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 Gaƫtane Prouvost (Violin), Abdel Rahman El Bacha (Piano).
Download this work through Dec 13, 2007.
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
Posted by:M. Scott McBride | December 01, 2007 at 02:51 PM