PROKOFIEV, Sergey
Piano Sonata No. 7 in B-flat major, Op. 83
I. Allegro inquieto – Andantino
Joaquín Soriano, guest professor
Adi Bar, student
After the student’s performance, Professor Soriano makes several general observations: the Andantino was too slow; it should be played with more naturalness and maturity, without getting carried away so as not to break the atmosphere or the control of the tempo, and without playing louder than indicated in the score.
Returning to the Allegro to go into more detail, the professor points out that at the beginning, it should be played piano and more scherzando (in the literal sense of the word, playfully) to give more importance to the small crescendo and subsequent accent. It should sound more cantabile and not so loud and exaggerated, which is why Prokofiev is a school for learning to make fortissimos and accents without breaking the sound.
In the following fragment, the notes should be longer. Soriano reiterates that one should not play loudly but rather focus on each note with precision and severity, as if it were Bach, and follow the score’s indications exactly. In the professor’s opinion, it should be played more naturally and fluidly, paying attention to the text and not just physical force.
For the Andantino, the professor makes recommendations of character and expressiveness. It should be played piano but not romantically, starting the accelerando more gradually and keeping the entire piece very clear in one’s head. The longer notes should be allowed to sing without accentuating them. Returning to the Allegro inquieto, he emphasizes that it is scherzando and incisive but not loud, using pedal in the crescendo and articulating the final notes clearly.
Language: English
