Prokofiev

Inspired by the music of great Russian composer, Sergei Prokofiev. Ashley Floyd states on the preface page, “Prokofiev composed some of my favorite excerpts for the oboe (The Love for Three Oranges, Peter and the Wolf, and the First Symphony come immediately to mind) and my piece is a homage to the great master.” The work is built on two contrasting ideas. The first consists of short, violent outbursts based around the E-flat minor chord. These snippets of the E-flat minor triad are changed one pitch at a time, leading the harmony toward more distant and dissonant tonal areas. As these small outbursts grow more urgent, they gradually give way to longer note values transforming the music from menacing to a sweeter, more lyrical style. These two styles fight for prominence. The lyrical music seems to win out until the exciting climax during which the E-flat minor triad returns as a full two-octave arpeggio before breaking apart again into the agitated opening material.