Prokofiev: The Love for Three Oranges cover (Muzyka, 1971)

Here’s a piece that I know very little about, aside from the title. It must have come up in a music history class at one point, because my wife and I have laughed at its title for years as an example of a musical piece that is esoteric, but beloved by a small group. “There’s a real sack of oranges,” we might say. Well, now’s my chance to actually learn something of it, and see if I might find it as beloved as others.

Initial Impressions

I find Prokofiev to be a bit of a mixed bag. I’ve come across a number of his pieces as I’ve taken this musical journey, and find some exquisite and approachable, the first Piano Concerto, for instance, and others difficult to get into, the Violin Concerto No. 1 comes to mind. At first listen, Oranges seems to fall into that latter category, but I’m very willing to give it a shot.