performed by Manuel Ignacio de Íñigo, or below by Stanislav Neuhaus (cover image by Mike Sharp) Scriabin’s op. 45 dates from 1904, putting it between the fourth and fifth sonatas. In this work, you can still hear the kind of … Continue reading Scriabin: Trois Morceaux, op. 45
featuring Jan Vogler Programming is so important. And our NSO is sounding incredible this season. Some of you likely enjoyed, depending on your generation, making mixtapes, burning mixes on CD, or creating playlists to distribute or enjoy via various media … Continue reading NSO’s Poem of Ecstasy
performed by Gregory Hustis, horn; Steven Harlos, piano Here’s something you might not have heard. We’ve featured Scriabin and his work on the blog before, and it’s almost all been for piano (or with orchestra; this is amazing; and his actual piano concerto [already more than … Continue reading Scriabin: Romance for Horn and Piano
performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy (or for those of you to whom the above video is unavailable, another one here by Richter) Life is fearfully expensive, and the climate is rotten. The air in the areas where we could find an apartment … Continue reading Scriabin Piano Sonata no. 5, op. 53
performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy Oh, let’s not talk about this! This is a ghastly piece! […] I was in an appalling situation back then. This Prelude, and also the Marche funebre in the First Sonata formed in moments disheartenment… But … Continue reading Scriabin: Four Pieces, op. 51
performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy or below by Ivo Pogorelich Two little things today, sketches from Scriabin, as if he’s working out ideas in preparation for something truly monumental. The ‘two poems’ date from 1903, and are as follows: No. 1 … Continue reading Scriabin: Deux Poèmes, op. 32
performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy Well, it hasn’t been as long since we’ve visited Scriabin. He was part of the the Russian Symphony Series and the Symphonic Poem series, but aside from his multiple symphonies and other orchestral work, he arguably made his … Continue reading Scriabin Piano Sonata no. 4 in F-sharp major, Op. 30
performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Pierre Boulez, Anatol Ugorski, piano N0. 200 It’s been about two and a half years that I’ve been doing this, regularly but not always very professionally. I have some articles I’m not terribly … Continue reading Scriabin’s Prometheus: The Poem of Fire, op. 60
performed by the Chicago Symphony orchestra under Pierre Boulez The Poem of Ecstasy is the Joy of Liberated Action. The Cosmos, i.e., Spirit, is Eternal Creation without External Motivation, a Divine Play of Worlds. The Creative Spirit, i.e., the Universe … Continue reading Scriabin: Le Poème de l’extase, Op. 54
This is another one of those concerts I have (very proudly, I might add) managed to gather people together to attend. Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin enjoyed quite a fantastic turnout on its opening night, and I was very glad at that performance to have been … Continue reading Concert review: NSO’s Fireworks from Russia
“No one was more famous during their lifetime, and few were more quickly ignored after death.” – Faubion Bowers “No composer has had more scorn heaped on him or greater love bestowed.” -The Great Soviet Encyclopedia So this is another … Continue reading Influential People: Alexander Scriabin
It’s all Scriabin and Chopin. And then Islamey. And encores. This is another one of those things I’m terrified of missing out on. If I had to travel some long distance to buy a ticket and attend, that’s one thing, but when it’s within walking distance (sort of), I don’t really have any excuse not to go. It’s also bragging rights, if nothing else. It’s just a nice experience to have, to say I was able to see so-and-so live, even if I didn’t get to meet her. I was a little late in getting around to buying tickets, and … Continue reading Concert Review: Yuja Wang Piano Recital
If you haven’t noticed, it’s that time of year. Lots of graduation recitals and concerts and things. It’s a great time of year to be a concertgoer, and I’m sure many students heave huge sighs of relief once their performances are over. It is also often hardly the end, but a beginning of more, better things. I’ve talked before about my thoughts about concerts and recitals and performances in an academic setting. There are two main ones, the first being that the people in the room (at the university where these recitals are [most often] held) are the real professionals … Continue reading Concert Review: 陳柔安鋼琴獨奏會
I wouldn’t necessarily describe it as rare, per se, that one sees works of Alexander Scriabin on a recital program. I’d heard his piano works on at least two other occasions before this one, and was excited then, so when I saw the program for this recital months ago with three of Scriabin’s sonatas on the program, I immediately bought a ticket. Andrei Yeh is the same gentleman that so exquisitely played Rachmaninoff’s Paganini Variations back in December with the Taipei Philharmonic. I was blown away by that performance. It was one of those few times when something feels at … Continue reading Concert Review: 葉孟儒 2015 Recital
performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy 2nd movement 3rd movement 4th movement This is such an impressive piece to be only an opus no. 23. For whatever reason, in my concerted efforts to come to love Scriabin, I gravitated more immediately to … Continue reading Scriabin piano sonata no. 3 in F#m, op. 23
performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy part 2 here He’s my go to for Scriabin. This is a measly post, because I’m sick… As much as I enjoy his first sonata (I’m more familiar with it than this one, actually), it was … Continue reading Scriabin Piano sonata no. 2 in G#m, op. 19 ‘Sonata-fantasy’
performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy (this is the first of a few parts. Click through for the rest of the piece). Ashkenazy is my man for the Scriabin sonatas. That Decca sound might be a bit noticeable in its tinny, slightly … Continue reading Scriabin piano sonata no. 1 in Fm, op. 6
performed by the Chicago Symphony orchestra under Pierre Boulez Anatol Ugorsky, piano (for Deutsche Grammophon) Allegro Andante Allegro moderato or the Czech Philharmonic under Libor Pesek, Garrick Ohlsson, piano There’s nothing like really good straightforward music. It’s interesting how sometimes … Continue reading Alexander Scriabin: Piano Concerto, op 20
Fugue for Thought 