Quintet (Prokofiev)


Sergei Prokofiev's Quintet in G minor, Op. 39 is a piece of chamber music for oboe, clarinet, violin, viola and double bass, written in 1924. The quintet, closely related to Prokofiev's ballet, Trapèze, contains six movements and lasts 20–25 minutes.

Background

In 1924, when Prokofiev was staying in Paris, a travelling troupe commissioned a chamber ballet from him. However, the ensemble that provided music accompaniment to the troupe only contained five members. This provided Prokofiev an opportunity to write more chamber music. His most recent chamber piece had been the Overture on Hebrew Themes, Op. 34.
Later, Prokofiev incorporated the ballet music into two pieces: Quintet, Op. 39 and Divertissement Op. 43.

Movements

  1. Tema con variazioni
  2. Andante energico
  3. Allegro sostenuto, ma con brio
  4. Adagio pesante
  5. Allegro precipitato, ma non troppo presto
  6. Andantino
The related ballet, Trapèze, reconstructed in 2002, is in five movements:
  1. Overture
  2. #Moderato, molto ritmato
  3. "Matelote"
  4. #Allegro
  5. "The Ballerina"
  6. #Tema con variazioni
  7. #Andante energico
  8. "Dance of the Tumblers"
  9. #Allegro sostenuto, ma con brio
  10. #Adagio pesante
  11. #Allegro precipitato, ma non troppo presto
  12. "Mourning the Ballerina"
  13. #Andantino

Companion pieces