Great Players of the Past: Sergei Prokofiev, with GM Ben Finegold

Sergei Prokofiev (April 27, 1891 - March 5, 1953) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor. As the creator of acknowledged masterpieces across numerous music genres, he is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century. By seven, he had also learned to play chess!
This lecture was recorded on Wednesday April 17, 2024. Thank you to Nathan Black for sponsoring this lecture. “I’d like to dedicate the lecture to musicians who love chess!”
08:15 Alexander Alekhine vs Sergei Prokofiev, Blindfold Simul 1914
12:12 José Raúl Capablanca vs Sergei Prokofiev, Simul 1914
21:26 Emanuel Lasker vs Sergei Prokofiev, Simul 1933
29:19 Sergei Prokofiev vs Maurice Ravel, Mont La Joli 1924
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[@matthewjohnson6938]

Props to the sponsor, great idea for a lecture😅! I'm a classical music fan and did not know this about Prokofiev. Very fun intersection of interests. Go Sergei! But stay there.

[@hygujiuy]

I like his sense of humor that helps keep chess fun for me

[@Rubrickety]

In 1922 Prokofiev beat Botvinik in a blindfold composing competition, spotting him an oboe.

[@douglaslarosa8782]

I was a classical musician for almost 20 years and played chess seriously for over 7 years, but I had no idea Prokofiev was such a Chad in chess! I was thrilled to watch this lecture ! Thank you VERY MUCH, Nathan and Ben! 🤗🤗

[@gmatsue84]

You're telling me you're at least some 35 years old and you use words like "Chad"?

[@runepk4life500]

Another fan of classical music and chess here. I had no clue Prokofiev was so strong. Fascinating!

[@RoxxorzYourBoxxorz]

don't spot a knight to the Dance of the Knights guy

[@henrycampbell8655]

For those who have never heard Prokofiev's music, I'd strongly recommend the following: Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 1 Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3 Prokofiev Symphony No. 1 "Classical" Prokofiev Violin Sonata No. 2 I'm sure others will also suggest good pieces too!

[@immanuellitzroth1905]

Piano Sonata 6,7 and 8...

[@fawful303]

Lieutenant Kije, scythian suite, romeo and Juliette are wonderful as well. I've had the pleasure of playing some of his music as a trombonist in youth orchestras when I was younger. He wrote some fun stuff for us low brass

[@subspace7290]

and! the last 30 seconds of "only ash remains" by necrophagist 🤔🤔🤔😎

[@thenoblegnuwildebeest3625]

Would add the second piano concerto as well

[@michakowalski4578]

If I'd create a list of composers Prokofiev for sure would be in top 4.

[@PlguDctR-yb7mi]

"Chess is one of the only art in which composition and performance occur simultaneously" - Garry Kasparov Prokofiev in the background: "Someday that will be a Finegold lecture"

[@Freakinawesome333]

I used to like that quote until I remembered how common improvisation is in performing arts (music, comedy, dance, etc.). It's not a rare thing at all lol

[@raskalnekov]

@@Freakinawesome333 Today I learned that Garry Kasparov is an expert on both History and Art

[@UncleDansVintageVinyl]

@@Freakinawesome333 I mean . . . jazz?

[@f.d.3289]

Kasparov obviously doesn't know much about jazz and other improvisational music genres. Also many painters don't compose their images but just improvise spontaneously. But as always, Kasparov sounds (self-)important.

[@PlguDctR-yb7mi]

@@f.d.3289 Indeed, a lot of music and other arts are improvised. Even a lot of classical music was improvised back in the day. Mozart concertos are almost all written with cadenzas and caprices intended to be improvised; only recently have non-improvised versions of piano concertos become the norm.

[@flpsnk4848]

I will always treasure when I played his Piano Concerto no. 3 with my professor (two pianos) on my academy graduation concert. I felt very excited when I learned he also played chess. It's amazing one can be such of a beast of a musician and still play chess on a master level. I'm not even close to be this good in both fields.

[@ThunderChickenBucket]

I did a double take and thought, " no way thats the same person as one of my favorite composers."

