Scriabin

[elevateme]

Ive never heard any Scriabin, except a beautiful etude in C# minor i did for grade 8 a few years ago. after reading the rach v scriabin post ive decided I need to hear more scriabin, so what are the best pieces to listen to? thankyou

[bennom]

Piano concerto F# minor
Poeme de l'extase (for orchestra)
Sonata nr 5
Vers la flamme (for piano)
 

[mikey6]

although this thread has been posted SO many times (do a search),
I'll suggest the piano sonatas to give an idea of his (roughly) 3 compositional periods and the preludes.  Ouf of the orchestral works Poem of extasy and Prometheus.
I find the piano concerto rather boring and it's no often played.  Probably not the est info's.

[bertrand]

Scriabin was a miniaturist by nature and wrote preludes througout his life, so the complete preludes give you a good idea of the broad sweep of his output, from the chopinesque (and very beautiful) Op.11 preludes written between 1888 and 1896 to the modernist op.74 written in 1914.  However I haven't found any really good recordings of the complete preludes - any recommendations?  (Don't say Piers Lane as I already have his double cd and it's awful). 

[contrapunctus]

I think his first sonata was one of the best things he wrote, and it is most definately a good introduction into his later works (some may find his later works repulsive on first hearing).

[franzliszt2]

Lots of great etudes, some of the later stuff is very strange, and takes a lot to believe that it is actually Scriabib, especially if your used to C# minor etude

[bennom]

I find the piano concerto rather boring and it's no often played.  Probably not the est info's.

Grrrr
It's a mighty fine piece!!! The slow movement is to die for. And there is nothing like it in the PC repertoire. (I've played it twice with orchestra. )

[superstition2]

I find the piano concerto rather boring and it's no often played.

You probably have the wrong recording.

[mikey6]

You probably have the wrong recording.

No, I just don't like it.  Just like I didn't like the Busoni concerto after listening to Hamelin's recording of it.  It's only my opinion, but as an introduction into Scriabin's sound world, I don't think it's the best piece.

[invictus]

After listening to the Etude in C# minor, which is a pretty early work of his own, listen to some of his later works, like Sonata Nr.9, yes, its still Scriabin. The 3 stages are very clear and the transition between the stages are very blurry and not too gradual. Its russian 20th music anyway 

[tompilk]

I think his first sonata was one of the best things he wrote, and it is most definately a good introduction into his later works (some may find his later works repulsive on first hearing).

yes... i prefer his earlier sonatas - posth Eb Minor, 1 to 3 are my favourites!!!
Tom

[moose_opus_28]

Of the Piano Sonatas, 2, 5, and 9 are my favorites, and give you a nice view of his style.  I love the piano concerto as well.  Poeme de l'extase is my favorite orchestral work of his.  And I'm so jealous of you bennom!  Two performances of it...

[superstition2]

No, I just don't like it.

What recordings do you have? If the only recording you've heard is the Scherbakov recording for Naxos, then my point definitely stands.

[sergei r]

Hmm...don't have any Scriabin myself either. I looked through Amazon and noticed this rather cheap box set recorded by Michael Ponti of Scriabin's complete piano music (and the complete piano sonatas):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00007J4SI/qid=1145699875/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/103-4903661-0753423?s=classical&v=glance&n=5174

Just wondering if anyone owns this set and knows if it's any good, or else could recommend any other Scriabin CDs for people wanting to hear and appreciate his music?

[arensky]

Everyone should own the Complete Preludes and Etudes, published by Dover. They publish two other volumes, Complete Sonatas and miscellaneous pieces, that comprise his complete piano music... I think.

Many of the preludes and shorter pieces are quite accessible; get the books and read through some of them, you're sure to find some pieces you love.

I spent the better part of today with the G major and a minor Preludes from op.11, #'s 2 and 3. Should have been practicing Mozart, but I got around to that evantually...

[tompilk]

Everyone should own the Complete Preludes and Etudes, published by Dover. They publish two other volumes, Complete Sonatas and miscellaneous pieces, that comprise his complete piano music... I think.

Many of the preludes and shorter pieces are quite accessible; get the books and read through some of them, you're sure to find some pieces you love.

I spent the better part of today with the G major and a minor Preludes from op.11, #'s 2 and 3. Should have been practicing Mozart, but I got around to that evantually...

i bought his Dover complete etudes and preludes three days ago! what a coincidence! It was a real deal - £6!!! (about $10) and its fantastic... i also got complete etudes and preludes from Chopin and Rachmaninov for the same price!!! (on https://www.amazon.co.uk)
Everyone, buy them!!!
Tom
PS ive fallen in love with op 11 no 14 & 24 as it says in my sig - very accessible too. I can play most of no 14 up to speed after 2 days worth of practice (about 45mins a day)

[Motrax]

sergei r, I would avoid Michael Ponti if at all possible. Frankly, I can't stand his playing, and it's unfortunate that he only one available for a number of more obscure works.

I have Piers Lane and Arthur Greene playing the complete etudes, and I think both of them are pretty bad. Does anyone have suggestions for complete sets (or preludes and/or etudes)?

[superstition2]

(Greene's etudes are a definitely better than the Naxos disc with Paley, though.)

Avoid Ponti. I've heard him play two Scriabin pieces decently. Just two. (Op. 71)

[superstition2]

Hmm...don't have any Scriabin myself either.

Horowitz playing Scriabin

Glemser playing Scriabin volume 1. (Don't get volume 2.)

The 10 sonatas

Piano Concerto, Poem of Ecstasy, Prometheus

Sofronitsky plays the sonatas

[sergei r]

Thanks for the advice guys. I might have to look into the Dover set and some of superstition's suggestions.

[tompilk]

Thanks for the advice guys. I might have to look into the Dover set and some of superstition's suggestions.

yes! buy! buy! buy! - you won't regret it!!!
Tom

[neusys]

what about ruth laredo!

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Try listening to all of his sonatas in order.

Then...  You will TRUELY see the light!  After you finished listening to all of them, you'll just sit there thinking, 'dude what the heck is going on!'.

But yeah, the 10 sonatas should give you a pretty food understanding of his music.

[scherzo123]

i bought his Dover complete etudes and preludes three days ago! what a coincidence! It was a real deal - £6!!! (about $10) and its fantastic... i also got complete etudes and preludes from Chopin and Rachmaninov for the same price!!! (on https://www.amazon.co.uk)
Everyone, buy them!!!
Tom

I ordered the Dover edition too! 

[fftransform]

Sonata No. 6

[haydnseeker]

24 Preludes Op. 11
Some of the Poems, especially the 2 Poems Op. 32 & the Tragic Poem

Op. 32/1 was on the programme for Horowitz's 1965 Carnegie Hall return.  He also made a studio recording of it.

[danhuyle]

2 Poemes op32
Sonata no2
12 Etudes op8
Fantasia Op28