Scriabin, Prelude, Op. 31, No. 1 in D flat/C

[rachfan]

Scriabin's "Prelude" Op. 31, No. 1 is dated 1903 which falls into his middle period. There is less Chopin present in this music. The piece is ultra-romantic and being in 3/4 time suggests a very leisurely and sensuous waltz. I hope you'll enjoy hearing it.

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

[49410enrique]

rachfan, what a special performance once again! there's a 'comfort' to your playing that my ear just picks up on, you sound like you feel right at home, if that makes sense. i get the impression that you might even have been smiling to yourself in moments during this recording.

i particularly liked you ability to voice to some of those 'juicy dissonances (as i like to refer to them'  and the pacing into and around those 'tense' chords is spot on man!, these are so characteristic of Scriabin's harmonic language, the use of those minor 2nds, major 7ths, minor 9ths to heighted the emotional weight of phrase peaks and transitions.

thank you so much for sharing your talent with us.

[rachfan]

Hi enrique,

Thanks so much for that generous praise of my recording.  I really appreciate it!  The funny thing is that I haven't played Scriabin for years.  He was always on my repertoire "to-do" list, but something else in the queue seemed always to jump ahead of his music.  So I'm totally enjoying this revisiting now.  Just the ravishing beauty of this particular prelude was all the incentive I needed to learn and play it.  

Yes, I confess that at times I do smile during the playing; however, when making recordings there are always a few scowls here and there too. I always aim for the highest standard whether I can reach it or not.  

I too love the dissonances in Scriabin's music.  Also my impression is that he used them even more intensively during his middle period than in his Chopinesque early period.

Thanks for listening.

David  

[gvans]

Beautiful, David. I agree, it is the dissonances that make Scriabin what he is, and set him apart from other romantic composers. Of course, in his later pieces, he exploits this aspect of his work much more.

I'm hearing you play the waltz rhythm pretty straight, without the Chopinesque delay on the third beat...I have no idea what's best for Scriabin. Your rendition of this gem is PDG.

Glenn

[rachfan]

Hi Glenn,

Yes, those dissonances are fabulous.  I had to keep reminding myself to concentrate on voicing, as the dissonances are so lush.

I did play the waltz rhythm straight which gives it more of a modern touch I think.  I'll tell you where I might use the delayed third beat though would be in his more scandalous Waltz Op. 38. 

Thanks for listening and your compliment on my rendition. 

David

[costicina]

The Prelude is gorgeous, David!!!! It's amazing how Scriabin's genius  is able to  transform the somehow banal and often mincy waltz form in his personal language, unique, bewitching and.. disturbing!!! Your interpretation explores and highlights all the layered nuances of this little masterpiece. You really seem to 'understand' the composer intentions with a total empathy, both at the emotional and the intellectual level.

Thank you so much for this gift, you're the kind of pianist that I admire and like the most. WUNDERBAR!!!!!!!! 

[rachfan]

Hi Marg,

Thanks so much for those very kind comments.  They're greatly appreciated! 

I've always loved the genius of Scriabin's music.  In this piece I hear some expressionist style in the way the intense emotion is melded with the polyphony decorated with delicious dissonances.  My interpretations start by discerning as best I can the real intent of the composer.  In this case the generic title of "Prelude" turns out to be a waltz.  Moreover, it's a highly sensuous, hyper-romantic waltz.  In the U.S. we call this slow dancing.  Next I try tap into the composer's mood which imbues the music.  Then I form a vision of the composition as an entity, but also conjure images in my mind that underlie and attain the vision. That leads to musical intent which must be realized by technique and execution.  In exploring a piece, the score is not all of it.  The white space on the pages is where I search for the composer and his thoughts.  I never think of myself as a neutral medium almost invisibly transmitting his music; rather I try to be an active partner helping to put his music over to the listener. In this piece I deviated once from Scriabin's to play a little differently which I believe is more effective. All of this process is what fascinates me about playing th piano.

Thanks again for listening.

David

[goldentone]

Now this is different.  It seems like a stylistic amble for Scriabin--the one section in particular strikes me as raggish.  He really sounds like Bortkiewicz, actually.  Chopin's influence has exited.  It's taken me some listenings to accommodate it, but I like it.

Nicely played, David.

[rachfan]

Hi goldentone,

Thanks for the compliment on my playing!  It makes all the practicing worthwhile.  My sense is that Scriabin's middle period is not nearly as well known and appreciated as the earlier Chopinesque period or his late mystical period.  Yet, there are wonderful gems to be found such as this prelude in the middle period.  As I practiced and played the prelude, it seemed to me to be a harbinger of the Waltz, Op. 38, also a middle period work, which is of broader conception and scale.  Both of these pieces leave no doubt that Scriabin could write a sumptuous, ravishing and opulent waltz with the very best of the other composers of his era.

