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Piano Board => Repertoire => Topic started by: hmoll53 on July 01, 2022, 03:03:28 PM

Title: Alexander Scriabin: Pieces Ranked in Difficulty, with comprehensive commentary
Post by: hmoll53 on July 01, 2022, 03:03:28 PM: Link to Google Docs: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19ISFhubJhapl5P5Cd4-l-K_m-d1MBnwDQ-dTaQh9GSA/edit?usp=sharing

This list covers all compositions by the Russian composer Alexander Scriabin, ranked in 10 highly approximate levels from Level One to Ten. I've sight read everything by Scriabin, performed several of his works including Sonatas and Etudes, so I suppose it'd be ok to say I have some good experience with the composer.

Scriabin's difficulty lies in the fact that his works are pianistically unpianistic. The composer is known for his extremely difficult left hand (rather ironic, given his hands that could bearly stretch an 8th) and a refined musical style that spanned from late romantic to highly mystical (Perhaps no other composer had such a styllistic range within such a short lifetime). Another trait of Scriabin are the rhythms, which ranges from pre-Jazz swing to unapologetic polyrhythms. Scriabin's core output lies mainly in his 5 Symphonies + the unfinished Mysterium, the 10 Sonatas as well as the Preludes, and these works show best his stylistic range and development.

Despite the large difference in musical style, the technique Scriabin employs in his music are almost always identical, which means his music becomes more accessible the more you play (This is true for all composers, but especially with Scriabin, who becomes far less challenging once you get used to his style). General Scriabinesque techniques includes angular runs, large leaps between both hands, gigantic chords as well as trills (especially in the later music). Fortunately, Scriabin has been gaining more and more attention in the recent decades ever since his revival. Now, the composer is often performed and played at major competitions.

Scriabin's music can be divided into three general styles, the early (1883 - 1902), middle (1903 - 1907-8~), and late (1909 - 1915). The early music shows a generally late romantic music that is safely bound within the conventional harmonies and style. Though pieces like the 3rd Sonata, Fantasy, and the 1st Symphony near the end of this period already shows the composer's future mystical ideals, through it's grand scope, ecstatic triumph, and its philosophical muse. The middle period begins with the 4th Sonata and roughly ends around the Deux Morceaux Op.57 (In contrast to what many believe to be the 5th Sonata and Poem of Ecstasy, Caresse Danse of Op.57 is the last piece of music Scriabin ever ended tonally). Scriabin's music loses a lot more of it's weight and now becomes lighter and lighter. The music remains ever condensed and tonality blurs more and more until a point of virtual disappearance at the end of this creative period. This era is also where Scriabin's Dionysian tendencies shine at it's brightest. The last period beginning with the Album Leaf Op.58 and ending with the 5 Preludes Op.74 marks Scriabin's full mature style, which no longer bears tonality as the center, but rather the background (It is rather foolish to say Scriabin as an atonal composer, as his music contained many tonal chords, from inversions of tonics to heavily extended modal scales and dominants, tonality simply has become something the composer use, not base off on). The pieces here gain a completely new mystical flavour that differentiates from the middle period, as moods become unclear and the music becomes even more abstract and abrupt, going from sensuous langour to outrageous climaxes that towers in ecstasy.

