Sergei Prokofiev: Sinfonia Concertante in E minor, Op. 125 (Score and Analysis), II: Allegro guisto

II. Allegro guisto (A minor)
Form: sonata-allegro
INTRODUCTION
00:00 r.27. A series of drunken chords cadencing to E major is abruptly interrupted by a frenzied solo cello passage. At r.28 opening chords try to break through but are quickly silenced by cello. Later on, a glimpses of primary theme accompaniment occur.
EXPOSITION:
Primary theme area. A minor. Three-part layout.
00:30 r.29. First theme. First Section. First Pathetique singing of the main melody, picked up by the impulsive current of the accompaniment, develops and dynamizes dramatic lyrics of the 1st movement’s primary theme, and the ostinato rhythms of the accompaniment are the “spurred” of the martial theme. Noteworthy is the ostinato pattern of the bass voice ("Dies Irae" motif), endowing the primary theme with a frenzied tenacity of the swiftly galloping toccata.
00:45 A new short melody leads to a wild modulation to A-flat minor through a tocsin brass fanfare.
00:52 Short middle section reminiscent of 1st movement’s martial theme and double stop intonations of the same primary theme.
01:01 The variation of the theme, failing to find a stable key. Fragments occur in order of appearance from r.29.
01:25 r.33. A varied and extended fanfare to leads to the second theme of the primary area. A brief quote from the opening cello passage moves into the second theme.
1:40. r.34. Second theme. A lively and sarcastic drunken theme with a counterpoint of oboes and a low register trumpet line. It also ends with a violent fanfare of r.29.
2:14 Transition theme. A slow yearning melody in cello. The final transition is done through strikingly immobile connective low trumpet pedal.

Secondary theme area. E major.
2:55 r.38. Theme. Phrase 1. The light "spring" theme of the secondary area is perceived as the beginning of a new independent part of the cycle. Its development in free variations enhances its figurative and intonational relationship with the secondary theme of the first movement and with the first theme of the finale.
03:17 r.39. Phrase II. The theme is repeated in a more direct rhythm, with sudden upward motions, which are also emphasized by tense alterations in harmony and rises in dynamics during the jumps. In this variation, dark clouds are gathering over the gentle spring theme.
03:48 r.40. Phrase III. The theme is further developed using fragmentation. It also starts losing the tonality and in the end of variation oboes, clarinets and bassoons enter in counterpoint.
04:23. r.41. Theme returns in its original form by the orchestra, although is interrupted by earie cello double stop passages, which will return later in the cadenza.
04:55 r.42. Phrase II is intercepted by the cello in an even more dense and tense orchestration.
5:43 Closing theme. r.43. Harmonically unstable, like a sharp calling cry, the brief theme organically prepares a dramatic development, which, in contrast to the development of the 1st movement, widely reinterprets all the thematic material of the exposition.

DEVELOPMENT:
6:09 Transition theme leads
6:29 r.45. Сadenza. First section of the cadenza focuses on developing the primary theme’s first subject in a low heavy-grounded grave register. Later on cello plays double stops reminiscent of secondary subject’s variation III. The first section of the cadenza finishes with a riff-like sixths with a pedal G.
7:36 r. 46. Cadenza. Second section of the cadenza develops the primary theme’s second subject in a robotic metallic way as was in the end of r.45.
8:10 r.47-r.51. Here develops and reaches its limit of dynamic stress the disturbing main theme containing such images of obsession. The ostinato accompaniment pattern in development is very close to the ostinato figures of the "funny-sinister" scherzo Fifth Symphony, and sweeping leaps and the passages evoke the tocsin of the sixth sonata finale. At 08:38 both main themes of the primary theme group are blended together.
9:22 r.51-r.55 The furious onslaught of the main theme is opposed in development by the singsong theme of the secondary theme, transformed into a determined, heroic march endowed with strong-willed energetic gait, sharpened polytonal chords of rhythmically clear accompaniment. Notice how accompaniment to the march is build up from primary theme’s second subject. Towards the r.55 the theme loses its momentum and leads to a brief cadenza on the main theme at 10:36.
11:26 r.56. Cello passages reminiscent of the 1st movements development and reprise 32nd note passages suddenly arise out of nowhere, accompanied by the primary theme’s second subject.
12:00 r.57. That leads into a distorted, fragmented, frenzied, sped up version of the closing theme bringing us back to the reprise.

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Видео Sergei Prokofiev: Sinfonia Concertante in E minor, Op. 125 (Score and Analysis), II: Allegro guisto канала Arne Korpen