Alexander Scriabin - Preludes; Etudes; Piano Sonatas Nos. 4 & 5

"A classmate of Rachmaninoff's at the Moscow Conservatoire, where his professors were Anton Arenski and Sergei Taneyev for composition, and Vassili Safonov for piano, Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915) occupies a place totally apart in Russian music. Rejecting vocal music and borrowing of elements from folk tradition, he wrote exclusively for the piano and for the orchestra. His music language followed a long and constant evolution, showing the influences of Chopin and Liszt during the early years, then going through Wagnerian period before reaching an atonal style, looking far ahead toward the sound world of the twentieth century. His ouput for solo piano is made up of a large number of miniatures often grouped into sets: preludes, etudes, mazurkas, nocturnes, waltzes, poem, as well as various isolated pieces and ten sonatas, a genre which had been clearly neglected during the second half of the nineteenth century and to which Scriabin was one of the first to return regularly.

"His Sonatas nos. 4 and 5 are representative of the evolution of the form, which tends to abandon the traditional cycle in several movements in favour of the sonata-poem and at the same time they reflect the philosophico-spiritual thinking of the composer, known as an emblematic representative of Russian symbolism, with his inclination towards cosmic mysticism. The Sonata no. 4 in F-sharp major, op. 30 (1903) is in two movements. Its programme was defined by the composer as: 'Man's exhilerating race towards the star, symbol of happiness.' An 'Andante' serving as an introduction allows a glimpse of the star through its delicate shimmering, hardly rising above the nuance of pianissimo; the harmony feels a lot like Wagner - 'Tristan!' The principal movement 'Prestissimo volando' follows on, taking up the theme and bringing it to a climax in an intoxicating ecstatic surge.

"The Sonata no. 5, written as a single movement, does however juxtapose several episodes with different tempi; it is the last to possess a key signature, initially the same F-sharp major, associated by Scriabin with spirituality, but afterwards a series of several different tonalities, followng the progressive principal. Contemporaneous with 'The Poem of Ecstasy' for orchestra, it uses four lines from the latter's program: 'I summon you to life, O mysterious forces! Swallowed up in the dark depths of the creative spirit, preliminary signs of life, to you I bring audacity'. Occasionally the Sonata no. 5 reminds us of no. 5, of which the beginning can be deciphered in the long episodes (marked 'Languido'). For the most part, it is animated by a powerful vitality, with leaps and repeated energetic jolts, stamping chords and eloquen indications of interpretation: 'Allegro impetuoso con stravaganza', 'Allegro fantastico', 'Leggerissimo volando', 'Presto giocoso, estatico'... The syncopated rhythms abound and the superposition of different rhythmic formulas is a sign of the wider application of this manner in the later works of the composer.

"We go a decade back in time with the two sets of Preludes op. 13 and op. 16, composed in 1895 as a continuation of the great collection of the 24 preludes of op. 11, an homage to Chopin, which Scriabin then wanted to duplicated, dividing up his inspiration over several sets (op. 12, 15, 16, 17). The Preludes of op. 13 follow on the the first six keys, alternating between major and minor (C, a, G, e, D, b). The first is a 'Maestoso', very diatonic in texture, with chords in dotted rhythms moving in march tempo. The 'Allegro' which follows is very different, it is a virtuoso piece, in a finely crafted design with semiquavers in the right hand. After a discreet and rocking 'Andante', the three final pieces - two 'Allegros' and a final 'Presto' - resemble piano 'Studies', focusing respectively on the superposition of quintuplets onto triplets, sixths, and octaves with huge leaps in the left hand.

"The Five Preludes of op. 16, lacking any virtuosity, essentially cultivate a lyrical vein. The 'Andante' (B major) is calm and majestic with a dialogue between the intermediary voice and the melody of the highest voice. In the enigmatic 'Allegro' (g-sharp minor) short bursts begin pianissimo before a double-'forte' affirmation. The tonal purity of the 'Andante Cantabile' (G-flat major) creates a contemplative atmosphere which carries through to the total austerity of the 'Lento' (E-flat minor) which follows. The cycle concludes on a lighter not, in the F-sharp major on an 'Allegretto', bathed in freshness.

