The Cantata for the 20th Anniversary of the October Revolution, Op. 74, is a cantata by Sergei Prokofiev.
Contents
Introduction
In ten contrasting movements, the cantata relates the story of the Bolshevik Revolution and the birth of the Soviet Union, from the battle for the Winter Palace in 1917, through the suffering of 1918 and Lenin's funeral in 1924, to the building of factories and collective farms in the early thirties, and the final consolidation of Stalin's control over the country with his new constitution of 1936.
Begun by Prokofiev in 1936 on a generous commission from the All-Union Radio Committee and Prokofiev's friend Boris Gusman, it was finished the following summer. Prokofiev expected it to be part of the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the October Revolution of 1917. Due to the political climate towards artists in 1937, Prokofiev decided to assure his safety by withholding the work. The Cantata had to wait until May 1966 for its premiere, 13 years after Prokofiev's death. By this time Stalin was also dead and disgraced.
Previous examples of this type of patriotic cantata include Shock Brigade of the World Proletariat (1931–32) by Alexander Krein and To the Proletariat and Agricultural Symphony (1923) by Alexander Kastalsky.
Movements
- Introduction: "A spectre is haunting Europe, the spectre of Communism"
- Philosophers
- Interlude
- Marching in Close Ranks
- Interlude
- Revolution
- Victory
- The Pledge
- Symphony
- The Constitution
The music's extravagant sound palette combines a full orchestra with typically Russian choral writing, folk instruments and the sounds of marching, gunfire and sirens.
Instrumentation
Popular culture
The Cantata for the 20th Anniversary of the October Revolution movement "The philosophers", was used in the opening and closing titles of the film Red Heat.