Prokofiev's greatest work?

[DFO]

Generally, he won

[karlhenning]

      That's gonna need to be done before I cast a vote. I simply refuse to pick the singular best one without a comprehensive list of compositions before me. With that said, the Classical Symphony is clearly head and shoulders above the rest.

You are in rare form this week, mon vieux! 

[karlhenning]

I viote for the best ballet music ever composed, Rome & Juliet. But yes, Prokofiev did write great music in all genres which really makes chosing difficult.

We crossed a bit.  I was just fixin' to set aside my traditional reservations against single-best-work-dom, and (damning the torpedoes) was going to shout out, Best work? Romeo & Juliet!

[The new erato]

We crossed a bit.  I was just fixin' to set aside my traditional reservations against single-best-work-dom, and (damning the torpedoes) was going to shout out, Best work? Romeo & Juliet!

So I'm in rare form as well?

Or come to think of it, it isn't rare when you do it all the time, is it? 

[val]

"The Fiery Angel", one of the greatest operas of the 20th century.

[Alpha86]

Granted I haven't listened to as much Prokofiev's music as I would like to. However, based on what I've listened so far: PC #2-5; both Violin Concertos; Symphony #1 and #5; Peter and the Wolf; I'd say his best work is his second piano concerto.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I'd say his best work is his second piano concerto.

The second PC is very underrated compared to the rest of his PCs. Perhaps its lack of 'tunes' works against it but all around it's every bit an accomplishment as any other 'first-tier' work Prokofiev wrote.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

"The Fiery Angel", one of the greatest operas of the 20th century.

'Nuff said.

[bhodges]

Such a difficult question, and to me raises at least one other: does a large-scale work like an opera automatically trump a smaller work, e.g., a sonata for violin and piano?  His achievements were exemplary in so many different forms, that it is hard to place one above others. 

Several people have mentioned War and Peace, which I have seen several times at the Met, and it's quite an ambitious undertaking--and a successful one.  I haven't heard or seen The Fiery Angel, but am eager to do so since I love the Third Symphony (which apparently uses material from the opera).  But is either of these operas greater than say, the Sixth Piano Sonata?  Perhaps this is an interesting question for another thread, e.g., if a composer is working in multiple forms, is one form more inclined toward greatness than another? 

So my vote at the moment would be for either:

Symphonies Nos. 3 or 5
Piano Concerto No. 3
War and Peace
Piano Sonatas No. 6 or 7

(And what a nice problem to have, to not be able to choose definitively.)

--Bruce

[karlhenning]

Such a difficult question, and to me raises at least one other: does a large-scale work like an opera automatically trump a smaller work, e.g., a sonata for violin and piano?  His achievements were exemplary in so many different forms, that it is hard to place one above others.

Right ho; that miraculous F minor violin sonata.

[The new erato]

Right ho; that miraculous F minor violin sonata.

The D major one is just as good IMHO, especially the original flute version where he outflutes the frenchies.

[karlhenning]

(And what a nice problem to have, to not be able to choose definitively.)

Right; can't go, Bing! Boléro! and you're done  0:)

[PerfectWagnerite]

I like the Scythian Suite with it's primal power, almost like the Rite of Spring in concept but sounds nothing like it.

[Dax]

I like the Scythian Suite with it's primal power, almost like the Rite of Spring in concept but sounds nothing like it.

Good for you!

I wonder why nobody has yet voted for
2nd piano concerto (oh! it's not as popular as the 3rd!)
Seven they are seven (far too short! and it's hardly known!)
Cantata for the 20th anniversary of the October Revolution (tut tut!)

[karlhenning]

I wonder why nobody has yet voted for
2nd piano concerto (oh! it's not as popular as the 3rd!)
Seven they are seven (far too short! and it's hardly known!)
Cantata for the 20th anniversary of the October Revolution (tut tut!)

I like all of them.

[karlhenning]

All of those.

[karlhenning]

All of these.

[Dana]

Right; can't go, Bing! Boléro! and you're done  0:)

Or Bing! Enigma Variations!

[karlhenning]

Or Bing! Enigma Variations!

Who wrote those?

[Dana]

Some hack named Edgar, I think