Scriabin Works

[scherzo123]

Hi, I just wanted to know if there are any works by Scriabin that sound scary and epic, but also fit the hand? So what I'm looking for are some Scriabin works that sound like Etude Op.42 No.5 or anything "Scriabinesque", but also fit the hand well, so my finger won't feel awkward and twisting. If you know any, please post in this thread, thanks! 

P.S. I don't want anything too quiet. It should be loud and "Scriabinesque" in AT LEAST ONE POINT. Thanks! 

[philb]

Perhaps the Op. 65 Etudes would be something to look through. Considering your rep, they are probably too much for you. If you can play Op. 42 no. 5 however, I couldn't imagine you would have a very difficult time. I'm also quite convinced that these Etudes must be performed as a set. What other works of Scriabin have you learned? If the answer is none, I would suggest looking at Op. 8.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Hi, I just wanted to know if there are any works by Scriabin that sound scary and epic, but also fit the hand?

Well I don't know your hands, so I can't recommend anything that would 'fit' your hands well. 

HOWEVER, if you're looking for easy, scary Scriabin, then try his prelude Op. 67 No. 1

You need big hands, but you can probably arpegiate everything if you can't reach a 10th  But it's so easy, you'll learn it in a shorter amount of time it actually takes to play it!


And just for listening to, if you want some SCARY stuff, then try listening to his 6th sonata!  Scriabin himself was scared of performing it in public!  So he composed his 7th sonata as an exorcism against his 6th sonata.  But yeah, the 7th one is epic and scary as well.  AND THEN there's his 9th sonata!  It's nick named "black mass".  If you don't know what a black mass is, it's when a bunch of satanic worshippers gather around and worship the devil by drinking each others pee, killing hosts and drinking their blood, saying their prayers backwards, having giant orgies, it's really ugly.

What did you mean by 'Scriabinesque'?

[danhuyle]

12 Etudes Op8
Fantaisie Op28
Sonata no2
2 Poemes Op32

My favorites.

[nanabush]

I know exactly what you mean when you say 'scary AND epic'... Op 42 #5 comes instantly to mind. 

1st piano sonata... except I've tried bits not too long ago, it's not super pianistic... some extremely awkward passagework in that piece, my god.

3rd piano sonata, the movement in Eb major (I [think] it's movement 2 or 3); it's like a march, but flipping major/minor, it just reminds me of the feeling that 'the end is near' or something like that...doom, fate, etc.  And it's got a very march-like rhythm... it's spooky that he can create stuff like that.

He's got a sh*t load of preludes that fit the bill...

2nd piano sonata (my favorite work of all time by him).  The first movement is EPIC, and the second one is SCARY.  Listen to Rach's Eb minor etude (not the slow one), from op.33.  The second movement of the Scriabin sonata in parts just unleashes the fury like this etude.  It's got a lot of fingerwork, but I have a friend who played this for a recital, and said although it was a lot of work, there was nothing killer in it that seemed unplayable.

[scherzo123]

Well I don't know your hands, so I can't recommend anything that would 'fit' your hands well. 

HOWEVER, if you're looking for easy, scary Scriabin, then try his prelude Op. 67 No. 1

You need big hands, but you can probably arpegiate everything if you can't reach a 10th  But it's so easy, you'll learn it in a shorter amount of time it actually takes to play it!


And just for listening to, if you want some SCARY stuff, then try listening to his 6th sonata!  Scriabin himself was scared of performing it in public!  So he composed his 7th sonata as an exorcism against his 6th sonata.  But yeah, the 7th one is epic and scary as well.  AND THEN there's his 9th sonata!  It's nick named "black mass".  If you don't know what a black mass is, it's when a bunch of satanic worshippers gather around and worship the devil by drinking each others pee, killing hosts and drinking their blood, saying their prayers backwards, having giant orgies, it's really ugly.

What did you mean by 'Scriabinesque'?

I could reach a tenth (not SUPER comfortably though), and when I say "Scriabinesque", I'm referring to the scary and super romantic works by Scriabin.

[scherzo123]

I know exactly what you mean when you say 'scary AND epic'... Op 42 #5 comes instantly to mind. 

1st piano sonata... except I've tried bits not too long ago, it's not super pianistic... some extremely awkward passagework in that piece, my god.

3rd piano sonata, the movement in Eb major (I [think] it's movement 2 or 3); it's like a march, but flipping major/minor, it just reminds me of the feeling that 'the end is near' or something like that...doom, fate, etc.  And it's got a very march-like rhythm... it's spooky that he can create stuff like that.

