I finally got how amazing especially the 4th movement actually is.

*MVT I* EXPOSITION 0:01 Theme 1a, rising sequential thirds quickly joined by a second voice. Stepwise motion abruptly leads into... 0:07 Theme 1b, consisting of two main motifs: the insistent, dissonant repeated notes and the strangely _Dies irae_-esque theme in the middle voice. 0:20 t1a again, though the falling chromatic line appears _above_ the rising thirds, an example of invertible counterpoint. This time, it's capped off by a more decisive half-cadence, followed by a sudden _lunga_ G minor triad. 0:33 Transition. The most important aspect of this theme is the RH figure you hear at the beginning of this section. Descends sequentially, briefly touching on the tonalities of G minor, F minor, E-flat minor, and D-flat minor. A repeated falling half-step starting at 0:44 contributes further to the chromaticism; eventually, the music settles onto the common tone E (and the repeated E-D# actually anticipates T2!) as the inner voices continue to move chromatically, bringing us to... 0:56 Theme 2. It's in E minor... I think? A "sickly sweet", ethereal theme marked by dissonant harmonies. 1:34 Codetta. Falling chromatic notes in the LH reminiscent of t1a, followed by tr in diminution. This is repeated once, then tr is played in parallel 11ths twice, bringing the exposition to a close in E minor. DEVELOPMENT 1:59 A reharmonized version of t2. 2:17 tr alternates with the end of t1a. 2:33 The beginning of a long crescendo that takes up most of the development. First, invertible counterpoint on tr. 2:47 t1b and t2(!!!) enter simultaneously on top of tr. Repeated notes from t1 introduced at 3:01. 3:27 Climax in C-sharp minor, calling back to the end of the second statement of t1a. 3:37 tr in augmentation, superimposed on a chromatically rising version of itself. RECAPITULATION 3:47 t1a in LH (t1b entirely omitted) - this is gonna end with that G minor triad, right...? Nope; C minor is briefly tonicized, preceding another abrupt shift in tonality. 4:05 tr beginning in A minor, and ending with what appears to be some arpeggios implying the D Phrygian mode... 4:27 t2. The melody says D minor, but the first measure in the bass is a C major triad... D minor tonality becomes more obvious towards the end of the theme. 5:04 Codetta again. CODA 5:30 Two more statements of t1a, introducing diminished 7ths into the mix. We _finally_ get to hear this theme end on a perfect cadence! *MVT II* 5:54 A section. Emphasis on upbeats and the downbeats immediately following, with chromatic accompaniment. 6:27 B section. Built entirely on that insistent rhythmic figure of two eighth notes and a quarter note (often across barlines). Moves through D major, D-flat major, A major, then starts back towards A minor. 7:12 A section. Begins in a lower register than before, but is more or less the same as before besides that. *MVT III* 7:52 Introduction. Immediately sets the mood for this dark, bleak movement. 8:02 A section. A second accompanying voice enters, and the theme enters on top of them about two measures later. As is usual in this sonata, the G-sharp minor tonality is rather unstable and quickly changes. Second statement of the theme is significantly more dissonant, ending with parallel tritones in the bass. 10:05 B section. More active, dense, chromatic counterpoint in 7/8 time. 10:49 A' section. The tenor voice has completely dropped out; now, we hear bass octaves and the same alto accompaniment as before, but rewritten as repeated sixteenth-notes. Once the theme reenters, however, a much more chromatic tenor reappears, even featuring 2-against-3 polyrhythms towards the end. 12:57 B section again, drawing the movement to a close. *MVT IV* INTRODUCTION 14:00 Those rising fourths and fifths become an essential part of this movement's t1 (and could be a reference to the A section of the second movement). An arpeggio comes all the way down the keyboard at 14:05, followed by a dominant trill in the lower register. EXPOSITION 14:08 Four measures of the same vamp from the introduction herald the entrance of IV.t1, contrasting open fourths with stepwise motion. 14:31 IV.tr. A toccata-like texture is established by the abundance of rapid chords. Sudden shift to 2/4 time and an implied C-major tonality at 14:42. 14:47 IV.t2. A light, humorous theme that is then repeated at 15:03. 15:14 Codetta. IV.tr on top of the bass line introduced at the end of IV.tr; the RH eventually takes up lots of jumping chords (with a 2-against-3 polyrhythm) before a homogeneous rhythm is reestablished at 15:24. DEVELOPMENT 15:38 t2 from the first movement - what's _that_ doing here? Note that it's presented in the form that it appeared when it began the first movement's development. 16:02 This theme is suddenly presented in a much more humorous light (shifting to 2/4 time as well). 16:16 IV.t1 is now presented in 2/4, alternating with a fragment of IV.t2 16:37 IV.t2, with the sixteenth-note gesture from IV.t1 in the background. 16:44 The two rhythmic figures from IV.tr superimposed. 16:48 Further development of the introductory theme, which eventually does lead us right back to the introduction. RECAPITULATION 17:07 Same texture as at the beginning of the exposition, as expected. 17:08 IV.t1 17:19 IV.tr 17:35 IV.t2; the second time around, IV.t1 is layered on top of it all CODA 18:02 A drastically altered codetta, quickly overtaken by IV.int and IV.t1. 18:18 Opening arpeggio referenced again, followed by a series of chords that slam the sonata shut.

