Set in the heart of the Second World War, Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5 is a representation of originality as well as pure expression, or in Prokofiev's own words Prokofiev “a hymn to the free and happy man”. , to his powerful powers, to his pure and noble spirit. This article focuses on the relevance of this symphonic work with respect to the contrasting events in its historical context, the connection to the composer's personal life, and the combination of compositional devices used to create tension and ambivalence throughout. the work. The process of composing his Fifth Symphony arose, as Prokofiev describes it, from a “fairly old” idea. He used sketched themes conceived two or three years before deciding on their use in the symphony. “I put them in my thematic book, then I put them aside. When the time came, I was ready to work very quickly: I wrote everything in a month, on a score of three or four lines. Then I stopped for a month or two and started working again, and a month later I finished it,” says Prokofiev of the timing it took for him to write such a symphonic work massive. There seems to be no room to doubt his remarkable genius and talent, and the unmistakable confidence he must have had about his intended intention, impact and purpose. achieve with his work. During the summer of 1944, Prokofiev was fortunate to be very productive; he was kept safe in a Soviet-run shelter where time allowed him to complete his Eighth Piano Sonata, compose some arrangements of his Twelve Russian Folk Songs, and begin "what would be his symphony the most admired – the Fifth.” The symphony premiered on January 13, 1945 and was Prokofiev's final appearance as a conductor. Additionally, two additions...... middle of paper......1997. Print.Nissman, Barbara “The many faces of Prokofiev. Part 2. » The Sergei ProkofievFoundation (2001): 1. Accessed February 21, 2014. http://www.sprkfv.net/journal/trois04/manyfaces2.html.Prokofiev, Sergei. Symphony No. 5 in Bb Major, Op. 100. New York: EF Kalmus. 194-?.Print.Smith, Elwood L. “The Fifth Symphony of Sergei Prokofiev.” Master's thesis, EastmanSchool of Music, 1957. Accessed February 21, 2014. UR Research at the University of Rochester. PDF. Sundram, Jason. “Program Notes: Symphony. » (2009) Accessed February 21, 2014. http://jsundram.freeshell.org/ProgramNotes/Prokofiev_Symphony5.html.Schwarz, Boris. Music and musical life in Soviet Russia, 1917-1970. University of California: Barrie and Jenkinns. 1972. Print. Whittall, Arnold. Musical composition in the 20th century. New York: Oxford University Press. 1999. Print.