[@ThunderChickenBucket]

I can speak to his composing, Prokofiev is very influential in orchestrating and film scoring, Lieutenant Kije Suite is worth a listen.

[@pcrich7062]

I always thought it was two different Prokofievs!

[@erickent4248]

Prokofiev was a great composer, and now a great decomposer.

[@arupian666]

More accurate would be "Prokofiev was a great composer and decomposer", as he finished both stages of his career long ago. He died in 1955. He's just bones now.

[@EgorTensin]

What an amazing idea from the sponsor!

[@the_arachnerd451]

It's so weird hearing Ben say Prokofiev when talking about chess to me , great idea for a lecture, ty ty.

[@JojenReed]

Been waiting on this one! I love love love the crossover!

[@AG-ld6rv]

Big boy Ben been watching Simpsons, Seinfeld -- Ben watching Seinfeld, Simpsons. Every now and then, he plays chess as a hobby. He was watching TV, watching movies, and listening to music his whole life -- he also took some good naps -- and did chess as a side hustle much like Prokofiev primarily wrote music but sometimes played chess.

[@VFomalhaut]

The early works of Prokofiev are some of my favorite, he had a really advanced music head. Awesome he played chess also.

[@chessanthemum]

I see Ben Finegold, I click

[@CodexPermutatio]

OK, Ben. You have already convinced me. I plan to listen to "The Dance of the Knights" on loop during my next lichess bullet tournament.

[@michaelstallard8563]

I’m new to chess but enjoying these games and the history 👍

[@bartoszmaniecki1806]

Very interesing for me, as I am piano teacher in Poland 🎉❤

[@brettdeccy9897]

Lasker died in 1941.... Does Grand Master finegold know anything???? Oh that's what he guessed...... Fries

[@coralplaysgames5883]

Another banger of a lecture

[@lyricsronen]

Prokofiev is a fantastic composer - most people are probably unknowingly familiar with several of his works (Peter and the Wolf, Dance of the Knights from Romeo and Juliet, etc). His compositions can be cerebral, complex and chess like in their structure, but at his core Prokofiev is a complete genius melodist, rivaling Tchaikovsky. I played in a performance of his 6th symphony several years back that I still think about to this day, that piece is so emotionally open and the melodies are just divine.

[@jerryk1562]

I guess anybody is a great player, so far as somebody sponsors a lecture for them 🙂

[@ericlangedijk2585]

I was a musician, I like chess, I like Prokofiev. Thanks

[@lucasfmhomem]

Didn't expect this video

[@Yengi-cw2ox]

Presumably it was Dance of the Knights?

[@jacobrose7973]

So cool for my worlds to collide like this as a music grad student and chess fan!

[@joelcuerrier4833]

Love chess, love music, didn't know the two combined so well.

[@elijahzarwan]

Someone please sponsor a lecture on the games of Humphrey Bogart!

[@polyton4539]

my parents have an oldschool chess clock like this, it is awesome :)

[@fore101]

My brother’s friend is his grand nephew. He is a musician, and a chess player

[@alhfgsp]

Prokofiev won a piano competition playing his own first piano concerto even after he was told not to play it beforehand.

[@drewpenner536]

Needed some Peter and the Wolf playing lightly in the background!

[@NadavHbr]

I‘m a musicians who loves chess. Thanks

[@surfingmantis6162]

Well, his most famous piece is "The dance of the knights" from Romeo and Juliet (I warmly recommend the recording with the director Georg Solti)

[@jugglingbeast]

Prokofiev was a 2400 player and a super GM in music.

[@h0wnr681]

"We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of the dreams" Man there's a Gene Wilder quote for everything. I really like the way Lasker just pushed him down in that game, reminds me of some of Carlsen's nicer games. Also Gukesh had some wins like that in the candidates, makes me think he could become one of the best ever.

