Prokofiev began working on the Cinderella ballet in 1940, shortly after the success of Romeo and Juliet . The composition was interrupted by the outbreak of World War II, during which Prokofiev pivoted to more "patriotic" works before returning to finish the score in 1944. He later extracted three orchestral suites from the full ballet music in 1946 to ensure the music reached concert halls. Musical Analysis
Prokofiev’s Cinderella contains several distinct waltzes, each with a different dramatic purpose:
Watch this performance to hear the colorful orchestration and the shifting moods of the Waltz: Prokofiev - Cinderella Suite - Cinderella's Waltz The Wicked North YouTube• Aug 23, 2008 Comparison to Other Waltzes in the Suite
: The suite features an expanded orchestral palette including piccolo, English horn, bass clarinet, contrabassoon, a wide array of percussion (including a clock chime and pendulum), harp, and celesta.
