The concerto received its premier in Moscow on August 7, 1912, with Prokofiev as the soloist. The reaction from audience and critics was resoundingly negative. The work was labeled "musical mud," the work of a madman. The ugliness and outcry at the premiere brought Prokofiev instant attention. Prokofiev would continue for years afterwards to be accused of decadence and modernism, which is ironic, since a strong thread of traditionalism runs through most of his works, particularly in terms of form and overall harmonic construction.
Prokofiev regarded this concerto as his first mature composition. It is a single-movement work in sonata-allegro form. As Prokofiev notes, there is an Andante inserted before the development, and the development is a Scherzo, with a final cadenza introducing the recapitulation. Although cast as a single movement, the inclusion of an Andante and Scherzo suggests that the work really has a broader symphonic dimension. The concerto contains much of Prokofiev's typical lyricism, especially in the Andante, but is at the same time a very sprightly work, from the dotted rhythms of the principal theme to the energetic cadenzas and rousing recapitulation.
0:00 - Allegro brioso
6:25 - Andante assai
10:34 - Allegro scherzando