For piano-Sergei Prokofiev was born in Sontsovka in the Ukraine on the 23rd of April 1891. Soon showing a talent for piano and composition by the time he was fourteen he was attending the St. Petersburg Conservatoire where he received extensive schooling inpiano harmony composition and conducting. Prokofiev was greatly interested in contemporary composers (Reger dIndy Debussy and Richard Strauss) and quickly made a name for himself with his revolutionary aesthetic language of great harmonic andrhythmic impact. His compositions were inspired by Symbolism and Futurism two artistic movements predominate at the time. Prokofiev attracted attention through his early works – the Etudes Op.2 and the Pieces Op. 3 and 4 – owing to his specialtechnique and percussive treatment of the piano (similar in some respects to Bartok) although he was also capable of rich melodic invention.Actually composed in 1907-08 before his Four Etudes for Piano Op. 2 Prokofiev’s Four Pieces for Piano Op. 3 and 4 were only published in 1911. Concert pieces some show Scriabin’s influence on the composer especially in the titles.

The Russian ballet director Sergei Diaghilev commissioned many composers to write music for the theatre. This was what caused Serge Prokofiev to compose the four part Scytische Suite (also known as Ala and Lolli) in 1916 from which The Enemy God and the Dance of the Spirits can be heard on this CD. This suite is one of Prokofiev's first works and received negative criticism following its first performance on account of its being 'uncivilised'. Prokofiev himself wrote after this first performance '. . . The timpani player beat the skin of the timpani to tatters and the whole orchestra voiced a protest. A cellist complained that he only put up with the violence createdby the blaring brass on account of his sick wife and three children . . .'.

An impelling and moving Sonata for Two Violins by Ukrainian composer Sergei Prokofiev. The four short movements are lyrical playful fantastic and violent all striking themes. The warmer style and highly effective sequence mirrors Prokofiev's condition at the time of composition: after his travels to the West away from Russia his work became increasingly more embracing rather than the confrontational and biting scores of his youth. This piece is one of the Great Performer's Editions and has been faithfully edited by David Oistrakh.