This work, also known as the Symphony-Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, is a reworking of Prokofiev's Cello Concerto in e minor, Op. 58 (1933 - 1938). The story behind Prokofiev's decision to recast the piece is fairly well known: in 1947, he heard the young cello virtuoso Mstislav Rostropovich play the e minor concerto, a work the composer and the general public was dissatisfied with, and he told Rostropovich that he would revise it for him.
The first movement, marked Andante, opens with a rhythmic motif over which the cello introduces the lyrical, dark main theme. Despite the lack of a conventional buildup or climax, further attractive thematic material develops in the same subdued and melancholy vein.
The second movement, marked Allegro giusto, is the one of the longest movements Prokofiev ever wrote, lasting around 18 minutes in most performances. It has three themes, the first (10:34) driving and busy, the second (11:43) sarcastic and lively, and the last (12:59) a soaring Romantic creation of great beauty. In this lengthy movement the satirical, grotesque music so strongly identified with Prokofiev's youth struggles to find a place with his distinctive Russian lyricism. There is also a challenging, lengthy cadenza (16:15) situated in the middle part of the movement.
The finale (Andante con moto) begins with a somber theme on the cello which soon turns heroic when the tempo increases and a muted trumpet plays it. Several variations follow, and then a playful, sort of drunken theme (30:04) appears to provide much color and humor in the brief middle section. The ending is pure excitement as the cello turns frenzied in repeating an insistent rhythmic figure, after which the brasses take up the sarcastic theme from the second movement (36:04) in a thrilling buildup that reaches its climax as the cello rises to its highest registers.
The Sinfonia Concertante was premiered by Rostropovich, with Sviatoslav Richter conducting (this is the only instance of Richter conducting). The technical difficulties of this work are so great that, for some solo passages, Prokofiev provides alternate, less challenging music. For a long time, the piece was considered unplayable. Although most cellists are able to play it today, it is still widely viewed as one of the most difficult pieces in the standard cello repertoire.
0:00 - Andante
10:03 - Allegro giusto
26:49 - Andante con moto - Allegretto - Allegro marcato