Sergei Prokofiev - Seven, They Are Seven, Op. 30

Sergei Prokofiev (1891 - 1953) - Seven, They Are Seven, Op. 30 (1917, rev. 1933)

Leonid Repin, tenor
St. Petersburg Conservatory Choir
St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Ashkenazy (2002)

Prokofiev's cantata Seven, They Are Seven is a work for large orchestra, chorus, and tenor soloist typically lasting around seven minutes. It was composed in 1917, just after his Classical Symphony, and was revised later in 1933.

"This short cantata, which indeed lasts about seven minutes, is a fantastic work which feasts on its own hypnotic repetitions and bizarre sound world. Prokofiev himself related his excitement at composing the work; periodically he had to seek relief from the task, owing to overwhelming anxiety that developed from his enthusiasm. This was among Prokofiev's first truly revolutionary large compositions, and it must have been a disappointment that he never saw it performed in Russia. It was, however, premiered in France, in 1924.

Seven, They Are Seven uses the poem 'Ancient Calls' by Konstantin Balmont, which is a Russian translation of a cuneiform in a Mesopotamian temple from the third millennium BC. It describes seven demonic gods who have power over the elements, and also describes the power of these gods. The work begins violently with a snare drum roll and seething orchestral music, with the chorus then entering the chaos in hysterical but dramatic style. The tenor incites the chorus, which sings with delicious fanaticism many repetitions involving the word 'seven.' A dark, grim rhythmic buildup then begins as the sinister tenor sings, seemingly possessed, above the ensemble. Suspense mounts, and the music reaches a fever pitch of bizarre and fantastic sounds; it detours briefly for a descent to some dark hell, after which tension builds anew. A climax of surreal manner is reached, with the orchestra roiling wildly. Finally peace comes, as the music fades to the dark sounds of the drums and bass singers. This is a thoroughly distinctive masterpiece and one of the most underrated works of its kind."

(source: AllMusic, Wikipedia)

[klangschatten]

Powerful and brutal cantata, thanks a lot!

[giorgiociomei]

Bellissima cantata, probabilmente la composizione più moderna di Prokofiev! 💖💖💖💖💖

[FueganTV]

One of the best modernist pieces ever! And the poem is just pure Lovecraft.

[robertt.]

I love this piece! But where did you find the score? I've never been able to locate a high quality PDF

[lylecohen]

Is it just me or are the trumpets at 1:44 playing the part from Shostakovich 5 instead of what is actually written?

[ЄвгеніяДенисенко-фч]

Вы не подскажете, где можно скачать партитуру?

[lylecohen]

Thanks for uploading!!! Just letting you know the Rozhdestvensky video you linked is private