Movements: 00:00 Allegro ma non troppo 05:52 Scherzo. Allegro marcato 07:49 Andante 13:57 Vivace

the second movement is SO GOOD it can step on me.

I love the random accented C#s at 16:25. They sound so out of place, but when it finally resolves to D at 17:05 it all makes sense

I have never heard such beautiful voicing, he makes every layer of the music audible and clear and comprehensible… I'm awe-struck

I studied with him and I confess: his teaching is GENIUS. Extremely humble man, treated me as if I was his son. Helped me not just in music but in life as I was struggling with so many things at the same time. Never stopped pushing me. Amazing man, amazing person, may God give him a very long life ❤️❤️

That's a nice recording. The voicing is just unbelievable.

The Andante is incredible. One really feels as though they're sinking into its mysterious beauty.

That melody from the first movement. So wonderful!

prokofiev was an unbelievable virtuoso. absolute mad man

[00:00] I. Allegro, ma non troppo [05:54] II. Scherzo. Allegro marcato [07:52] III. Andante [14:00] IV. Vivace

It sounds so cool, I can't get over it.

Allegro: 0:00 Scherzo: 5:53 Andante: 7:50 Vivace: 13:58

Magique... une très belle version. Merci ❤

I love Berman's recordings of Prokofiev's piano music on Chandos. Boris Berman is overall my favorite interpreter of Prokofiev's piano music.

17:51 How this part can be very clean and both of melody lines are so separated???? I must say that this performance is an ideal one of this piece...

Wonderful performance, I enjoyed every minute and can't wait to start practicing myself!

This andante is one of the most deep and sad near the madness

Prokofiev is often too great & marvelous a wonderful and awesome genius to follow, at least not easily, but his verve, vim & vigor, the 3 Vs!, are always electrifying and ever make you want to return for more! His Toccata, op. 11 is one such fabulous example of countless, and especially Guillou's transcription arrangement of it for organ, especially Vincent Dubois's wonderful rendition, I'll always regret Prokofiev wrote so little if any for the organ.

This is a great sonata, and a great recording.

Prokofiev's pieces are so captivating.

Absolutely superb. He might not scale the heights of a Richter or a Gilels, as he'd be the first to admit, but his attention to detail and clarity of voicing are incredible. Serious, self-effacing pianism at its best

I love so much to listen or to play the 3rd Mvt Andate, it's so hypnotic ❤

This is Amazing!

THIS IS NO DOUBT THE BEST!!!

The recapitulation is absolutely brilliant. Leaves me dumbfounded every time.

I'm sorry, having heard the whole recording, I must make an amendment. Not voicing, no. I have never heard such beautiful... everything O_O I mean he plays so well in tempo even in the most difficult moments, the dynamics is just stunningly precise, the sound is never harsh, even in fortissimo, … uh, I guess I'm gonna go dig the garden or something, there's no point in practicing anymore, because I shouldn't even dream of attaining this level of dexterity. Boris Berman…you're my hero!

I love the final movement

The ending of the first movement at 5:29, that's some way to finish a piece ;D

finally a good performance of this sonata on youtube

sublime

Great example of the young composer. Some themes are a little out of register (the muddy C3-C4 range) and there're a lot of extended sequences, but the brilliant harmonies and phrasing are pure Prokofiev and sound like no one else.

