Prokofiev Piano Sonata No. 4 in c minor, Op. 29 (Lugansky)

Like the Third Piano Sonata Op. 28, Prokofiev's Fourth Piano Sonata was a revision of a work composed a decade earlier; both sonatas, in fact, are subtitled "D'apres de vieux cahiers" (From Old Notebooks). Completed in 1917, this sonata contains music taken directly from the composer's youthful Fifth Sonata (not to be confused with the mature Fifth Sonata, Op. 38) and from his Symphony in E minor, both written during his student days at the Moscow Conservatory in 1908.
Unlike the Third Sonata, which has an exciting, effusive character, this work is decidedly more restrained and introspective. Its austerity is more reminiscent of Schumann and Brahms than it is of the pyrotechnic pianism of Liszt or Rachmaninoff, whose influences can be clearly heard in other works by Prokofiev. Though the sonata was written when Russia was under the threat of the German advance in World War I and the October Revolution was imminent, it does not reflect the tension that must have filled the composer's life at this time, since its inspiration belongs, in a real sense, to the first decade of the century.
The work is cast in three movements: Allegro molto sostenuto, Andante assai, and Allegro con brio, ma non leggiere. The first and third movements are reworkings of the first movement and finale of the 1908 sonata, while the central Andante derives from the symphony mentioned above. Elements of Prokofiev's compositional idiom, including strongly diatonic melodies, polyphonic textures, and complex harmonic structures, are in evidence throughout. The first movement is in sonata-allegro form. Both of the primary themes are lyrical and colorful, and are treated polyphonically in the development. Like the first movement, the second contains two themes of contrasting character, and features broad, arched melodies over repeating thirds in the bass. In the final movement, some of the restraint of the previous movements is abandoned in favor of more exuberant musical statements, in what Boris Asafyev, a composer and associate of Prokofiev, described as "an outburst of long pent-up emotion." The finale is rhythmically vivacious and marked by accentuated dissonances and chromatic harmonies, and recalls, at least in spirit, the energy and clownishness of the Second Piano Sonata (1912).
If the Third Sonata is symphonic in structure and scope, then the Fourth is, as Sviatoslav Richter remarked, "intimately chamber in character, concealing riches which are not immediately obvious to the eye." If the intimate tone of this work perhaps makes it less immediately accessible than some of Prokofiev's more ebullient pieces, it nonetheless takes a place among his finest keyboard music, and is perhaps one of the most representative examples of the his simple and sincere lyrical style.
0:00 - Allegro molto sostenuto
6:02 - Andante assai
13:22 - Allegro con brio, ma non leggiero

[@admortor]

Oh my goodness...what a beautiful sonata

[@christianverlinden4232]

Amazing performance of Nikolai Lugansky. Beautiful "secret" Prokofiev sonata. and what a tenderness in the middle of the 3rd and last movement. Thanks to Share this record.

[@Runaziel820]

I came here for the 3rd movement. It's so epic

[@galaxa]

Totally agree

[@galaxa]

The 3rd movement is just LEGEND. The melody is always spinning in my head🤣 Soooooo addictive!!!!!!!!!

[@yeah9248]

오 찐이다

[@megabugginout]

It is his signature sardonic and playful sound. 😛

[@KaikhosruShapurjiMedtner]

I can’t stop listening to it, expessialy the dissonance

[@miguelfontesmeira]

That last C major chord with intruder minor 2nd intervals made my life complete

[@Mr._Du]

A man of fine taste, I see.
11/10 chord

[@marcusanthonyPOV]

While everything else he wrote might be more famous, I consider the 2nd movement the high water mark in Prokofiev's output, his genius never more crystalized than right here.

[@supasayajinsongoku4464]

Kinda random but what piece have you been recently addicted to - you couldent stop listening over and over

[@willyj3321]

Prokofiev himself agrees that the second movement is something special! In his diary, he writes the following about the debut of the Fourth Sonata: “I had not predicted a great success for the Fourth Sonata, but I was quite wrong: the serious elements of the audience all immediately appreciated the second movement, while the others liked the finale.” Clearly, you can see which movement he values more :)

[@miriliritralirali6404]

The second movement might be under rated.

[@nyn78]

Something so sweet and dark at the same time. Also very controlled, while I could feel an urge to accelerate or get more intense and it doesn't, which triggers me even more. This is really divine if I may say so.

[@Abernathythedull]

I didn't like it for a long time. Then I heard Prokofiev's own recording of it, and I understood what he was trying to do. Now I love it even when played by somebody else.

[@XavierMacX]

Extremely! It's virtually a fugue with the amount of counterpoint in it. Obviously it's not a fugue but you know what I mean.

[@beshepman7963]

​@@nyn78 you should listen to prokofievs own recording of it

[@user-zd9zi1dz7b]

2nd movement is so underrated...

[@mirieltorres]

Indeed.

[@Whaijorhujishkomunyk]

my favorite

[@jackkoh6229]

the third movement - fun to listen, everything but fun to perform

[@nyn78]

This piece has it all.

