First Movement

B-flat major, 4/4 time. The slow movement opening is an entirely new feature for Prokofiev's piano sonatas. This idea recalls Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. However, while Beethoven's first movement consists of a short ternary form typical of a slow movement, Prokofiev's first movement significantly differs from this precedent by being in a large-scale sonata form. It is said that some criticized this movement to Richter, the first performer of Piano Sonata No. 7, saying, "What old-fashioned music, do you really want to play this?" Yet, Richter himself, on another occasion, insightfully praised it, stating, "It is a somewhat difficult work to understand, but that is due to its richness."

The first theme, played over a bass line in the low register, slowly draws a broad arch over four measures. It is written contrapuntally in four voices, with the arch ascending and descending along with the two inner voices, demonstrating Prokofiev's contrapuntal inventiveness. After a reverse arch follows (this melody, incidentally, is a transference from the film score The Queen of Spades), the music shifts to E-flat major, and a melody is played with an upward arch similar to the first theme. (It should be noted that commentaries, both in Russia and abroad, often interpret one of the above-mentioned arches as a "second theme," suggesting that this movement has three themes. However, the author believes that these are motives rather than "themes" in the sonata form sense, as their tonality is retained in the recapitulation.) Subsequently, the first theme is clearly re-established, followed by a transitional passage with movement, leading to the appearance of a recitative-like second theme in G minor. Some authors identify elements of Russian folk music, specifically "weeping songs," here.

Marked Allegro moderato, the lengthy development section, beginning with toccata-like runs, features successive variations of previously introduced motives, transforming the gentle mood present in the exposition into a sharp, acrid, and broadly passionate character.

In the recapitulation, the two themes return almost conventionally in B-flat major, concluding after an acrid coda that seems to re-emerge from the development section.