Jorge Bolet's Prokofiev

The Eighth Sonata

There are only two performance that I know of (no doubt there are a few more).

3 December 1948

Carnegie Hall, NYC

The programme of his 6th appearance here included:

Beethoven's Rondo Op. 51/1 in C

Schubert's A minor Sonata D.748

Prokofiev's Sonata No. 8 in B flat major Op. 84

Chopin's Ballade in G minor Op.23,  Berceuse, and a Saint-Saëns Waltz.  

27 April 1949

Havana, Cuba (for the Sociedad Amigos de la Música)

incl. Piano Sonata in A minor, D 784 (Schubert) and Sergei Prokofiev's Piano Sonata No. 8 in B♭ major, Op. 84.

Two encores, Adiós a Cuba (Ignacio Cervantes) and a dance by Lecuona

'The pyrotechnics of the Prokofieff sonata were easily within Mr. Bolet’s command. He was not satisfied, however, to remain on the surface of the work, but imbued it with a rhythmic savagery which made its brassy measures sound more impressive than they usually do. To pass from this athletic work to the gossamer texture of Chopin’s Berceuse was something of a tour de force. He even managed to do interesting things to the Ballade in G minor.' (Musical America)

However, it was in the Prokofiev Sonata No. 8, Op. 84, that he really came into his own. His and Prokofiev’s styles click like two sides of a zipper. Bolet’s clarity, his incisiveness, was meant for such a work as this Sonata. His percussive quality was indispensable to the Al- legro passages. And then in the Andante sognando he could make Prokofiev sound innocent and tender. There was stir and beauty, all the more touching for the surrounding glitter. One senses that here a composer is being presented whole, and truly. (...)  Bolet is best, we decided, in his ability to identify him-self with composers of the special characteristics, the ones that call for the more unusual treatment. Many modernists, we should suppose, look at him with expectancy and hope. I have a feeling he will not let them down.' (International Musician)

Prokofiev completed the sonata in 1944 and dedicated it to his partner Mira Mendelson, who later became his second wife. The sonata was first performed on 30 December 1944, in Moscow, by Emil Gilels. In the brief movement [Andante sognando in D flat major], Prokofiev uses a theme from his then unperformed melodramatic adaptation of Eugene Onegin.

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All this was before the second piano concerto took hold.

10 January 1950

Municipal Auditorium, New Orleans, Louisiana

Prokofiev, Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 16

New Orleans Symphony & Massimo Freccia

JB's first public performance of the concerto, in an interview with the Times-Picayune (10.1.1950). He had heard it a few years ago, played by Abbey Simon and had rushed out to buy the score but found to his dismay that it was out of print. Simon had photostats of it form The New York Public Library, obtained at considerable expense. But then Jorge found out in 1948 that it had been republished. Orchestral scores were quite scarce, but one arrived from London a month ago. Maestro Freccia's score is annotated in Russian and the players are reading from hand copies. He is a guest of Fred Bultman Jr, 1525, Louisiana.