Five things you might not know about Prokofiev's Symphony No 3

Prokofiev’s Third Symphony came into being through an eclectic chain of artistic influences – from literature, psychology and opera to the symphonic stage. Its main musical ideas and motifs were taken from the composer’s then-unpublished opera The Fiery Angel, which was itself based on Valery Bryusov’s novel of the same name, and influenced by Symbolism and German folkloric tales and superstitions. It is also believed that the Symphony’s Scherzo was inspired by the ending of Chopin’s Piano Sonata No 2, and that Freudian ideas on sexuality, which were gaining traction at the time, influenced the atmosphere of the work.

The fact that many of the musical ideas we hear in this piece were initially conceived for an operatic stage can be heard in the work’s dramatic and often lyrical melodies, which mirror vocal writing. Prokofiev’s Symphony No 3 was, in many ways, a re-incarnation of a previous failed project by the composer. It carried a rich legacy of emotional depth as a result.

The Third Symphony is a prime example of Prokofiev’s capacity to write imaginatively for the orchestra, with haunting themes, gigantic chords, juxtaposing ideas and a remarkable Scherzo section, where the strings are divided up into 13 parts with overlapping glissandos. The symphony earned him recognition from some of his most well-renowned contemporaries including Igor Stravinsky, and it is still considered to be one of his most accomplished works.

The story of The Fiery Angel is salacious and exciting – taking in witchcraft, demonic possession, morality and even the existence of God and the Devil. Biographical interpretations of the piece point towards a similarity between the original story’s love triangle and the composer’s own history of infidelity, but Prokofiev himself made a point of encouraging audiences to focus on the abstract themes and sonic world of the piece.

Prokofiev started writing music for The Fiery Angel before he had secured a commission for it, which effectively meant that he wasn’t getting paid for his work. After a series of unfortunate events led to the work’s premiere being endlessly delayed, it was the composer’s reluctance to give up on this idea that drove him to revisit this piece in a symphonic context. Even after the first performance, this work was met with mixed reviews ranging from people who considered it a masterpiece to some who couldn’t get behind the music’s hectic, chaotic nature. Regardless, Prokofiev was convinced this was one of his greatest pieces, and we have his tenacious character to thank for the fact that it finally made it to the stage.