Piano Concerto No. 2 (Prokofiev)

The Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 16, by Sergei Prokofiev was written between 1912-13 and rewritten in 1923. It consists of four movements whose total duration is just around thirty-three minutes.

1. Andantino
2. Scherzo. Vivace
3. Intermezzo. Allegro
4. Allegro tempestoso

The first and last movements are each around twelve minutes long and constitute some of the most dramatic music in all of Prokofiev's piano concertos. They both contain long and developed cadenzas with the first movement's cadenza alone taking up almost the entire last half of the movement. In contrast, the two middle movements are shorter and much lighter in mood.

It remains one of the hardest piano concertos to play.