Russia of the 20th century through the prism of musical art: the 1930s – Sergei Prokofiev

Abstract

This publication continues the contextual overview of 20th-century Russian musical art. In this essay, the author examines the compositional output of Sergei Prokofiev during the 1930s. This period of Prokofiev’s creative work began with a transition toward “new simplicity” (the composer’s own term) and a more accessible, melodic musical language, exploring the central theme of this period: the confrontation between humane, constructive principles and the opposing forces of evil and violence (the ballet “Romeo and Juliet”, “Cantata for the 20th Anniversary of October”, and the opera “Semyon Kotko”). Concurrently, Prokofiev’s music retains a powerful charge of vitality. This optimism was embodied in large-scale ballets and operas (“Cinderella”, “The Duenna” (“Betrothal in a Monastery”)), as well as in canonic works for children (the piano album “Music for Children” and the symphonic fairy tale “Peter and the Wolf”). Later, the theme of World War II took center stage in the composer’s output, manifesting in both large-scale historical epics and deeply personal, dramatic works. His late compositions were characterized by a particular clarity of style, a softened tone, and a direct continuity of classical traditions. Notwithstanding these shifts, the constants of his creative work remained a powerful optimism, vigorous energy, and an emphasized love of life. Prokofiev’s distinctive style emerged from an organic synthesis of bold 20th-century harmonic innovations and a rigorous structural clarity of form.

Research materials

1. Всесоюзный съезд советских композиторов. Стенографический отчёт. М.: Союз советских композиторов СССР, 1948.
2. Прокофьев С. С. Здравица. 1939. http://tekstovoi.ru/text/925147128_91720619p504305754_text_pesni_zdravica_1939.html
3. Прокофьев С. С. Кантата к ХХ-летию Октября: VI. Революция. 1937. https://tekstipesen.com/song.php?id=529164
4. Прокофьев С. С. Кантата к ХХ-летию Октября: VII. Победа. 1937. https://tekstipesen.com/song.php?id=528826
5. Прокофьев С. С. «Обручение в монастыре» («Дуэнья»). 1941. https://www.belcanto.ru/obruchenie.html

References

1. Демченко А. И. Альфред Шнитке. Контексты и концепты. М.: Композитор, 2009.
2. Демченко А. И. Творчество С. С. Прокофьева. Саратов: СГК, 2023.
3. Маркс К. Тезисы о Фейербахе // Маркс К., Энгельс Ф. Полное собрание сочинений: в 50 т. М.: Государственное издательство политической литературы, 1955. Т. 3.
4. Прокофьев С. С. Автобиография. М.: Классика-ХХI, 2007.
5. Прокофьев С. С. Дневник: в 3 т. Париж, 2002. Т. 2. 1919-1933.
6. Прокофьев С. С. Из воспоминаний об отце // Музыкальная жизнь. 1991. № 2.
7. Сабинина М. Прокофьев // Музыка ХХ века: очерки: в 2 ч. / ред. Д. В. Житомирский. М.: Музыка, 1984. Ч. 2. Кн. 4.
8. Туманина Н. В. М. П. Мусоргский. Жизнь и творчество. М. – Л.: Музгиз, 1939.

Author information

About this article

Publication history

• Received: December 5, 2025.
• Published: January 12, 2026.

Keywords

• музыкальное искусство ХХ века
• С. С. Прокофьев
• композиторское наследие
• новая простота
• лирическая комедия
• musical art of the 20th century
• S. S. Prokofiev
• composer’s heritage
• new simplicity
• lyrical comedy

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)
© 2026 Gramota Publishing, LLC

User license

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)