# Prokofiev using a Händel theme?



## Razumovskymas

What do we have here:

A Händel Aria that starts of with an appealing theme.

And Prokofievs' 5th piano concerto that has a very similar theme in it's last movement (starting at 20:52 in the video below)

is it a reference? coïncidence? comments?


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## Animal the Drummer

I stand to be corrected if I've missed something, but I don't recall Prokofiev referencing Handel (or Baroque music in general) elsewhere in his output, so I can't see this being a direct reference. Coincidence would be my guess.


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## Vox Gabrieli

It wouldn't be a complete surprise if it were a reference. Composers like Shostakovich were very well known for sneaking musical anecdotes in their music.


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## hpowders

Razumovskymas said:


> What do we have here:
> 
> A Händel Aria that starts of with an appealing theme.
> 
> And Prokofievs' 5th piano concerto that has a very similar theme in it's last movement (starting at 20:52 in the video below)
> 
> is it a reference? coïncidence? comments?


Could simply be another case of collusion. I hope CNN gets on it immediately!!


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## Razumovskymas

Animal the Drummer said:


> I stand to be corrected if I've missed something, but I don't recall Prokofiev referencing Handel (or Baroque music in general) elsewhere in his output, so I can't see this being a direct reference. Coincidence would be my guess.


That's an interesting thought process.


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## EdwardBast

At the time of the Fifth Concerto, Prokofiev was trying for a new simplicity and usually failing to achieve it. There was also a neoclassical bent to much of his work from that time (Sonata for two Violins, sonatinas for piano), which makes a Handel quote sort of apt. And Prokofiev had a great memory, so it is possible his mind dredged up the idea without him realizing its relation to the Handel. The similarity of the first phrase is striking, but the possibility of coincidence can't be ruled out either. It's a tough call.


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