Sergey Prokofiev diaires: 18 February 1915

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text excerpt

There were several newspaper articles about me in advance of the concert, and red, ten-foot-high posters advertising the 'Pianisto e compositore russo Sergio Prokofiew'. The 'russo' tag did no harm at all as there was much popular feeling against Austria. For the concert the audience numbered about two thousand, but since it is such an enormous space it was not nearly full. At first I was not nervous at all, but there were places in the middle where I was. I did not tire in the Scherzo, but in the Finale I became so dreadfully exhausted I could scarcely carry on to the end. All in all it was not bad, but I did not play as well as I had done in Petrograd, and Molinari's accompaniment was less accomplished than it had been in the rehearsal. After the first movement there was applause mixed with booing, after the Scherzo undiluted applause, more restrained clapping after the third movement and at the end of the piece I was received quite warmly. The solo pieces I played in the second half of the concert were liked better than the Concerto.

excerpt from 'Sergey Prokofiev diaires: 18 February 1915' pp. 22 (189 words)

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