The musical reaction to the cataclysm of the First World War was to withdraw to the (perceived) safe world of controlled emotion represented by the baroque and classical models. Stravinsky was a leading figure in this movement as exemplified by his infamous – and still debated – assertion that ‘music is, by its very nature, essentially powerless to express anything at all’.
Two examples of the composer’s neo-classicism: the Wind Octet written in 1923 and the Piano Sonata of 1924:
I. Sinfonia (0:00)
II. Tema con variazioni (4:02)
III. Finale (11:54)
0:03 I. Quarter note = 112
3:17 II. Adagietto
7:53 III. Quarter note = 112
Another two piano sonatas, this time by Prokofiev.
Prokofiev had, from the very beginning, been a curious and interesting blend of classicism, romanticism and modernism (as witnessed by the early Classical Symphony and Scythian Suite). The nine piano sonatas are good examples of this; and while after the ‘modern’ Third Sonata (below) the Romantic seems pretty much in evidence, even in his last completed sonata, No. 9, there’s still the occasional spikey outburst (Allegro strepitoso 09:02).
0:25 1st subject
1:37 2nd subject
2:54 Development
5:36 Recapitulation 1st subject
6:12 Recapitulation 2nd subject
00:30 – I. Allegretto
09:02 – II. Allegro strepitoso
12:38 – III. Andante tranquillo
20:10 – IV. Allegro con brio, ma non troppo presto
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Iaago
The Art of Listening 