Sergei Prokofiev wrote his Piano Concerto no. 1 in D flat major, Op. 10 between 1911 and 1912. The shortest of his five piano concertos (lasting only 15 minutes), it was written in one movement, though for practical purposes it is usually divided in three parts. It was first performed in 1912, and in 1914, Prokofiev chose to play it in the Saint Petersburg Conservatory as part of the programme for the Anton Rubinstein Prize competition. He considered that he couldn't win with a classical concerto, but if he was allowed to play his own piece, the jury wouldn't be able to judge whether he was playing well or not. As the rules required that the work be published, Prokofiev hurried to find a publisher, and produced 20 copies in time for the competition. The jury, headed by Alexander Glazunov, awarded him the prize, albeit somewhat reluctantly.
