Prokofiev by Prokofiev: A composer's memoir

by Sergei Prokofiev

English, Russian (translation)

Genres: Music, Autobiography, Memoir

370 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (27 April [O.S. 15 April] 1891 – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor who later worked in the Soviet Union.

Reviews

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This autobiography deals with his childhood and his years at the St. Petersburg Conservatory until 18. Prokofiev also gives snippets of his earliest compositions, which aren't otherwise available and aren't written too messily. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in Prokofiev because of the vast amount of primary information, anecdotes etc. It's interesting to read about his musical tastes and which composers he respected, how they changed, and which music he heard from a young age, as well as his teachers and his attitudes to learning harmony and counterpoint at the academy.