Abstract:
This paper presents an analysis of the political climate in Soviet Russia and how the
expectations and restrictions set by Andrey Zhdanov and the Central Committee effected Soviet
composers. Travelling abroad to the United States, Germany, and France gave Prokofiev a wider
world view but also pushed him to return to Russia as he was not as successful abroad as he had
hoped. Compositional characteristics of Prokofiev’s music include the use of chromatic ‘wrong
notes’ in otherwise tonal music and use of Russian folk melodies. Throughout his life Prokofiev
tried to keep within the boundaries set by the Soviet government while still composing music
that is uniquely and freely his.