Program Notes: Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet
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Program Notes: Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet
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About this listen
This program spotlights an unusual instrument for a classical program: the saxophone. For Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, the tenor saxophone makes a rare appearance in a symphony orchestra with the theme representing Juliet. Of Prokofiev’s nine ballet scores, this is his finest – even though he originally wrote a happy ending to Shakespeare’s tragedy. An “altered” version was performed, however. The saxophone is front and center for A Kind of Trane Saxophone Concerto, written as an homage to the great jazz saxophonist John Coltrane. The concert begins with John Adams’ Short Ride in a Fast Machine, a four-minute jaunt inspired by a terrifying ride in a Ferrari.
These audio program notes include music excerpts.
Masterworks 10 of the 24/25 Season
Performance Mar 30, 2025