Quick notation question

[nlangdon39]

Regarding the image I have attached (measures 3 and 4 of Scriabin op 2 no 1) - for the parts I drew red boxes around, this looks strange to me. I would think these should be played as a chord but it is odd that the notes are offset to the side like this and not just written in normal chord notation, all on the stem. I am wondering if it is just a poor edition/weird notation? If they are not meant to be played together, what is the intention here? Is it just written that way to show a melodic line?

Thanks!

[dogperson]

You are correct on both counts:  the notated sections are intended to be played as a chord, but are notated this way to show the melodic line

[themeandvariation]

The middle voice in either clef (in both red boxes) - is of a different value - and held accordingly. It is visually 'displaced'  so the stem doesn't touch another voice - (thus changing another voice's value).

[keypeg]

You actually have the same thing happening with the D half notes, but it might not have caught your attention as much because the white note values have a different visual effect.  It would be impossible to line up all the note heads vertically unless you made your stem curvy to curve around.