 23 April 1891 – 5 March 1953  He was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor who mastered numerous musical genres and is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century

 He was inspired by hearing his mother practicing the piano in the evenings – mostly works by Chopin and Beethoven – and composed his first piano composition at the age of five, an 'Indian Gallop', which was in the Lydian mode  At the age of nine he was composing his first opera, The Giant, as well as an overture and various other pieces.

 Beginning in 1904 he studied at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory  developed a reputation as a musical rebel, while getting praise for his original compositions, which he would perform himself on the piano  By 1910, he had started making a name for himself as a composer  made extensive use of polytonality, created highly chromatic and dissonant works.  At the premiere of one of his concertos, the audience left the hall with exclamations of “To hell with this futuristic music! The cats on the roof make better music!”

 He wrote most of it in 1917, finishing the work on September 10  It premiered on April 21, 1918 in Petrograd, conducted by Prokofiev himself, and has become one of his most popular and beloved works  considered to be one of the first neoclassical compositions

 it was composed in an attempt to emulate the style of Joseph Haydn  However, it strongly reflects modern compositional practices and Prokofiev's own voice

 he was one of the earliest generation ofChinese composers influenced by western classical music and has influenced generations of Chinese musicians.  he composed in all the major musical forms (two symphonies, a violin concerto, four large scale choral works, nearly 300 songs and an opera)

 His influence in Chinese music won him the title People's Composer.  he is best known for his Yellow River Cantata upon which the Yellow River Concerto for piano and orchestra is based

 During the Japanese occupation of China in the 1930s, he Used his music as a weapon to protest the occupation  he took part in patriotic activities, for example, during the Sino-Japanese War ( ), he wrote vocal works that encouraged the people to fight the Japanese invaders

  It is scored for a classical period orchestra consisting of 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons,2 horns,2 trumpets, timpani and strings  Key of D Major  four movements as customary in Haydn's symphonies  it is of a decidedly lighthearted, even humorous character, much in the spirit of the symphonies of Haydn  Though the symphony is at times sharply dissonant, it maintains a steadfastly tonal basis  sudden shifts between tonal centers, characteristic of Prokofiev

 The dapper first movement is a miniature sonata design that follows the traditional form but adds some quirks, the recapitulation, for example, begins in the "wrong" key (but soon rights itself) and occasionally a beat is left out  The sleek main theme is followed by the enormous leaps, flashing grace notes and sparse texture of the second subject.  A graceful melody floating high in the violins is used to open and close the Larghetto, with the pizzicato gentle middle section reaching a brilliant tutti before quickly subsiding.  The third movement, a Gavotte, comes not from the Viennese symphony but rather from the tradition of French Baroque ballet.  The finale is the most brilliant movement of the Symphony, and calls for remarkable feats of agility and precise ensemble from the performers.

 Prelude: Song to the Yellow River Boatman  based on Yellow River Cantata  chromatic scales give melody a sense of urgency  call and response between piano and orchestra  pentatonic scale gives distinct tonality, often mimics traditional chinese chants  Ode to the Yellow River  melody is first taken by cello, sentimental sounding  piano is very dramatic, much more legato and consistent compared to first movement  melody develops in a crescendo, becomes climatic  ends again with strings and a single voice- symbolic

 Yellow River Wrath  begins with Chinese bamboo flute- simple, tranquil melody with major tonality  piano continues with a more elaboration, includes rapid ascending and descending scales  dramatic shift in tonality and pace, includes deep minor chord progressions, ends with Yellow River Cantata  Defend the Yellow River  includes brass fanfares and uplifting, bright melodies to a distinct marching beat  many points at which the melody crescendos  entire movement very energetic, ends with a slower patriotic melody emphasized by strings and that finally leads to climax

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