For reading, I suggest Fabion Bower's Scriabin Biography Second Edition, the Scriabin Companion as well as Scriabin's Selected Journals and Letters with forward by Vladimir Ashkenazy.
For listsening, I suggest Vladimir Horowitz, Vladimir Sofronitsky, Sviatoslav Richter as three greats of the Scriabinists (They rarely produce any Scriabin that is decent, all is virtually perfect). Other Russian / Soviet pianists that have tackled Scriabin includes Gilels, Goldenweisser, Neuhaus, Ginzburg, Sultanov, Feinberg, Naumov, Zhukov and more. These are all also fantastic interpreters. Maria Lettberg and Michael Ponti I believe have recorded all of Scriabin's work, so if you want to buy a complete edition, check out theirs as well (I prefer Lettberg more). There are lots of modern Scriabin interpreters which include Garrick Ohlsson, Ashkenazy (Who's Sonata set from the 90s I consider to be standard, though his 2015 CD is rather lacking), Yuja Wang, Trpceski, Zarafiants, Pogorelich (Who is a hit or miss, his 90' Sonata 4 is one of the best, while his more modern 2000s version is a bit wacky), Lisitsa (Though I think Lisitsa is an average performer compared to others here), Lang Lang (Who surprisingly isn't too bad here) and a few others. One performer I wish we got more of was Martha Argerich, who had learned the 5th and the 9th Sonata, as well as some Etudes and Prometheus. Only the latter is now available, the 5th did not get recorded while she canceled the concert that included the 9th Sonata.
Scriabin also have a lot of editions to choose from. The best generally is Henle, though they are pricy and unfortunately do not have too much Scriabin editions. I have the Sonatas and Op.11 Preludes, but they also offer Vers la Flamme, Prelude and Nocturne Op.9 and the newly released Op.8 Etudes. I have the complete Edition Peters edition (Minus the Fantasy Op.28), this is currently the best edition in my opinion. Though it might be worse than Henle, it covers far more pieces and they offer all the pieces up from Op.45.
Dover has reprinted Scriabin and Rob. Forberg has some Scriabin as well. Both editions are decent, the Dover is reprint of the original Belaieff first edition. (Or is it the Oborin edition, I forgot.)
Barenreiter also has the complete Sonatas (including the youth and unpublished/incomplete Sonatas), but they are extremely pricy and difficult to obtain if you aren't in Europe.

I hope this list helps for any experienced Scriabinists, or simply people who are getting into this wonderful composer! ;D
Title: Re: Alexander Scriabin: Pieces Ranked in Difficulty, with comprehensive commentary
Post by: stringoverstrung on July 01, 2022, 09:36:29 PM: Hello,

Interesting read. Thank you for taking the time to write this down. I am a Scriabin fan as well.

Kr,
G
Title: Re: Alexander Scriabin: Pieces Ranked in Difficulty, with comprehensive commentary
Post by: lelle on July 04, 2022, 10:57:38 AM: Wow, thanks for sharing, that was a very interesting read. Saving the document for later re-reads. I take it you have played a lot of Scriabin?
Title: Re: Alexander Scriabin: Pieces Ranked in Difficulty, with comprehensive commentary
Post by: hmoll53 on July 04, 2022, 06:44:47 PM: Quote from: lelle on July 04, 2022, 10:57:38 AM
Wow, thanks for sharing, that was a very interesting read. Saving the document for later re-reads. I take it you have played a lot of Scriabin?

I've played a few Etudes, a few Sonatas and a lot of his misc. pieces like MAZURKAS, POEMES, and ETUDES. But I've sight read everything he wrote.
Title: Re: Alexander Scriabin: Pieces Ranked in Difficulty, with comprehensive commentary
Post by: thenerdicpianist06 on July 28, 2022, 04:31:32 PM: Wow, very interesting! Scriabin is really one of the most interesting composers in classical music. Saved the document for later pieces :)
Title: Re: Alexander Scriabin: Pieces Ranked in Difficulty, with comprehensive commentary
Post by: anacrusis on July 28, 2022, 09:50:48 PM: Hadn't noticed this on the forum before, very useful and comprehensive, thanks! ;D
Title: Re: Alexander Scriabin: Pieces Ranked in Difficulty, with comprehensive commentary
Post by: inosgalago on May 11, 2023, 10:24:41 AM: Very interesting information for me. Thanks

Geometry Dash Unblocked (https://geometrydashunblocked.io)
Title: Re: Alexander Scriabin: Pieces Ranked in Difficulty, with comprehensive commentary
Post by: danesi on May 11, 2023, 07:41:03 PM: Quote from: inosgalago on May 11, 2023, 10:24:41 AM
Very interesting information for me. Thanks

