thumb|Sergei Prokofiev and his wife (front center) at the inauguration for the First All-Union Congress of Composers at the House of the Unions; 1 April 1948 The decree, published on 11 February, denounced six artists—Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Khachaturian, Shebalin, Popov, and Myaskovsky, in that order—for the crime of "formalism", described as a "renunciation of the basic principles of classical music" in favor of "muddled, nerve-racking" sounds that "turned music into cacophony". Eight of Prokofiev's works were banned from performance: The Year 1941, Ode to the End of the War, Festive Poem, Cantata for the Thirtieth Anniversary of October, Ballad of an Unknown Boy, the 1934 piano cycle Thoughts, and Piano Sonatas Nos. 6 and 8. Such was the perceived threat behind the banning of the works that even works that had avoided censure were no longer programmed. By August 1948, Prokofiev was in severe financial straits, his personal debt amounting to 180,000 rubles.
thumb|sergei prokofiev and his wife (front center) at the inauguration for the first all-union congress of composers at the house of the unions; 1 april 1948 the decree published on 11 february denounced six artists—shostakovich prokofiev khachaturian shebalin popov and myaskovsky in that order—for the crime of "formalism" described as a "renunciation of the basic principles of classical music" in favor of "muddled nerve-racking" sounds that "turned music into cacophony" eight of prokofiev's works were banned from performance the year 1941 ode to the end of the war festive poem cantata for the thirtieth anniversary of october ballad of an unknown boy the 1934 piano cycle thoughts and piano sonatas nos 6 and 8 such was the perceived threat behind the banning of the works that even works that had avoided censure were no longer programmed by august 1948 prokofiev was in severe financial straits his personal debt amounting to 180000 rubles