[@RoxxorzYourBoxxorz]

the great Wilder is quoting this one guy O'Shaughnessy

[@sbwells01]

After Rf5+, black's position ( •_•) ( •_•)>⌐■-■ Unravels (⌐■_■) YEEEAAAHHHH🎸🎶

[@alexanderkidd7351]

I can imagine Bolero playing in the background as Ravel realizes that his king is out of squares and he’s getting mated. It’s almost like he forgot that development is just as important in chess as it is in music 🔥

[@RalphBurner]

At 8:00 Ben said that the only world champions he played were Smyslov and Anand but didn't he play Magnus also in the Pro-chess league?

[@nicks3294]

Continuity error 😵

[@UncleDansVintageVinyl]

The game against Ravel is a ton of fun.

[@juhonieminen4219]

Anand and Smyslov only? I can't believe you have never played Kramnik. Online blitz maybe? Any opponent could be Kramnik using false account.

[@paparatzz7531]

Ben got so exited that he played good against world champions... Then I got exited Oistrakh was a chess player

[@garysikon1812]

Prokofiev died a few hours after Stalin. Shostakovich said Prokofiev was so happy when he heard the news he had a heart attack on the spot and died. His apartment was on red square and they couldnt get his body out because of all the people lining up to view Stalins body.

[@LordBrozart]

I had no idea my brother in music, Prokofiev was a chess player!

[@lewisr.c2806]

@16:20 Start from here

[@135Pandemonium]

Wow I love Prokofiev but I had no idea that he was strong at chess!

[@andreitiberiovicgazdovici]

"It is a crime" against chess to play the open Sicilian, white exchanges the central pawn for the opponent's c-pawn, Larsen said it and G.M Finegold also quoted it. I would add, it is also a crime against chess that this channel has so few subscribers: for the content, it deserves at least 10 times as many...

[@adomaskuzinas2137]

The amount of people that believe Prokofiev did CHESS composition is too damn high!

[@SkateSka]

It's like he beat up Capablanca even worse than he did Alekhine. That's crazy.

[@dordiwesterlund2528]

It goes even further. Prokofiev played a match with David Oistrach - and Oistrach won. It is very unfortunate that these games have no survived.

[@matthewpaul985]

Proper Chess player

[@carneades4409]

wait what? I had no idea!

[@RiccardoSapore]

Very nice video, Morricone played chess too but certainly not at this level

[@temperedwell6295]

Menachem Begin also played chess. How good was he?

[@marianpalko2531]

39:00

[@williamblake7386]

Hey, i know his music

[@xwngdrvr]

Prokofiev had a pretty good alibi for Stalin's death

[@scheimong]

Always comment. Rawr!

[@matthewpaul985]

Pictures at an exhibition

[@Someone-tn8ur]

He was indeed a great composer, but now he is a great decomposer.

[@matthewpaul985]

Ravel

[@juhonieminen4219]

Ennio Morricone

[@jeffreyfisher3115]

Maurice Ravel was not a "10"

[@charliemurphy1269]

PROKOFIEV??

[@theodentherenewed4785]

So Prokofiev was not only a more profficient musician than Ravel, but also a better chess player. Was he better at everything? The truth hurts.

[@TheGloryofMusic]

Prokofiev is generally not considered to be among the top figures in Twentieth Century music, e.g., Schoenberg, Stravinsky (the Rite of Spring), and Bartok.

[@joaquinpiriz7301]

Go musicians who love chess

[@joaquinpiriz7301]

But stay there

[@newzild1]

Taimanov (concert pianist) and Smyslov (opera singer) are my top picks for music people who can play chess. Sting, on the other hand, is a terrible chess player.

[@fengardice]

When you're a master of the openings *and* the overtures! Impressive performance.

[@beeble2003]

BTW, the violinist whom Prokofiev is playing against in the photograph in the intro is more than just "a famous violinist" -- he is David Oistrakh, who was of the same stature as a violinist as Prokofiev was as a composer. I think it's fair to say that, if you declared Oistrakh the greatest violinist of the 20th century, just as if you declared Prokofiev the greatest composer, many (perhaps even most) people would disagree with you, but nobody would call you crazy.

[@answeris4217]

Didn't you play Magnus in the pro league. And Didn't he play a very suspicious move to beat you???