He's got a sh*t load of preludes that fit the bill...

2nd piano sonata (my favorite work of all time by him).  The first movement is EPIC, and the second one is SCARY.  Listen to Rach's Eb minor etude (not the slow one), from op.33.  The second movement of the Scriabin sonata in parts just unleashes the fury like this etude.  It's got a lot of fingerwork, but I have a friend who played this for a recital, and said although it was a lot of work, there was nothing killer in it that seemed unplayable.

Nice suggestions, thanks!

[49410enrique]

I could reach a tenth (not SUPER comfortably though), and when I say "Scriabinesque", I'm referring to the scary and super romantic works by Scriabin.

i wouldn't neccessarily put "Romantic" and "Scriabinesque" as one when referring to dear Alex. I think he 'grew into his sound' and so the sound and style i think many find characteristic of him grows less and less "romantic' as it evolves.

but i think some of the pieces leading to his middle period have great elements of both. the extended/longer works i think let him stretch his legs a bit and play with ideas enough to get an appreciation in more tonal lyricism and with some incredibly powerful harmonic moments.

i love this work. it is stunning in its beauty:
Fantasie op. 28

if you like were he was in that early to and including first part of the middle period, i'd expand your search to to consider guys influenced by Scrabin's younger sound like Alexandrov

I. "Moderato, con agitazione patetica" (1907)
II. "Languido" (1909)
III. "Misterioso, con importanza" (1908)
IV. "Impetuoso, protestando" (1908)-around 4:25, i think has that sound you might be looking for
V. "Liberamente, amoroso" (1907)
VI. "Pensieroso, commodo" (1910)

for someone influnced by later Scriabin maybe look to Olivier Messiaen

[rachmaninoff_forever]

I'm referring to the scary and super romantic works by Scriabin.

That's everything by Scriabin lol

[49410enrique]

PS, intersting you chose the word "Scriabinesque" as that is the exact word i've seen used to describe Oleg Eige's piano sonata no 1. Unfortunately I cannot post a score and I cannot find an audio for the work but here's a snippet i came across, might be something to explore on your end

thanks to Hexameron's great write up for  this:

"Oleg Eiges (1905-1992) was a peripheral Soviet composer who did not enjoy much of an international reputation, but was highly respected by Russia's musical elite, namely Feinberg and Roslavets, who praised his pianism and compositions. Oleg was the son of Konstantin Eiges, the teacher of Stanchinsky, and studied under Anatoly Alexandrov at the Moscow Conservatory. He later befriended Shostakovich and even studied under the renowned Busoni pupil, Egon Petri, in Berlin between 1928 and 1929.

Eiges was one of the many Soviet composers denounced for writing "formalist" music and was specifically targeted in the Central Committee's Resolution of 1948. Little is known about Eiges' compositional trajectory and how his style evolved, but he wrote twenty symphonies, five concerti, chamber music, an opera, and twelve piano sonatas. In his early works, Eiges' aesthetics owe much to Scriabin. It was his Scriabinesque First Piano Sonata (1926) that spurred Roslavets into writing an enthusiastic review. Although Eiges' style would have changed since the 1930s, many of his works are heavily influenced by Scriabin, Medtner, and Prokofiev"

bonus, Eller, has been described as having a Scriabin and Rachmaninoff-ish sound too:

wrote mostly instrumental works, including symphonies, tone poems, ballets, string quartets, a handful of piano sonatas and numerous preludes. His early works from 1910-20 reveal Scriabin's and Rachmaninov's influence.

disclaimer, his scores are exceedingly rare. i have a set of his children's pieces and piano sonata no 2 but do not YET have acopy of the prelude. the hunt is ongoing...

[rachmaninoff_forever]

You also might like Nikolai Roslavets.  He's nicknamed the 'Russian Scriabin'.

[davidjosepha]

You also might like Nikolai Roslavets.  He's nicknamed the 'Russian Scriabin'.

Uh, isn't Scriabin Russian?

[49410enrique]

Uh, isn't Scriabin Russian?

i thought so. but modern research shows that Scriabin was not Russian, but rather Russia was Scriabin. Apparently he's that much of a bad A$$. i mean i'm not surprised. i mean look at the dude. he's the reason everything in Russia is so freakin rad.

