How did Igor Stravinsky influence Sergey Prokofiev’s musical development?

During his formative years at the conservatory, Sergey Prokofiev actively studied the compositions of Igor Stravinsky, particularly his early ballets. While these works served as a significant point of reference for his own creative growth, Prokofiev maintained a critical attitude toward his countryman’s brilliant innovations.1

Stravinsky’s influence is often contextualized within the broader period of intense exploration that defined Prokofiev’s pre-Revolutionary work. As Prokofiev sought musical renewal and innovation, he engaged with the modern currents represented by Stravinsky, even as he pursued his own distinct path in composition. While Stravinsky is celebrated for revolutionizing 20th-century music through his use of constantly changing rhythms, metric imbalances, and dissonant harmonies—most notably in The Rite of Spring—Prokofiev’s development was simultaneously shaped by a variety of other influences, including modernist poets, contemporary painters, and the theatrical experiments of Vsevolod Meyerhold.12