From Орus 4 to Орus 12: Sergei Prokofiev’s Path to a Piano Cycle

Marina Raku

Issue № 2 (794) | 2026

Research article

From Орus 4 to Орus 12: Sergei Prokofiev’s Path to a Piano Cycle

This article is written in Russian. You can read it here.

References

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Prokofiev, S. S. Avtobiografiya [Autobiography], ed. and comment. by M. G. Kozlova, Moscow : Sovetskiy kompozitor, 1973 (In Russ.)
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DOI 10.34690/619

Author Marina G. Raku

Affiliation State Institute for Art Studies, Moscow, Russia

Email raku@rambler.ru

ORCID

0000-0001-8523-2174

Abstract

The article is devoted to the organizational features of two early works by Prokofiev. Archival sources and some details about the creation history of both opuses show that the author himself viewed each of them as a collection of pieces, not bound by the terms of the cycle: the selection of pieces that formed the basis of Opus 4 was first made by the organizers of the “Evenings of Contemporary Music,” and the composition of Opus 12 varied repeatedly. It’s noteworthy that the latter includes two piano arrangements originally composed for other instruments, contrary to popular belief. Finally, the fact that the composer did not perceive both opuses as cycles is evidenced by his own performance practice. But some other outstanding interpreters of these works sometimes acted as advocates for the idea of the cycle. The article attempts to substantiate this approach on the basis of a dramatic and stylistic analysis of the texts, as well as the introduction of a biographical context that allows, in particular, to draw an analogy between Prokofiev’s Opus 12 and Schumann’s “Carnival.”

Keywords B. V. Asafyev, the problem of a cycle, piano works by S. S. Prokofiev, piano arrangements by S. S. Prokofiev, “Evenings of Contemporary Music”, “Carnival” by R. Schumann, A. K. Lyadov, B. P. Jurgenson

For citation

Raku, M. G. “From Opus 4 to Opus 12: Sergei Prokofiev’s path to a piano cycle,” Muzykal’naya akademiya [Music Academy], no. 2, 2026, pp. 130–141, doi:10.34690/619. (In Russ.)

Acknowledgments

I would like to express my gratitude to my colleagues at the State Institute of Art Studies—the staff of the Music History Sector—for their valuable comments made during the discussion of the article materials.

Published 14.10.2025

Approved 12.11.2025

Submitted 29.06.2026

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From Орus 4 to Орus 12: Sergei Prokofiev’s Path to a Piano Cycle

From Орus 4 to Орus 12: Sergei Prokofiev’s Path to a Piano Cycle

References

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