How differently Prokofieff's life unfolded. Prokofieff was able to adjust his creative personality to a swiftly changing world without losing his particular force and direction. In the process, his native endowments were stretched, strengthened and disciplined to serve their human purpose.

With a large and circumspect 20th Century technique, he wove the materials of national heroes and events, national folklore and children's fairy tales -- Slavic dances and love songs -- into a solid musical literature which served his people well, and is providing much enjoyment to the World at large.

Of course, it must not be forgotten that in achieving this historical feat, Prokofieff had the vast resources of his people behind him; time and economic security; symphony orchestras, opera and ballet companies; choruses, chamber music ensembles; soloists; recordings; broadcastings; television; large and eager audiences. It must be conceded that his native land provided Prokofieff with many of the necessary conditions for great creative incentive: economic security and cultural opportunities, incisive idioms, social fermentations for a new national ideology -- a sympathetic public and a large body of performers especially trained to fulfill his purpose.

Thus in Prokofieff the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics produced one of the great composers of the Twentieth Century. That his moods, even in his early years, are those of his people, does him honor, as his music honors those who inspired it. That he mastered every aspect of his medium according to his own great talents and contemporary judgments, is a good and solid symbol of his people under the tremendous pressures of proclaiming and practising the rigors of a new culture; and perhaps of even greater significance -- his music is strong 20th Century evidence of the effectiveness of Evolution, based on a broad Traditionalism for the creative art of music.