It was initially entitled Sarcastic Pieces, but Prokofiev eventually decided to rename the title on the advice of two of his contemporaries: V. Nuvel and A.
[7] Sarcasms became very successful amongst modernists, primarily because of Prokofiev's efforts to find a new musical language,[1] and was met with loud applause at the premiere in Petersburg.
"[1] Fellow composers Nikolai Medtner and Sergei Rachmaninoff were both taken aback in the premiere, especially for the extremes in dynamics and clashing chords used, which evoked the Suggestion diabolique (specifically movement III).
[2] Another fellow composer, Boris Asafyev stated that "Prokofiev's Sarcasms are more taunting, more trenchant than the verses of the early Mayakovsky, and the horror of them is more terrifying and powerful.
[1] Lecturer David Nice also commented on the work that it begins "with something like a parody of The Rite of Spring's metrical freedom and pounding chords, which quickly fizzles out into Petrushka-like irresolution.
"[2] Lecturer Richard P. Anderson also favourably stated that "even in the Sarcasms, Prokofiev's most grotesque caricatures where he consciously exploits the percussive extremes of the piano, his signature lyricism manages to creep in.