(Saxophone Part Only, meant for use with Schirmer edition)

Acknowledgements and a few notes:

Many thanks to Alex Kunzelman, Morgan Smallwood, and Vito Giacalone for their thoughts regarding the work, and to Ed Matthew, Will Adams, the Prokofiev Estate and Michael Couper for making this edition possible. Ultimately, it was designed to be performed with the beautiful Piano part/edition (ISBN 978-0-634-03667-5) by Schirmer, combining Prokofiev’s own 2 slightly different versions for flute and violin; and now taking into account the saxophone, frequently used by Prokofiev (Lt.Kije, Alexander Nevsky, Romeo and Juliet, and the lesser known Egyptian Nights). The Sonata Op. 94, was first performed in Moscow on December 7, 1943 by Nicolai Kharkovsky, flute and Sviatoslav Richter, piano.  It was later transcribed for violin in 1944, at the request of violinist (and friend) David Oistrakh, who reportedly attended the premiere.

 

Prokofiev’s Op. 94 is arguably the finest woodwind sonata of the 20th century, and was written by Prokofiev as he was sequestered in Russia, in the Ural mountains, in the throes of World War 2.  Yet is hopeful, light hearted, full of character (and characters In its many ‘Peter and the Wolf’ types of motives, which can only make one smile. And, the third movement, as the sole dark, ‘bluesy‘ movement, is jazz-like, and perfectly suited to the saxophone. It is the movement that attracted me first, and which I transcribed so many years ago, as a graduate student at New England Conservatory. 

 

-Ken Radnofsky

June 5, 2020