I can remember few more powerful moments in my life than being on stage performing Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, particularly the first selection from the second Suite: Montagues and Capulets.

The music is intended to accompany a ballet, which in turn tells the story of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.  Montagues and Capulets are two warring families, which this music conveys quite well.

From the driving power of the basses, to the dissonance in the strings, the staccato attacks of the percussion, and the volume of the brass, the tension is palpable.  Make sure you listen from 1:25 to the end!