[@rbmfavourites7122]

Brilliant performance - I am sure Prokofiev himself would have loved it!

[@supasayajinsongoku4464]

Kinda random but what piece have you been recently addicted to - you couldent stop listening over and over

[@blackforestt3717]

@@supasayajinsongoku4464 any prokofiev piece I could find

[@zeckul]

This version by Lugansky granted me a much better appreciation for this piece. I only knew the Richter version, which is great, but this feels more detailed and musical somehow.

[@BrassicaRappa]

There's an old recording of Prokofiev playing the 2nd movement himself here on RUclips. I *highly* recommend it!

[@sukrame5331]

I​@@BrassicaRappa I have it on a naxos cd. Its incredibly dark, mystic and beautiful. I never heard anyone coming even close to doing it justice. Untill this!!! The whole sonata including second movement marvelously played.

[@piano_man7416]

Interesting sound effects in the 2nd movement! That last movement i'd struggle to play.

[@tatsuhelma]

underrated masterpiece....

[@valerieheinderyckx4506]

Superbe et très émouvant. Merci encore ❤

[@mozartmahler61]

Surely the most difficult piece I had to study.... that tremendous 3rd movement!😢...but what a wonderful Sonata!

[@simonkawasaki4229]

Great chords. Juicy.

[@BrassicaRappa]

This is very frustrating. I don't prefer his interpretation, but he plays his 1000x better than I play mine, so there's a lot I could learn from it.
I wish Prokofiev had recorded the whole sonata. I *love* his recording of the 2nd movement.
Oh well, well done Lugansky. Even when I disagree with you, you still win. 😅😛😆

[@elrichardo1337]

that middle movement might be the single darkest movement Prokofiev ever wrote; that or the slow movement of the 2nd sonata (oh and the 1st mvt of the 1st violin sonata)

[@GUILLOM]

I doesn't feel dark at all, imo.

[@yuristan6187]

@@GUILLOM it is at least painful

[@GUILLOM]

@@yuristan6187 maybe

[@yuristan6187]

@@GUILLOM check the context of the piece

[@XavierMacX]

Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 2, one of the darkest pieces ever written and with topic matter concerning a friend's suicide, would like to have a word with you.

[@김진우-i2e]

2nd mvt is definitely amazing

[@toi_ta]

13:23

[@supasayajinsongoku4464]

Kinda random but what piece have you been recently addicted to - you couldent stop listening over and over

[@meredith218461]

A Fine performance by Lugansky, his dexterity in the fiendish 3rd mvt is even more impressive than Richter's

[@PianoBangBang]

I wonder if there is any connection between the opening of op.26, no.2 and the opening of Prokofiev's Sonata no. 4? Does anyone know 🤔 👀? It's a bit of a stretch but not out the realm of possibility 🤔

[@angelobonacci461]

Impressionante

[@josephmurrow7828]

Prokofiev studied at St. Petersburg Conservatory

[@franzarrighiniofficial]

When

[@thomassnider6691]

One of his teachers was Rimsky-Korsakoff

[@vine2197]

Ok

[@angelobonacci461]

A parte ,non poco lui si sa miglior interprete di rach, questo difficile, molto difficile brano interpretato da dio,senza un approfondito studio di rach farebbe molta fatica a uscire così,poi questa sonata nonostante a me non piaccia prokofi è bella e piena di effetti, ciò nonostante x me rimane sempre più bella poetica e difficile la seconda di rach prima versione.. auguri a tutti gli studiosi di piano dio..

[@ЕленаМихайлова-ъ8к]

Круто🎉🎉🎉

[@saara_piano]

Amazing

[@alexisdanielvaneskeheian2127]

Maravilloso...

[@calebhu6383]

8:39

[@ZeRoRuLeS561]

11:45 tenerezza

[@elrichardo1337]

love the way both themes from earlier in the movement get stacked on top of each other

[@pierluigibentivegna6632]

10 min . Citatio Beethoven Moonlight Sonata

[@miguelfontesmeira]

Só que não

[@GUILLOM]

Nope

[@yuristan6187]

@@miguelfontesmeira acho que ele não percebe.

[@miguelfontesmeira]

@@yuristan6187 Ninguém pode ver tercinas embaixo de uma melodia triste e já vem com esse papo de "Sonata ao Luar". Sério, estou cansado de reduzirem todos os compositores às três peças mais sem graça que eles já compuseram.

[@migueltrujillo4258]

The video description was stolen from @Olla-Vogala... Which is clearly a much better channel to listen to this piece. Ay least don't claim a hard worked description as your own if you didn't create it!

[@GUILLOM]

What

[@sheep6562]

The description is from AllMusic, made by Alexander Carpenter

[@Dichweed]

The form just does not make a lot of sense.

[@chloroxiphite]

ruclips.net/video/xXxA175lHLo/видео.html

[@dvrlhq]

11:47