Classical Music Library's Free Download of the Week: Prokofiev's Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 1, Op. 80

Written mainly in 1946, with some material dating back to 1938, the First Violin Sonata is a gloomy and intense work. Prokofiev worked closely with its dedicatee David Oistrakh on the violin part, and the result is a work that exploits the range and qualities of the instruments to their fullest potential. Oistrakh gave its first performance with Lev Oborin on 23 October 1946.

An impassioned and anguish-filled first movement contains some remarkable passages including what the composer described as "wind in a graveyard" (rapid violin scales over a piano chorale). The second movement, by way of contrast, is an exuberant and violent Allegro brusco. A colorful Andante follows before the finale, with its remarkable and mercurial cross-rhythms and gentle epilogue.

This recording is performed by Gaëtane Prouvost (Violin), Abdel Rahman El Bacha (Piano).

Download this work through Dec 13, 2007.

Comments

[M. Scott McBride]

Thank you for providing the free download service!

May I suggest that you also include the composer name and movement number within the track title information for each sound file. Currently, I must add this information to the track names to create ordered playlists for each multi-movement composition.

Thanks,

M. Scott McBride, Ph.D.
Chair and Professor of Music
Morehead State University