Prokofiev in Pavlovsk

Synopsis

The first railway line in Russia opened in 1837 and ran from St. Petersburg to Pavlovsk. In the summers, tourists from St. Petersburg would travel to Pavlovsk to visit the site of an 18th century royal palace, to dine at the elegant Vauxhall restaurant, or take in an orchestral concert. Johann Strauss’ orchestra performed at Pavlovsk in the 1850s, and it remained a popular summertime concert venue for decades.

On today’s date in 1913, Sergei Prokofiev traveled to Pavlovsk to appear as the soloist in the first performance of his Piano Concerto No. 2 — and the music of the young firebrand composer-performer proved to be far from the standard light classical fare normally offered in Pavlovsk.

One reviewer wrote, “Prokofiev’s music left listeners frozen with fright, their hair standing on end.”

Another critic wrote, “One couple stood up and ran for the exit, commenting, ‘Such music is enough to drive you crazy! Is he making fun of us? We came here to enjoy ourselves.’”

Even so, one calmer review concluded, “This means nothing. Ten years from now the public will atone for the catcalls by applauding unanimously a new composer with a European reputation.”

Music Played in Today's Program

Sergei Prokofiev (1892-1953): Piano Concerto No. 2; Alexander Toradze, piano; Kirov Orchestra; Valery Gergiev, conductor; Philips 462 048

On This Day

Births

• 1854 - German pianist and composer of Polish descent Moritz Moszkowski, in Brelau

• 1900 - Austrian-born American composer Ernst Krenek, in Vienna

• 1905 - English composer, conductor and writer Constant Lambert, in London

Deaths

• 1937 - French composer Albert Roussel, 68, in Royan

• 1960 - American lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II, 65, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania

• 1962 - American composer Irving Fine, 47, in Boston

Premieres

• 1735 - Rameau, opera-ballet Les Indes Galantes, in Paris

• 1906 - R. Vaughan-Williams: Norfolk Rhapsody, in London

• 1913 - Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 2 (first version), at Pavlovsk, conducted by A.P. Aslanov with the composer as soloist (Gregorian date: Sept. 5). A second version of this concerto premiered in Paris on May 8, 1924, conducted by Serge Koussevitzky, again with the composer a soloist.

• 1964 - Stravinsky: Abraham and Isaac (dedicated to the people and the state of Israel), in Jerusalem by the Israel Festival Orchestra conducted by Robert Craft

Others

• 1934 - The Berkshire Symphonic Festival in founded in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, by American composer and conductor Henry Hadley, with the participation of the New York Philharmonic. The Festival later became associated with the Boston Symphony under Serge Koussevitzky.