Prokofiev's Composition Style
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Prokofiev strives for greater simplicity and more melody in his music. He feels that there has been too much dissonance. He said, Bach used dissonance as a good salt for his music. Others applied pepper, seasoned the dishes more and more highly, till all healthy appetites were sick and until the music was nothing of pepper. I think the society has had enough of that. (adapted from The New Book of Modern Composers, Third Edition) He wanted a simpler and more melodic style for music, a simpler, less complicated emotional state, and dissonance being once again relegated to its proper place as one element in music.
To him, counterpoint can go only to a certain distance when it comes to tonal combinations. Three melodies are about the limit that the average human ear can grasp at one time, that is if the melodies are clearly sounded and contrasted in pitch and tone color. The ear may be able to perceive and assimilate the effect of four different parts, but will not be continued for long if all four parts or melodies are of equal importance. When listening to a four- or five- or even six-part fugue, the ear will only be able to perceive and follow precisely the most important of the melodies being sounded...