Symphony No. 1 in D major "Classical", Op. 25, Op. 25

Prokofiev's "Classical" Symphony (1916-17) is a gleaming neo-Classical gem written as a deliberate act of playful homage to Haydn -- but filtered through the composer's acerbic wit, unexpected harmonic sidesteps, and propulsive rhythmic energy. Composed away from the piano to strengthen his compositional ear, it is simultaneously a perfect evocation of 18th-century form and a distinctly modern work: the Gavotte third movement became one of Prokofiev's most beloved melodies (he reused it in Romeo and Juliet), and the finale's perpetuo moto has a machine-like energy no Classical-era composer could have imagined. At sixteen minutes it is one of the most perfectly compact symphonies ever written.