Prokofiev vs. Stravinsky

[Nick]

Yes, the Piano Sonata No.9, Op.103 has always been one of my absolute favorites. An exquisite work, and there's nothing like it.

As far as the other greats after the Piano Concerto No.2, Op.16, Chout, Op.21; Fiery Angel, Op.37; Piano Sonatas Nos. 6-8, Opp.82-4; Cinderella, Op.87; The Gambler, Op.24; War and Peace, Op.91 are masterpieces of the very first order.

And then there are just so many others. There's millions of them, millions of incredible pieces.

As for the Symphony No.2, Op.40, I agree with what you say. There's a little bit of repetitiousness I feel in the third quarter of the first movement, so it's not a perfect piece. Nevertheless, an incredible work. It's interesting that he was bringing out so much of the percussive quality of music (and with Sarcasms, Op.17; Tocatta, Op.11), even though Peter Laki, the Bartok scholar, maintains that Prokofiev and Bartok really never came in contact with each other's music.

[Mirror Image]

I think Stravinsky composed more interesting music while Prokofiev's music has a more dare I say "Romantic" quality to it. In terms of influence, Stravinsky wins hands down. He is the more influential composer no question about it. This is a standard consensus amongst critics, historians, musicians, and fans. That said, in terms of pure subjectivity, Prokofiev composed some music that I absolutely adore, but I return to Stravinsky more often than Prokofiev. I get tired of Prokofiev's lushness after awhile, though Prokofiev composed his fair share of rhythmically driven music (i. e. the second movement of Scythian Suite). I like constant motivic development and rhythmic complexity which Stravinsky delivers in spades.

[Hattoff]

Prokofiev and Stravinsky are my favourite composer.
Followed by Havergal Brian

[Mirror Image]

I think Stravinsky composed more interesting music while Prokofiev's music has a more dare I say "Romantic" quality to it. In terms of influence, Stravinsky wins hands down. He is the more influential composer no question about it. This is a standard consensus amongst critics, historians, musicians, and fans. That said, in terms of pure subjectivity, Prokofiev composed some music that I absolutely adore, but I return to Stravinsky more often than Prokofiev. I get tired of Prokofiev's lushness after awhile, though Prokofiev composed his fair share of rhythmically driven music (i. e. the second movement of Scythian Suite). I like constant motivic development and rhythmic complexity which Stravinsky delivers in spades.

My oh my how I end up eating my words. I feel now that both Prokofiev and Stravinsky were outstanding composers in their own right. I'm at the juncture were I'm starting to think polls like this one are absurd. They prove nothing. The music speaks more loudly as well it should.

[karlhenning]

Don't worry about it: you're just observing how changeable one's thoughts about the music can be! : )

[karlhenning]

That said, I notice that I haven't voted here, je-je-je! ; )

[Mirror Image]

Don't worry about it: you're just observing how changeable one's thoughts about the music can be! : )

Yes, as long as a person is open to the music, then a change is most certainly possible.

[Mirror Image]

No one is more open to music than me .. Stravinsky by a long shot here on this easy poll ..

According to your own poll, Stravinsky lost.

This said, I'm more moved by Prokofiev's music than I am Stravinsky's, but I never particularly thought of Stravinsky as a profound composer. His music, for me, is more about structure, rhythm, order, and a constant forward momentum. With Prokofiev, I find that his music is more emotional, lyrically expressive, harmonically interesting, and melodically inventive. It reaches me more than Stravinsky's music. I like Stravinsky's music a lot though, but I have found that as time goes on I'm listening to his music less and less, although I did have a little phase I went through earlier in the year. The same with Sibelius and Nielsen. These composers started off well near the top in my listening sessions and many years ago I hardly ever made much time for Prokofiev to be honest because his music didn't spark that much interest even though it was fascinating to me. This year has proven to be the year of Prokofiev for me. I finally have caught onto his musical language and I'm in constant surprise by how complex it is, but by it's accessibility also.

[Mirror Image]

Give it time my friend, and believe me ,,, you'll come around after years of checking them all out .. in the end, upon reflection & thought .. you'll realize that Stravinsky is a much, much deeper or more fascinating musician with more to offer. It's not even close.

I guess the years of me spent listening to Stravinsky's music was for nothing? I have listened to both composers extensively. They are two totally different composers, it's just that simple. Stravinsky is master composer and I recognize his influence, but influence doesn't make him the better composer if we were to do such a silly comparison as Stravinsky and Prokofiev. In fact, it was Stravinsky who said that Prokofiev was "the greatest Russian composer after himself." Here's what Shostakovich said about Prokofiev:

"Prokofiev has made an immense, priceless contribution to the musical culture of Russia. A composer of genius, he has expanded the artistic heritage left to us by the great classical masters of Russian music -- Glinka, Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov, Rachmaninov."

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Give it time my friend, and believe me ,,, you'll come around after years of checking them all out .. in the end, upon reflection & thought .. you'll realize that Stravinsky is a much, much deeper or more fascinating musician with more to offer. It's not even close.

LOL

[ibanezmonster]

Give it time my friend, and believe me ,,, you'll come around after years of checking them all out .. in the end, upon reflection & thought .. you'll realize that Stravinsky is a much, much deeper or more fascinating musician with more to offer. It's not even close.

To you...

[Mirror Image]

James created this poll, ignored the vote, and thinks I don't have a clue as to what I'm talking about. All in an hours work.

[ibanezmonster]

They're both great, but James thinks he has some profound knowledge that none of us have, and whatever he thinks is absolute truth.

You know what I think of that?

Pfffffffff

[Mirror Image]

They're both great, but James thinks he has some profound knowledge that none of us have, and whatever he thinks is absolute truth.

You know what I think of that?

Pfffffffff

Well anybody who listens to Stockhausen as much as James does gets my vote for "the most outstanding person alive."

[karlhenning]

No one is more open to music than me

No one is less arrogant than you, either.

[karlhenning]

Ooh, another thread rich in James Bingo possibilities!

[Guido]

Funny Reading in the early pages of this thread that Prokofiev wrote 90 masterpieces! I've always seen Prokofiev (along with Shostakovich) as one of the most uneven of all the "great" composers. Their high points are very very great, but their (too frequent) lows are horrendous.

[karlhenning]

James, it isn't at all clear to me why you thought the rest of us did not understand the adjective profound.

(* chortle *) Forgot I'd posted that.

[karlhenning]

Funny Reading in the early pages of this thread that Prokofiev wrote 90 masterpieces! I've always seen Prokofiev (along with Shostakovich) as one of the most uneven of all the "great" composers. Their high points are very very great, but their (too frequent) lows are horrendous.

I think that would make for an interesting discussion. Guido, what five pieces would you include among Prokofiev's horrendous lows, and why?

[karlhenning]

For a flip side, I'll nominate five lows for Stravinsky (though I shouldn't call them horrendous, quite):

Circus Polka (for a young elephant). Face it, he did it for the money. I dig a great deal of the neo-classical work, but this strikes me as little more than business-as-usual.

Three Pieces for string quartet. Not merely minor works, but whatever for? works

The Suites for small orchestra. Possibly unfair, as they're obviously arrangements/re-treads.

Scherzo à la russe. Definitely one of my I've tried to like this one, really I have pieces.

Ebony Concerto. Sorry.