Scriabin Opus 42 # 5

[cctunes]

I usually have little difficulty in coming up with fingerings that make things much easier for me no matter what the piece, but in the case of this Etude, I'm a bit miffed. I keep going back and forth between different fingerings (especially when the inner voices begin on the repeat of the main theme)...Every bit of music I've found has zero fingerings (which is fine by my 99.9% of the time!), but in this case, I was wondering if anyone might be able to point me in the right direction. Thanks in advance!

[swansonjw]

I'm currently studying this with a teacher who plays it beautifully.  I can pass along her fingering recommendations.  I too tried to play this piece without a teacher and had the same problem - I kept changing the fingerings.

The biggest problem I had was the same as you - the inner voice in the right hand on the second repitition of the opening theme.  The basic idea which works nicely is to slide fingers as necessary.  For example in the first beat of measure 9 where there is a, c# and g in the right hand, the second finger will slide from the c# to the b.  In measure 16 the right hand has a c# and a b, the thumb is used for the c# and slides to the b# on the next sixteenth note.

Note:  the measure numbers assume the opening partial measure is measure #1.

[nearenough]

Swanson: ...slide fingers as necessary.  For example in the first beat of measure 9 [sic] where there is a, c# and g in the right hand, the second finger will slide from the c# to the b. [sic]  In measure 16 the right hand has a c# and a b, the thumb is used for the c# and slides to the b# on the next sixteenth note.

Note:  the measure numbers assume the opening partial measure is measure #1.

N: There is a bit of minor confusion here. Counting measures, your first advice pertains to measure 10, not 9. And it is to slide the second finger from c# to b# not b. In measure 16 I happen to use the second finger on c# not the thumb. Personal preference.

This trick of sliding also works nicely in the Chopin etude for thirds.

I first was attracted to Scriabin with Horowitz's 25th Anniversary Carnegie Hall concert recording of 1953 when I was 16 or 17 years old (now 72) analyzing each note and fingering myself and trying to figure out how Horowitz got the damned thing so SMOOTH and effortless sounding. A light piano action can do wonders for your technique.