Scriabin, Prelude Op. 11, No. 12 in G# minor

[rachfan]

This is one of Scriabin's early period works dated 1895.  This quiet prelude is one of longing and yearning, sometimes dark, but not without glimpses of sunshine too.  I hope you'll enjoy it.  This is a replacement recording dated 4/3/12.

Comments welcome.

David

Piano: Baldwin Model L Artist Grand (6’3”) with lid fully open
Recorder: Korg MR-1000
Microphones: Earthworks TC-20 matched pair of small diaphragm omni-directional condenser mics in A-B configuration

[costicina]

What a coincidence, David, I just posted two preludes of Scriabin from op 11...it's going to be the Scriabin Sunday!    (I love the whole set of op 11, I'm planning to learn n 2 and perhaps  20 and 24).

Your performance is, as always, deeply inspiring. You capture so well the  melancholic, sad and sensuous mood of this little jewel!  A real pleasure to listen...
I learned so much from your interpretations of the Russian late romantic composers, you are a maestro in this field.I admire so much your touch, the elegance of your dynamics...in  short everything!!!!!
 
Thank you so much for sharing!!!!!!

[rachfan]

Hi Marg,

Thanks so much for listening.  And I greatly value all of your praise for my playing!  Thank you so much for that!  And believe me, I will not squander it; rather it inspires me to play to high standards for my colleagues here including you. 

You should have seen me "auditioning" my recordings of this piece this afternoon.  I listened to the music files repeatedly trying to decide which one to post.  I got it down to four choices, but then the selection was even more difficult.  Yet, there was a freedom and a flow of the melodic line in this particular recording that captivated me in the end.  So my decision was finally made and the audition was over after an hour and a half of agonizing over this little prelude!

David   

[scottmcc]

David, this is very nice.  I've never really had a great affinity for Scriabin but then every now and then I find a piece like this that I enjoy that makes me rethink things. You've certainly managed to capture a mysterious wistfulness in this piece nd again, thank you for presenting it.

[rachfan]

Hi scottmcc,

I'm glad you caught my posting, as it's been awhile.  Quite honestly, I too have some biases when it comes to Scriabin.  I very much like his early Chopinesque pieces, although I really love his middle period works.  But once one crosses much beyond Op. 50, they enter the late "mystical" period.  I know that many here find that the most interesting and satisfying, but... I guess I'm more of a traditionalist, so carefully observe that boundary.  The other thing, of course, is that I always search for pieces (of any composer, not just Scriabin) of great beauty.  This prelude definitely qualifies! Your descriptor "mysterious wistfulness" says it all.  Thanks for listening, and also for your compliment on my playing.

David

[furtwaengler]

In contrast to Scottmcc, I have always loved Scriabin, and I could say he's is one of the greatest influences on my musical thought. I also, like the late compositions, and find it interesting how very much of his late language you can find in his earlier works. It's astonishing, as if the language did not change, but got gradually more complex and elaborate.

I love your recording, Rachfan, and I sympathize with you process of choosing the right one to share...most of the time I simply give up and post them all! 

[rachfan]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for listening and for your nice compliment on my recording.  Rest assured, this No. 12 is not the only one of ravishing beauty I found, so more to come.  But this one was a wonderful start, I think.  Such a searching piece!

David

[johnmar78]

Dave, I enjoyed your rendition on this prleue. The melacony of the inner feeling of the composer. A very sad ending indeed. Thanks for sharing.

[rachfan]

Hi johnmar,

Glad you enjoyed it!  I'm thinking I'll do a replacement recording.  My sense is that I can do a few things better than in this current rendition so need to try.

David

[Derek]

Ever since I got a boxed set of all of scriabin's piano works, I narrowed it down to about 20 or so favorite pieces...this was one of them. Thanks for playing it and posting your lovely rendition of it.

[49410enrique]

oh wow, nothing profound to offer here other that how much i enjoyed this, these preludes astonish me in their ability to convey such complex emotion in such a short amount of time. your playing shows passion but is restrained, hints more at internal struggle and longing vs wearing on your sleeve, abstract response maybe, but that's my gut feeling/response to this performance. really wonderful, thanks for sharing this with us!

[rachfan]

Thanks, Derek and enrique! 

This is one of my favorites in the Scriabin preludes too. And I did try to convey the emotion of the music without letting it get over the top.  I think in that respect I succeeded.  I do think though that I might be able to improve my reading of the piece, so might bring forward a replacement recording in a few days.

I appreciate your compliments and thoughts!