It was the sense of fun in the finale that really got me! Yes, the Andante -very slow - is very gloomy. Berman's metre was great. The modern pianists can learn something of great importance from this master. Speed is neither everything nor the aim.

That Andante

18:07 - 18:11 amazing voicing

That third movement is heartbreaking

can't be better!

Wow, he's matching Richter in this whole sonata. Very impressive

Однозначно одно из лучших исполнений!

Beatiful music! Congratulations!

When i read Pablo Nerudas poem Tengo miedo, i hear the Andante from this Sonata

the mellowdramatic part is tearin me apart good lord

The scherzo is so exciting.

I have a recording of the first five sonatas done by a different artist. I hit upon Boris Berman's versions one day while idly trawling through KZfaq. It's interesting to hear a different artist's take on the same material. I have to say I prefer Mr Berman's interpretations in nearly every way. I listened to Sonata No.1 first, and was immediately taken with how clean the left hand playing is. I was always irked by the heavy-handedness of the bass part in the recording I heard first. It's a muddle. Mr Berman's playing is strong without ever descending into murk. Who'd want to be a concert pianist? The artist on my CD is by no means a nincompoop. His playing just doesn't have the verve I hear on these recordings.

The scherzo part is so swag

4th part of this sonata reminds me the final part of Saint-Saens's 2nd concerto smh

Btw he gives a fascinating master class on this sonata to a student who plays it rather poorly at first but gradually gets a bit less bad. It's on YT but you must know Hebrew to follow it

12:57 best part of the Song 10:05

Когда то играла финал на гос экзамене, посмотрела спустя сорок лет на текст, ужас. Как только справлялась, а ведь играла с легкостью, в любое время дня и ночи.

i love 5:54

17:08 😍

Follow the dynamics Josh! :)

this is far better than richters in my opinion

Magnifique version de Boris Berman !! Bravo Maestro !!

Im really enjoying orchestrating this at the moment

Preciosa! ♠

10:51

At 14:40 a little bit Peter and the wolf.

Eugen Indjic - Piano Sonata No. 2 (Prokofiev)

The 3rd movement is a real nightmare.

9:42

2020: 1417

У меня друг сейчас эту сонату разбирает;_)

Jefferson

Try the sixth one.

Damn this bitch is hard!

3:48

Cannot stop listening this beautiful sonata

4 часть. 13:59

1:10

14:00

1:03 - fuc...g shit, in the middle of the most beautiful moment(((

16:25

The vivace certainly has a Khachaturian Sabre Dance feel to it!

Every time i hear the scherzo i picture two cartoon characters hitting each other with a big hammer.

I'm in my 4th year of piano, and I will attempt the 1st movement of the sonata..., wish me luck ahaha.

노래 존좋 ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

I juste began 3 days ago

혹시이거 프로코예프 2번 4악장 있나요??

dutilleux sonata nows makes a little more sense

13:59

пп 00:57

I Luke,😊

Skdixuuciffudu

Lenin, Stalin & their fellow deranged fascist filth didn't deserve greats like Prokofiev & his fellow luminaries, or the greatness of the Russian/Soviet peoples they wickedly made to so cruelly suffer, the dirt of whose feet their vile, lying lips weren't worthy to touch. Prokofiev is an epitome of how the darker the night (in which he lived), the brighter the light, which he surely was, as with so many of his dear colleagues across the spectrum of arts & sciences, et al disciplines. God remembered them even when they forgot Him so now they ironically more often are faithful in their true worship of Him that in the West where their lack of suffering for His sake has sadly all too much and often make us despise Him on Whom the Founders knew everything depended as their sole sure Foundation. Soli Deo Gloria!

Prokofiev's music is so ugly and I love it

69th dislike silly funny

Steps to compose a Sonata a la Prokofiev style: 1. Take a cat 2. Put it over a keyboard 3. Write

too many dissonants

What a waste of time trying to learn this boring stuff.

I’m like YES! A minor! This is gonna be easy. And then I realize how hard the second movement is.

Movements: 00:00 Allegro ma non troppo 05:52 Scherzo. Allegro marcato 07:49 Andante 13:57 Vivace

14:08