[ktack]

op. 42 no. 5 is not very scriabinesque. If you look at his philosophical views, I'd say that his 4th-10th sonatas are all very very scriabinesque. If you are looking for etudes that are scriabinesque, I'd say op. 65. "loud and fast" isn't particularly prototypical scriabin...

[ktack]

scriabin's style isn;t particularly "scary and epic" either. Personally, I find more "scary and epic" in Mozart's 20th piano concerto than any other piano work ever written- every composer has that aspect. Putting that aside, prototypical scriabin is closer to his philosophical views.


https://english.ruvr.ru/radio_broadcast/2249227/41220380.html

[scherzo123]

anybody else?

[scherzo123]

op. 42 no. 5 is not very scriabinesque. If you look at his philosophical views, I'd say that his 4th-10th sonatas are all very very scriabinesque. If you are looking for etudes that are scriabinesque, I'd say op. 65. "loud and fast" isn't particularly prototypical scriabin...

I was just giving an idea.

scriabin's style isn;t particularly "scary and epic" either. Personally, I find more "scary and epic" in Mozart's 20th piano concerto than any other piano work ever written- every composer has that aspect. Putting that aside, prototypical scriabin is closer to his philosophical views.

Again, I was just giving an IDEA!!! 

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Okay, this "Scriabinesque" stuff is getting out of hand here.

EVERYTHING by Scriabin is "Scriabinesque"!  Wanna know why?

...
...
...

Because it's by Scriabin!!!

[49410enrique]

Okay, this "Scriabinesque" stuff is getting out of hand here.

EVERYTHING by Scriabin is "Scriabinesque"!  Wanna know why?

...
...
...

Because it's by Scriabin!!!

i concur.
or when describing non-Scriabin/Scriabin-style  inspired works, that would seem more appropriate no?
i.e as in , this piece es muy muy Scriabinesque!

either way , Scriabin me gusta mucho!, so the more views and replies a post about our  guy gets, right on!

[j_menz]

Okay, this "Scriabinesque" stuff is getting out of hand here.

EVERYTHING by Scriabin is "Scriabinesque"!  Wanna know why?

...
...
...

Because it's by Scriabin!!!

What about those pieces that are often described as Chopinesque?  Even though they're not by Chopin.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

What about those pieces that are often described as Chopinesque?  Even though they're not by Chopin.

EVERYTHING BY CHOPIN IS CHOPINESQUE because...

...
...
...

IT'S BY CHOPIN!!!


No but yeah, the OP said that he wanted pieces by Scriabin that are Scriabinesqe.  It would be different if he wanted pieces by another composer that's Scriabinesque.  Like Nikolai Roslavets or something.

[davidjosepha]

What about those pieces that are often described as Chopinesque?  Even though they're not by Chopin.

Everything that is by Chopin is Chopinesque, but not everything that is Chopinesque is by Chopin!

[49410enrique]

[

...bonus, Eller, has been described as having a Scriabin and Rachmaninoff-ish sound too:

wrote mostly instrumental works, including symphonies, tone poems, ballets, string quartets, a handful of piano sonatas and numerous preludes. His early works from 1910-20 reveal Scriabin's and Rachmaninov's influence.

disclaimer, his scores are exceedingly rare. i have a set of his children's pieces and piano sonata no 2 but do not YET have acopy of the prelude. the hunt is ongoing...

...and the hunt indeed has continued. i am persistent. and it has paid off and i now "has score" for this prelude that has been on my "to-LEARN- list" for years, this changes everything as old stuff i've been meaning to learn and perform tends to take priority over new projects i am considering, this may be my next prelude indeed. i hopes to begin readin hmm sometime in november perhaps....

note, Eller lived until 1970, I cannot make a scan/copy file to post on pianostreet until 2020. Apologies.

still i reccommend those liking a sort of Chopin/Rachmaninoff/Scriabin post-modern sound that at times nods romantic in a distinct 'voice' to seek him out. great piano writing!

and a nice recent upload, so refreshing to see this piece getting 'new attention' , man im excited about this thing!
maybe i should change my name to eller_forever

Recorded at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, 18 October 2011
Sound: Tammo Sumera
Video: Marek Vilba

[cadenza14224]

No mention of Prelude op. 13, No. 6?

It's a mad early work, but it sounds menacing as hell.

[hstjkd]

Hi, I just wanted to know if there are any works by Scriabin that sound scary and epic, but also fit the hand?

That rather depends on how big your hands are. Scriabin, of course, had small hands himself, which perhaps explains why he overcompensated for it.