What emotion is suggested in Prokofiev's Suggestion Diabolique?

[wildman]

As the title says.

As I suspected it to be, the piece follows the "devil" genre of piano music, where lots of technique is required and the composer/musician sort of wants the audience to "feel the heat".

Well, as the title suggests, I think the piece is most suited for conveying fits of hatred and anger. What do you think?

[lontano]

As the title says.

As I suspected it to be, the piece follows the "devil" genre of piano music, where lots of technique is required and the composer/musician sort of wants the audience to "feel the heat".

Well, as the title suggests, I think the piece is most suited for conveying fits of hatred and anger. What do you think?

I'd say arrogance, with a sprinkle of "F*** YOU" tossed in for good measure, possibly aimed at the changing political climate in Russia.

[lorditachijr]

I agree with lontano about the arrogance, and I also think it should sound sinister. I haven't played it yet, but it's one of my favorites and I've played similar Prokofiev. Something I think really helps with this style of Prokofiev is a nagging beat. The beat should always be driving you onward through the piece. Also you should give the audience a feeling that it's uncontrolled (While still of course being in complete control of the piece). I think hatred is a little too strong of an emotion for this piece, but anger and frustration fit right in. Most of all, you should have FUN playing it.

Good luck!
John

[wildman]

I agree with lontano about the arrogance, and I also think it should sound sinister. I haven't played it yet, but it's one of my favorites and I've played similar Prokofiev. Something I think really helps with this style of Prokofiev is a nagging beat. The beat should always be driving you onward through the piece. Also you should give the audience a feeling that it's uncontrolled (While still of course being in complete control of the piece). I think hatred is a little too strong of an emotion for this piece, but anger and frustration fit right in. Most of all, you should have FUN playing it.

Good luck!
John

I don't know if you know who you're talking to, but this piece is going to be an absolute Fingerbuster. Well, I definitely don't have the finger dexterity and strength to play this yet (isn't this nearly as hard as Liszt's "La Campanella"?), so "have fun playing it" wouldn't quite fit into the current situation. 

Anyway, I think hatred would fit well into this piece, as well as "sinister" as lontano described it. Thanks for the insight.

[retrouvailles]

Quoted from the other thread:

I mean, why the hell did he name it "Suggestion Diabolique" anyway? What does this mean? "Suggest a diabolical plan"?

That title is the result of a loose translation. I have seen it translated a number of different ways, such as "Satanic Apparition" and "Diabolical Suggestion", among others. The real title is the Russian "Наваждение", which Google Translate translates as either "delusion" or "hallucination". Consider all of the English translations to be liberties that the editors took.

That said, I would say that the emotion of the work is closer to the literal translation of the Russian "navazhdyenyie" (which sounds more diabolical than the English, heh), in that it is meant to sound like a hallucination to the audience. A work that comes about suddenly, startles, and then leaves like it never happened, but with a brief memory. That's what I get out of the work, anyways.

[hashtagwoke]

I think diabolical implies not just evil but conspiring evil. The musician and listener are conspiring in this little act of devilry. Inviting you to join the conspiracy. To partake in the mischief passively by simply enjoying it.

[kosulin]

I would say, suspensfully turbulent and bravura.

Prokofiev wrote Op. 4 No. 3 and 4 in (Summer of) 1908 when he was working on his Symphony e-moll, and when he played No. 4 for the first time to his friends, one of them (Walter Nouvel), could not sit, jumped around, and shouted "Да это наваждение какое-то!" ("this is some kind of obsession/hallucination!" in Russian).
So they decided to name it "Наваждение", but it was impossible to find exact translation of this Russian word to French. And because after Mephisto-Waltzer and Poeme Satanique, devilry became fashionable in piano literature, they decided to name it in French as Suggestion diabolique.
BTW, the name for No.3 (Despair) was also suggested by his friends Nuvel and Karatigin.

This anecdote is what Prokofiev wrote in his autobiography.
I.e. devilry was not intended even if you find it there :-)

And personally, I do not find it diabolic, its second part is even somewhat joyful for me.
Judge Chamberlain Haller from My Cousin Vinny would probably ask Prokofiev: "Are you on drugs?" after hearing this piece :-)

[piabanoch]

it is subjective but this piece reminds me a little bit mephisto waltz

[dbrainiak914]

With Halloween having just passed, I think this piece would be fitting as accompanying music for a chase scene from a classic slasher movie - Scream, Nightmare on Elm Street, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, etc.

Diabolical and gleefully maniacal indeed, with quick cuts that reflect the protagonist trying their hardest to get away.

In a way it can be viewed as a 20th century reimagining of Schubert-Liszt Erlkonig.