Geometry Dash Unblocked (https://geometrydashunblocked.io)
Interesting enough to necropost?
No hate :)
Title: Re: Alexander Scriabin: Pieces Ranked in Difficulty, with comprehensive commentary
Post by: loveriver on September 12, 2023, 07:27:38 AM: Alexander Scriabin is actually my favorite composer. The pieces of music all have different levels so it's really easier to learn. Your sharing shows how much passion you have for art piano.

mini crossword (https://minicrossword.io/)
Title: Re: Alexander Scriabin: Pieces Ranked in Difficulty, with comprehensive commentary
Post by: kosulin on September 12, 2023, 11:00:39 PM: IMHO, the best (by content) modern edition of Scriabin is his Complete Works published by Muzyka — P. Jurgenson Publishing House (finished in 2021) which includes 5 volumes of his piano works.
It is almost impossible to get your hands on it unfortunately.
Title: Re: Alexander Scriabin: Pieces Ranked in Difficulty, with comprehensive commentary
Post by: bryfarr on September 26, 2023, 01:06:04 PM: Quote from: hmoll53 on July 01, 2022, 03:03:28 PM
Link to Google Docs: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19ISFhubJhapl5P5Cd4-l-K_m-d1MBnwDQ-dTaQh9GSA/edit?usp=sharing

Scriabin also have a lot of editions to choose from. The best generally is Henle, though they are pricy and unfortunately do not have too much Scriabin editions. I have the Sonatas and Op.11 Preludes, but they also offer Vers la Flamme, Prelude and Nocturne Op.9 and the newly released Op.8 Etudes. I have the complete Edition Peters edition (Minus the Fantasy Op.28), this is currently the best edition in my opinion. Though it might be worse than Henle, it covers far more pieces and they offer all the pieces up from Op.45. Dover has reprinted Scriabin and Rob. Forberg has some Scriabin as well. Both editions are decent, the Dover is reprint of the original Belaieff first edition. (Or is it the Oborin edition, I forgot.)
Barenreiter also has the complete Sonatas (including the youth and unpublished/incomplete Sonatas), but they are extremely pricy and difficult to obtain if you aren't in Europe.

Thanks, very informative post. I want the complete preludes and etudes, as well as other smaller pieces, so I'm going to get the Dover edition - it's completeness is attractive, as is the price. Hopefully it's good print and 99% accurate. I've never liked the type/font in Peters, hard to read.
Title: Re: Alexander Scriabin: Pieces Ranked in Difficulty, with comprehensive commentary
Post by: piabanoch on November 08, 2023, 08:07:14 PM: the most difficult is the sonata n 5 and the rest is subjective
Title: Re: Alexander Scriabin: Pieces Ranked in Difficulty, with comprehensive commentary
Post by: cyycki on February 19, 2025, 05:20:15 PM: Hello, unfortunately the link does not work, it would be huge loss if the work you put into it is lost, could you please share it again?
Title: Re: Alexander Scriabin: Pieces Ranked in Difficulty, with comprehensive commentary
Post by: dizzyfingers on February 20, 2025, 03:03:36 PM: Quote from: cyycki on February 19, 2025, 05:20:15 PM
Hello, unfortunately the link does not work, it would be huge loss if the work you put into it is lost, could you please share it again?

That poster's last post was November 20, 2022.
He's gone.
The document is gone.
C'est la vie.
But thanks for commenting, I'm interested to read what everyone wrote.
Title: Re: Alexander Scriabin: Pieces Ranked in Difficulty, with comprehensive commentary
Post by: liszt-and-the-galops on February 20, 2025, 06:25:00 PM: Quote from: dizzyfingers on February 20, 2025, 03:03:36 PM
That poster's last post was November 20, 2022.
He's gone.
The document is gone.
C'est la vie.
But thanks for commenting, I'm interested to read what everyone wrote.
It's probably a failed spam post; the person made a single, almost-empty reply on a year-old thread and hasn't been active since. Better to just leave it alone.