Sonata No. 8 for Piano Op. 84 (1939/44)

The three so-called War Sonatas Nos. 6-8 were composed in the years 1939-1944, while Prokofiev was evacuated from Moscow to Kazakhstan and the Caucasus. The reference to the siege of Leningrad was a prerequisite for the success of the compositions, which continue the tradition of Beethoven rather than conforming to the stylistic maxims of 'socialist realism' in force at the time.The Sonata No. 8 is more introverted than its well-known predecessor Sonata No. 7 and impresses in the final movement with its diversity and echoes of French Impressionism. The work is suitable for advanced pianists.