Composing for the Red Screen

A long-awaited, much-needed contribution to Prokofiev studies and Soviet cinema history. In Kevin Bartig's account, Alexander Nevsky, a showcase score of enduring appeal, becomes utterly fresh, and Ivan the Terrible even more compellingly bizarre. Highlights include a meticulous chronicle of the unfinished film The Queen of Spades, one of the great might-have-beens in the Soviet canon. Bartig also makes the case for the commercial (or at least educational) release of Tonya, a propagandistic film of modest musical appeal, while also filling in details of Prokofiev's service to Soviet power during the Second World War. Simon Morrison, author of The People's Artist: Prokofiev's Soviet Years Bartig's book is essential reading for all Russian film scholars. He makes the technical musicology of Prokofiev's film scores accessible, and he integrates his profound understanding of the composer's work into deeply researched historical studies of each of the films, giving us a world of new insights into a critical facet of film making that is rarely discussed. Joan Neuberger, author of Ivan the Terrible: The Film Companion Bartig is the world's leading authority on Prokofiev's film music. Not only is his knowledge compendious, but he is able to look at even the best known scores with fresh eyes, and uncovers some fascinating stories in dark and dusty corners. The book is brimming with insights into Prokofiev's unique gifts and helps us situate the composer better in the Soviet cultural landscape. Marina Frolova-Walker, author of Music and Soviet Power, 1917-32