f16 | c8 d, g bes cis4. d8 | \times 2/3 {g a g} g2) }$

mm. 164 - 172

$\relative c { \clef bass \time 2/2 \key des \major \tempo 2 = 72 r4 f(\pp ees) aes, | des( ees) f2~ | f4 ges aes2 | f' ees4( c) | des f8-- des-- c4( aes) | bes2 f4( ges) | aes2 ees4( f) | ges bes8 ges f4( ges) | aes bes c2 }$

Instrumentation

The work is scored for the following:

Woodwind

Brass

Percussion

Keyboard

Piano

Strings

Premiere

The symphony was premiered on January 13, 1945, in the Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory by the USSR State Symphony Orchestra conducted by Prokofiev himself.

As he took the stage, artillery fired. He paused until it finished. This left a great impression upon the audience, who upon leaving the Great Hall learned the gunfire marked the Red Army's crossing of the Vistula into Germany.^[2]

The premiere was very well received, and the symphony has remained one of the composer's most popular works.

Then, in November of that year, Serge Koussevitzky and the Boston Symphony Orchestra introduced the score to America and recorded it in Boston's Symphony Hall on February 6 and 7, 1946, for RCA Victor, using an optical sound film process introduced by RCA in 1941; it was initially issued on 78-rpm discs and later on LP and CD.

References

^ Schwarz, Music and Musical Life in Soviet Russia, p.196, cited in Preston Stedman, The Symphony, p.290
^ "Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5 Reflects Drama of World War II". Evanston Symphony Orchestra. 13 October 2014. Retrieved August 19, 2019.

Notable recordings

Orchestra	Conductor	Record Company	Year of Recording	Format
Boston Symphony Orchestra	Sergei Koussevitzky	RCA, Dutton	1946	LP/CD
Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra	Erik Tuxen	Decca	1952	LP/CD
Philadelphia Orchestra	Eugene Ormandy	Columbia	1958	LP
Philharmonia Orchestra	Thomas Schippers	Angel, Medici Masters	1957	LP/CD
Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire	Jean Martinon	RCA	1959	LP
Cleveland Orchestra	George Szell	Sony	1959	LP/CD
Boston Symphony Orchestra	Erich Leinsdorf	RCA	1963	LP/CD
New York Philharmonic	Leonard Bernstein	Sony	1966	LP/CD
Berlin Philharmonic	Herbert von Karajan	Deutsche Grammophon	1968	LP/CD
Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra	Evgeny Mravinsky	Russian Disc, Leningrad Masters	1968	CD
Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra	Gennadi Rozhdestvensky	BBC	1971	CD
Concerts Colonne Orchestra	Jascha Horenstein	Vox	1972	CD/LP
Orchestre National de France	Jean Martinon	Vox	1974	LP/CD
Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra	Gennadi Rozhdestvensky	Melodiya	1975	LP
Philadelphia Orchestra	Eugene Ormandy	RCA	1975	CD (Japan only)
London Symphony Orchestra	Walter Weller	Decca	1976	CD
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra	Zdeněk Košler	Supraphon	1979	CD
Concertgebouw Orchestra	Vladimir Ashkenazy	Decca	1985	CD
Scottish National Orchestra	Neeme Järvi	Chandos	1985	CD
Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra	Mariss Jansons	Chandos	1987	CD
Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra	Dmitri Kitajenko	RCA	1987	CD
Orchestre National de France	Mstislav Rostropovich	Erato	1988	CD
Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra	Stephen Gunzenhauser	Naxos	1989	CD
Berlin Philharmonic	Seiji Ozawa	Deutsche Grammophon	1990	CD
Philadelphia Orchestra	Riccardo Muti	Philips	1990	CD
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra	Yoel Levi	Telarc	1991	CD
St. Petersburg Philharmonic	Yuri Temirkanov	RCA	1991	CD
Chicago Symphony Orchestra	James Levine	Deutsche Grammophon	1992	CD
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra	Simon Rattle	EMI	1992	CD
National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine	Theodore Kuchar	Naxos	1995	CD
London Symphony Orchestra	Valery Gergiev	Philips	2004	CD
Concertgebouw Orchestra	Mariss Jansons	RCO Live	2016	SACD

[1] Schwarz, Music and Musical Life in Soviet Russia, p.196, cited in Preston Stedman, The Symphony, p.290

[2] "Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5 Reflects Drama of World War II". Evanston Symphony Orchestra. 13 October 2014. Retrieved August 19, 2019.

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