Prokofiev vs. Stravinsky

[ibanezmonster]

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'm also curious about which works you'd find horrendous... I've listened to almost everything he's written, and the worst I could find are "meh" works- quite a few, but still a somewhat small percentage of his total output.

[not edward]

I'm with you on four of the five Stravinsky works you list, but this one baffles me. Sure, they're not major works, but they certainly seem to me to be several levels higher in both ambition and result than the other ones in the list. (Maybe it's just the string player in me.)

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

I'm going to disagree with the negative comments about the low quality of Prokofiev's minor works as well. One of the things that always strikes me about his music is that even in decidedly unappealing commissioned works like Zdravitsa, there's usually at least a few moments of magic. Except perhaps for a few very late and disinterested works like The Meeting of the Volga and the Don, his propaganda works and incidental music seems to me to be a cut above what Shostakovich was producing in the genre. (And of course there's the October cantata, perhaps the only outright masterpiece in the genre.)

[Mirror Image]

No it's very beneficial actually, but give it time ..

I'm not going to argue with you about Stravinsky, because he's a composer whose music I've enjoyed a lot, but what I do disagree with you is that you somehow think that you know me better than I know myself when I say that I enjoy Prokofiev more. For some, Prokofiev's music has more emotion, passion, and intimacy and I'm certainly one of those people who feel this way.

[karlhenning]

I should be hard put to say whether I enjoy either of them more. It's the ol' apples and oranges jig again . . . .

[karlhenning]

Of course, the apple is obviously the more profound fruit . . . .

[Luke]

Re Karl's choice of the Stravinsky Three Pieces

I'm with you on four of the five Stravinsky works you list, but this one baffles me. Sure, they're not major works, but they certainly seem to me to be several levels higher in both ambition and result than the other ones in the list. (Maybe it's just the string player in me.)

Just what I was going to say, except I'm not even that sure they are really minor works at all. Agree with Karl on the others, though.

[Mirror Image]

Of course, the apple is obviously the more profound fruit . . . .

[TheGSMoeller]

Just based on pictures alone, it looks as if Prokofiev is taller and even stockier than Stravinsky, arm reach is very important in these types of fights.

[karlhenning]

Prokofiev was certainly taller. Stravinsky may possibly have kept in better exercise.

Re Karl's choice of the Stravinsky Three Pieces

I'm with you on four of the five Stravinsky works you list, but this one baffles me. Sure, they're not major works, but they certainly seem to me to be several levels higher in both ambition and result than the other ones in the list. (Maybe it's just the string player in me.)

Just what I was going to say, except I'm not even that sure they are really minor works at all. Agree with Karl on the others, though.

Note taken, gents!