Russian composer. He composed symphonies, operas, music for movies.He was well educated. He knew 3 foreign languages and played the piano since childhood. Having received his first knowledge of music theory and harmony from R. Glier, in 1904 thirteen-year-old Prokofiev entered the St. Petersburg Conservatory. Here he studied music theory and composition with A. Liadova and N. Rimski-Korsakov.1909 finished composition class and continued to study piano with A. Jasipova. At that time, he had already written a number of pieces for the piano, the most mature of which - Concerto I for piano and orchestra - made Prokofiev famous. In 1914, after completing his piano studies with a gold medal, Prokofiev went to London. The young composer wrote two ballets on the order of Diaghilev: "Ala and Lolis" and "The Tale of the Jester".Returning to Petersburg, in 1916 Prokofiev creates the opera "The Gambler", and in the summer of the following year he writes "Classical Symphony", the cycle of piano pieces "Moments" and the 1st violin concerto.in 1918 went on a concert tour of America in the spring and stayed abroad for 15 years. He performed there a lot as a pianist and conductor‚ and became a world celebrity. His operas and ballets, symphonic works were played in American and European cities. He wrote many piano pieces and symphonies abroad.in 1933 permanently returned to his native land. He settled in Moscow and immediately got involved in active musical activities. In his homeland, Prokofiev first created the ballet "Romeo and Juliet". in 1939 He wrote the cantata "Zdravica" on the occasion of Stalin's sixtieth birthday.In the last months of his life, Prokofiev continued to improve his favorite works - the opera "War and Peace" and the ballet "The Tale of the Stone Jelly". The last notes of this ballet were recorded in the score on the day of the composer's death - in 1953. March 5 Because Prokofiev died on the same day as Stalin, his funeral was very modest, and news of his death did not spread until months later.Sergei Prokofiev and Mstislav RostropovichProkofiev's creative legacy is extremely rich and varied. He wrote 8 operas: "Love for Three Oranges", "Semjonas Kotka", "Engagement in the Monastery", "War and Peace"... 7 ballets: "Romeo and Juliet" is one of the most popular, 7 symphonies, 10 instrumental concerts, more than 30 symphonic suites and vocal symphonic works, 15 sonatas for various instruments, instrumental ensemble, many piano pieces, romances and music for movies and drama for performances. Most of those works are heard on the stages of the world.Sergei Prokofiev's work covers almost all genres of music, among which music for the theater is especially important. Sergei Prokofiev's musical style is characterized by intense development, which reflected various artistic trends of the 20th century, the most important of which was neoclassicism, the expression of which was very individual. He began his creative path with a rebellious protest against academicism, symbolic impressionist tendencies - in this way he was close to J. Stravinsky, P. Hindemith, B. Bartok.Music is characterized by optimism, volition, and energetic energy. Direct ethnography, domesticity is avoided. The strongly emphasized rhythmicity is especially important. The melody is individual, characteristic. Wrote tonal music, expanded the major-minor system, up to 12-tone chromatic tonality, used polydermy and polyphony. He developed the recitative technique in operas and vocal chamber music.