"At the heart the Scriabin Etudes are eight pieces from op. 42 (1903) which are a reflection of the evolution of his language during the course of this central period of his creative life. The Etude no. 1, 'Presto', exploits the superpositions of rhythms, which is already beginning to become a constant feature of his writing. The very brief Etude no. 2, lacking any verbal indication of tempo, presents quintuplets in the left hand over which is added a motif initiated by a dotted rhythm. The Etude no. 3, 'Prestissimo', is also short because of its rapidity and is sometimes nicknamed 'The Mosquito', it has a delicate texture of shimmering triplets in the upper register of the keyboard. With the Etude no. 4, 'Andante', we come back to some of Scriabin's lyrical writing which likens this study to a romance or a nocturne. The apex of this cycle is the Etude no. 5, 'Affanato', which its author frequently played himself; a striking, obsessional theme appears over rumbling arpeggios, before being answered by a beautiful vibrant melody. The Etude no. 6, 'Esaltato', seems to contain within the contour of its theme a few reminisces of the previous study, as well as the second of the set. Extremely short, the Etude no. 7, 'Agitato', in triplets over semiquavers, requires the hands to stretch wide. The last, 'Allegro' in ABA form, begins in the manner of an 'impromptu', then in its central section provides a contrast with a solemn song.

"As well as the pieces assembled into cycles, we can also find in Scriabin a certain number of isolated works. It is to the year 1903, visibly a very productive year, that the 'Tragic Poem' and the 'Satanic Poem' can be dated. The first begins abruptly, without an introduction, diving immediately into the heart of tumultuous events. The almost incessant hammering chords, then the large and rapid arpeggios in the left hand hardly give any respite to the pianist. In this central section appears a declamatory melody in the medium register of the keyboard (indicated in the score as 'Irato, fiero'), which lends the piece a certain theatrical dimension. As for the 'Satanic Poem', it serves as a response to the diverse variants of Liszt's 'Mephisto-Waltz'. Playing on the homogeneity of contrasts and the subtle logic of unpredictable juxtapositions, it gives us a glimpse of all aspects of the evil spirit, in turns enigmatic, insidious, cunning and lethargic, sneering and sardonic (with the indication 'riso ironico'), which loses control in a frightening frenzy.

"'Toward the Flame' is one of Scriabin's last compositions, written in February 1914. We can follow the journey of a sonic entity from its conception to its spectacular blossoming. The first part, static with long chords punctuated by impulsions, give the impression of making an effort to break free and acquire an autonomous existence. Once this stage has been overcome, the movement takes shape and we can follow the metamorphosis of the theme through the flaring up of colours which turn into a blazing apocalyptic inferno characterised by trills, tremolos and rapid beating chords. 'Towards the flame' is a post-echo of the Symphonic Poem 'Prometheus' written four years earlier, in which the element of Fire was in the same way the vector of the messianic exaltations of the composer. (André Lischke, tr. Christopher Bayton. From the liner notes.)

Peformer: Vadym Kholodenko

1. Six Preludes, Op. 13: I. Maestoso In C Major

2. Six Preludes, Op. 13: II. Allegro In A Minor

3. Six Preludes, Op. 13: III. Andante In G Major

4. Six Preludes, Op. 13: IV. Allegro In E Minor

5. Six Preludes, Op. 13: V. Allegro In D Major

6. Six Preludes, Op. 13: VI. Presto In B Minor

7. Five Preludes, Op. 16: I. Andante In B Major

8. Five Preludes, Op. 16: II. Allegro In G-Sharp Minor

9. Five Preludes, Op. 16: III. Andante Cantabile In G-Flat Major

10. Five Preludes, Op. 16: IV. Lento In E-Flat Minor

11. Five Preludes, Op. 16: V. Allegretto In F-Sharp Major

12. Piano Sonata No. 4 In F Sharp Major, Op. 30: I. Andante

13. Piano Sonata No. 4 In F Sharp Major, Op. 30: II. Prestissimo Volando

14. Poème Tragique In B-Flat Major, Op. 34

15. Poème Satanique In C Major, Op. 36

16. Eight Etudes, Op. 42: I. Presto In D-Flat Major

17. Eight Etudes, Op. 42: II. In F-Sharp Minor

18. Eight Etudes, Op. 42: III. Prestissimo In F-Sharp Major

19. Eight Etudes, Op. 42: IV. Andante In F-Sharp Major

20. Eight Etudes, Op. 42: V. Affanato In C-Sharp Minor

21. Eight Etudes, Op. 42: VI. Esaltato In D-Flat Major

22. Eight Etudes, Op. 42: VII. Agitato In F Minor

23. Eight Etudes, Op. 42: VIII. Allegro In E-Flat Major

24. Piano Sonata No. 5 In F-Sharp Major, Op. 53

25. Vers La Flamme, Op. 72

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