I'm glad that you enjoyed this piece!

David

[emill]

dear David,

Your excellent recording makes the learning experience quite pleasant. From the viewpoint of a non-pianist and audienceman, Scriabin's pieces are not stuff for instant liking ..... it takes a while to understand and really like his pieces. The exchanges are an eyeopener to me ..... dissonances, waltz rhythm,  Chopinesque delay to name some  .... enjoying the reading and the listenong. THANKS!!

stephen

[rachfan]

Hi emill,

I think the perspective on liking or disliking Scriabin's music probably varies by the individual.  I myself enjoy his early Chopinesque period, but especially like his middle period music which includes the piece at hand here.  But, after my many years, I have yet to acclimate to his late period pieces influenced by mysticism.  So far I haven't connected with them.  For that reason, I don't play his music much past Op. 50, at least for the present.

I'm glad you enjoyed listening, and thanks for the compliment on this recording.  I appreciate it!

David

[johnmar78]

Hey Dave,this is sort of music I liked very much so as liked to get into, semi jazz American style. Or I should say Russian style.
muusic. Your pharsing is excellent, I liked the way you sudden withdraw the touch so as a pedal to give a clean line.
Thanks for sharing.......

[rachfan]

Hi John,

Yes, it's a lovely piece and I'm glad you liked it.  And thank you for the compliments on my playing.  I appreciate it!

David

[scottmcc]

David, this is fine work indeed. I'm travelling and haven't the time for a lengthy post, but I really did enjoy this. I'll have to take a look at the score next week when I'm home.

[rachfan]

Hi Scott,

Thanks for listening, and I'm pleased you enjoyed it.  Thanks!

David

[kelvinczech]

David, you have done a great job! It is a splendid performance!
Actually, when I listen to this prelude, I cannot figure it out how it turns out to be a waltz. Would anyone please kindly tell me how I should listen to the waltz rhythm hidden in this beautiful piece?

[rachfan]

Hi kelvinczech,

I'm glad you enjoyed this prelude so much, and thank you for the nice compliment on my playing.

The prelude is written in 3/4 time and the tempo is a slow andante.  The three beats in the left hand are usually triplets, which make the sound more complex than, say, the simpler "one-two-three" feel of the well-known "Blue Danube Waltz".  But I think this prelude could be visualized as a Viennese Waltz, for example.  If you listen to Scriabin's "Waltz", Op. 38, it too has a great deal of dense complexity to it, yet in the overall sound it's unmistakably a waltz.  Liszt's "Mephisto Waltz" is another good illustration, as would be Debussy's sentimental "La plue que lent" or Bortkiewicz's "Prelude", Op. 33, No. 8.  Sometimes composers might conjure waltzes that are not really suitable for actual dancing--yet they still entrance the listeners with their wonderful imagery.  I might be inclined to call this genre concert waltzes as opposed to pure dance forms that far more clearly lend themselves to the ballroom.

Thanks for listening.

David

[danhuyle]

Wonderful playing as always.

Do you plan on playing all Scriabin Preludes? Look forward to hearing more.

[rachfan]

Hi danhuyle,

Thanks for the praise on my playing.  I appreciate it!

I had planned on playing just my own favorite preludes actually, those with extraordinary beauty, although I know that's subjective depending on the pianist and/or listener.  There are others in the Scriabin collection that I don't like nearly as well, or that I would have difficulty playing them well.  So I'll probably just stick to the plan.  But as you know from my recordings prior to the Scriabin focus, I can also find real gems in the works of the other late romantic Russian composers too.  So I'm confident that I'll make some really good discoveries there.

Thanks for listening!

David

[starstruck5]

I must admit to having deaf spot when it comes to Scriabin -you play with such understanding though.  Even though this piece has many layers and twists -you always find the sweet spot so to speak -even though I didn't like the piece much -your playing has a serene rapture which I found appealing -well done.

[rachfan]

Hi starstruck,

I find that there is Scriabin, and then there is Scriabin.  I enjoy his Chopinesque pieces from his early works, and especially like his very original middle period works, such as this prelude I play here.  But I don't venture above Op. 50 where his late mystical style kicks in.  I've listened to it through the years, but have yet to warm up to it.

I appreciate your compliment on my playing.  Thanks!

David