For Scriabinists - Scriabin Sonata no.8

[andhow04]

hi people.  Here is scriabin's 8th sonata recorded the other day with a GOOD piano and GOOD engineer.
WARNING: This was made purely for fun at the end of a long session.  it's not a finishde product but i hope you will listen and say, well, he's on his way, and it's going to be good.  I had some embatrssing memory slip but i can play it without.
Comments desired

Will be posting some of the other tracks shortly.  they include "redos" of the 2 scarlatti sonatas (someone else posted K24 i see), ravel and rachmaninoff, and also a medtner sonata

[quantum]

Well thank you for posting this wonderful sonata.  Boy do you have nimble fingers, you take such a brisk pace.  You are quite a skilled pianist and should be proud of your accomplishment here. 

This is surely on it's way to being a polished piece.  If there is one general comment I could make it is for you to make more contrast in dynamics, tone, and character.  You have incorporated the score articulation markings well, but I think you are now ready to bring further meaning to the music.  For example the RH runs in 4ths could be given a different character or sonority to the material that immediately precedes and follows it.  Also since the 4th runs occur all over the place, it would be nice to change them up a little, shaping the phrase differently in various sections. 

I'm wondering if it is the particular piano you played that doesn't allow for more tone colour contrasts.  From my observations there are several indications in the trebble that it could be a Steinway, I would guess model L or A. 

This particular sonata has a lot of those delicious Scriabin harmonic moments that one would love to take a bath in.  Sort of melt-in-your-mouth fine chocolate.  I think you do more to sink into these harmonies and chords, as a contrast to the more moving parts of the piece.  Also the presto sections with these skitterish motifs, could be made to sound even more so as a contrast to sections with more lush hamonies. 

Good work here  .  What other Scriabin have you studied?

[pianistimo]

amazing if you also have this memorized.  i will never understand how anyone can memorize difficult pieces like this.  not so many repeated patterns - more small disjointed motifs.  seems like a sort of patchwork quilt effect.  you're not quite sure where you've been or where you are going.  it just happens.  you are always 'in the moment.'  this must take a high degree of concentration.

amazing mastery of rhythm, dexterity, and dynamics.  agreed about the sonorities possibly being hindered by a certain piano.  seems that some steinways are not so 'brittle' sounding.

[andhow04]

Well thank you for posting this wonderful sonata.  Boy do you have nimble fingers, you take such a brisk pace.  You are quite a skilled pianist and should be proud of your accomplishment here. 

This is surely on it's way to being a polished piece.  If there is one general comment I could make it is for you to make more contrast in dynamics, tone, and character.  You have incorporated the score articulation markings well, but I think you are now ready to bring further meaning to the music.  For example the RH runs in 4ths could be given a different character or sonority to the material that immediately precedes and follows it.  Also since the 4th runs occur all over the place, it would be nice to change them up a little, shaping the phrase differently in various sections. 

I'm wondering if it is the particular piano you played that doesn't allow for more tone colour contrasts.  From my observations there are several indications in the trebble that it could be a Steinway, I would guess model L or A. 

This particular sonata has a lot of those delicious Scriabin harmonic moments that one would love to take a bath in.  Sort of melt-in-your-mouth fine chocolate.  I think you do more to sink into these harmonies and chords, as a contrast to the more moving parts of the piece.  Also the presto sections with these skitterish motifs, could be made to sound even more so as a contrast to sections with more lush hamonies. 

Good work here  .  What other Scriabin have you studied?

Thanks for the insiteful comments. do you think it is too fast? I don't think the piano is at fault, i need to study a few things more in depth. and maybe listen to the recorings a little closer ( i have ogdon and sofronitsky, there are things i dont understand about both).  Its a concert steinway, but i couldn't tell you what model, i dont know!

i studied scriabin op.11, and vers la flamme, tho i studied la flamme a few years ago (op 11 only last year). Also worked superfiocially on all of op.42 but never really got them in my repertoire.  i still want to learn: sonata 2, sonata 7, sonata 9, and prometheus.  I haven't explored all the random preludes etc.

[ramseytheii]

I can't believe how fast it is, and it appears you are playing most of the notes!?  One hears this sonata not very often.  It goes by perhaps too quick for comfort, though your overall timing is similar to other recordings that seem to have more breadth.  I think you can reduce the speed, but increase the dynamic range, and then it will seem faster than it is, and you won't have to kill yourself playing it - though it does't sound like you are killing yourself.   The audience inevitably lags a second behind the performer's thought process, so everything shoudl really be one notch slower, and it will still appear fast.

Bravo!

Walter Ramsey

[jakev2.0]

Dude, this is pretty phat. 

[andhow04]

Thanks