Scriabin Sonata 7 question

[thorn]

I'm trying to work out what to do for the best in bars 208-9 (attached). My edition implies playing the LH chord before the RH melody/first quintuplet but I feel this spoils the flow of the music. I'm aware that some of this is the fact I'm still learning it- most recordings seem to do the same and it sounds fine.

The two solutions I thought of are a) play the LH chord and the D# of the melody on the beat and start the quintuplet slightly after, or b) play the D# and the first quintuplet on the beat then spread the LH chord downwards (to blend in with the falling triplet motif). I'm not 100% convinced by either so thought it was worth asking opinions.

[lelle]

One option which is legit if you don't want the next quintuplet group to start late, is to play the low F sharp in the left hand together with the first fourth of the right hand quintupled, and then quickly roll up the left hand chord up to the D#. You can stretch the time value of the first fourth of the quintuplet slightly to make room for this. Hope that makes sense.

[thorn]

Yes that makes sense, thank you. As I'm still in the early stages of learning this piece I think I'll practice each option and see which feels/sounds the best as I get more on top of it (if anyone has others I'm happy to hear them)

[lelle]

Would love it if you posted the solution you ended up adopting here later, as I am thinking about studying this myself!

[thorn]

Yeah I was thinking of doing a work in progress video at some point as I haven't had a teacher since C-19 so it would be good for keeping me focused. I assumed you already played it! Do you play any of his other Sonatas?

[fftransform]

Just roll it as indicated, using the 24 fingering for the last fourth in the LH before measure 209 and really practice grabbing the LH g#-e immediately off the 24 fourth from the previous measure.  Honestly I might even refinger the big chord as 1-5-4-2 unless your hands are fairly big; I don't like rolling a 10th into a crossover since the motions don't fit together very ergonomically, at least for my hands.  I almost always break them up into two double-notes.  Similar phrasing appears in the Sonata 8 and Vers la flamme and it's almost always rolled as the score implies.  I would defo not try to reach down with the RH to grab some of that chord.

[lelle]

Yeah I was thinking of doing a work in progress video at some point as I haven't had a teacher since C-19 so it would be good for keeping me focused. I assumed you already played it! Do you play any of his other Sonatas?

I've played the second sonata, worked a tiny bit on the fifth, want to play, 4, 7, 9, 10 

[thorn]

fftransform- I didn't think of breaking it up like that, thanks for the suggestion.

lelle- I basically want to play all of them except 1 and 4, maybe those will grow on me later!

[lelle]

Yeah, I find 1 to be kinda dull. But do give 4 another shot, it's wonderful when it clicks. Read the poem and see how it connects with the music. It does require a great pianist to do it justice.

Everyone loves the third sonata, but I just kinda like the opening theme and find the rest of it sort of monotone haha.

[thorn]

I do like the third sonata but there are plenty of pieces I'd choose to learn before it. I prefer the second. But neither of them are on the same level as 5-10 for me.

[lelle]

When I grew up my dad thought atonal music was sh!t so my reflex is still to be surprised when somebody likes the late sonatas over the early ones. What do you like about the late sonatas? Which is your favorite?

[thorn]

Sorry I missed this!

I think it's genius how Scriabin channelled his craziness into sonata form. There's an underlying musical logic that unifies the late sonatas that becomes clearer as you get to know them (certain harmonies, the overall structure, the placement of climaxes etc.). 

I think my favourite would have to be 7 or 10.