David

[pianowolfi]

I would certainly play it differently, but it's a very beautiful rendition, David!

It's astonishing how much complexity can be found in a one page piece like this!

I am following your recording with the score, and there are things that confuse me a bit, maybe you play from a different edition than mine? I have the Dover Edition "The complete Preludes and Etudes" from, 1973 edited by K.N. Igumnov and Y.I. Mil'shteyn.

In M. 10 there appears a different rhythm, notated in dotted eights, which I interprete as "duplets" contrary to the "triplets" before, so I'd actually emphasize that quasi polyrhythmic change. Later on, in M. 15 Scriabin puts those two together, so I think it's a really intended rhythmical contrast.

I am personally not so fond of anticipating the bass notes in this style (though I often use this effect in my own compositions where I explicitely write it out), like you often do, but I think it has been a widely spread practice in the late nineteenth and early 20th century and even until much later, so there might be not really anything wrong with that. I would personally not do it at spots where it's avoidable, because the rhythmic structure of this piece is very subtly graded and balanced and I'd strive for bringing that out very clearly.

But, as I said, that might be my very personal preferences and I don't intend to nitpick on your wonderful playing!!  

[rachfan]

Hi wolfi,

Arrrggghhh!  You listened before I could replace the recording!  Anyway perhaps you could listen to this one instead.  Yes, that rhythmic error with the duplets--I actually learned it that way at first, but over time, without any metronome checks, it evolved improperly.  I think it's more on track now.  Also, I tried to reduce the anticipation in the LH.  I always stay alert to that.  When I was a kid studying piano, many of those 19th century pianists were still alive and performing. In a way it was wonderful, because they were of the Golden Age of Piano.  But yes, the anticipation needs to be used very sparingly indeed.  I try to remain vigilant, but sometimes it slips by me. 

I hope you'll find more to like in this rendition.

Thanks!

David

[pianowolfi]

Oh yes that one's different, I'm just listening!

As I said, regarding the anticipated bass, it is a tradition, and I actually love to listen to 19th century pianist's recordings as often as I can!! I hear a freedom in those recordings that I often miss in nowaday's "standardized- that's how it's written and how it must be done!"-recordings.
It was rather a particular thought regarding this particular piece, in the sense of "it might be more clear, rhythmically". 

[rachfan]

Hi wolfi,

Yes, in playing the the bass notes without any audible anticipation, the clarity is improved.

And yes, that sound of freedom in the older renditions has always impressed me too.  I try to bring that into my own playing to the extent possible, given the specific nature of a work. But the constraints are fewer.  I notice that younger pianists in their Bach renditions now often bring a refreshing freedom to their playing, which is far more admirable, I think, than the "purist" strictures we had to observe back in the day. Rather than framing Bach's music as "I wonder about the limitations of the period instruments", pianists now think, "How enthralled would Bach be sitting here now at this Steinway Model D with all its resources?"  It's an entirely different mindset.

David  

[danhuyle]

I've downloaded your latest playing of this prelude.

I've never played Scriabin preludes nor have I considered it. After listening to this recording, it seems like something worthwhile learning myself.

Thanks for posting this. 

[rachfan]

Hi danhuyle,

Glad you enjoyed this music enough to want to learn it.  You're quite welcome.

David

[goldentone]

Really nice, David.  It sounds like it comes from the hands of a professional.  You said, "Such a searching piece!", as that is how it strikes me.  Searching for rest, and finds something along the way. Great piece.  

[rachfan]

Hi goldentone,

I'm glad you liked this piece and thanks for the compliment on my playing!  I hadn't paid much attention to this particular prelude, but once I started to play it, I saw a huge potential in such a tiny miniature.  And bloom it does!  Only someone like Scriabin could have packed so much beauty into such a small space.

David

[gvans]

Beautifully done, David. Wonderful, restrained playing that is evocative and lovely. I'm joining the Scriabin-lovers club, for sure, after listening.

Glenn

[rachfan]

Hi Glenn,

Except for the difficult Poeme, Op. 32, No. 2 (everyone plays No. 1 only it seems), I had never recorded more Scriabin, although it's always been on my to-do list.  So because it never seemed to happen, I decided to just get busy on it.  This particular prelude is not often played, but it's very haunting and sensual. I have another ready for recording, and will be starting a couple more shortly.  When it comes to Scriabin, I like his early and middle periods, but not the late (mystical) period.  So I stop around Op. 50.

I'm really glad you enjoyed this music.

David