Alexander Scriabin was born on Christmas Day in Moscow in 1871 and died there in 1915. He wrote extensively
for the piano and as an adult performed only his own works.
In 1888 Scriabin entered the Moscow Conservatory graduating in 1892 with a Small Gold Medal possibly not receiving the
Great Gold Medal (as did Rachmaninov) on account of a disagreement with his fugue teacher Arensky.
In 1895 he travelled to Europe making his European debut in Paris the following year. On his return to Moscow he
took up a piano professorship at the Moscow Conservatoire (until 1902) and also the post of Inspector of Music at
St Catherine's Institute from which he later resigned after seducing a former pupil.
Scriabin then left for Europe and later America before returning to Russia in 1909. Further European concert tours
followed (Germany, Switzerland, England) before Scriabin returned to Moscow where he died in 1915 from blood poisoning
resulting from an infection on his upper lip.
Scriabin is known for his egocentricity, doubtless fostered by his devoted adoptive parents (two grandmothers and an aunt).
He was also a synaesthete and in his later years worked on a composition called Misteria in which the association between
colour and tonality was explored with colours being projected on stage as the performance of the music took place.
The following is a limited selection of Scriabin's piano works - but probably more than a month can hold! The Sonatas
are undoubtedly his most important contribution to the repertoire. I've also included a set of Studies and the Preludes
from Op. 11 which follow the same key sequence as those of Chopin's Preludes Op. 28 as well as a couple of other works.
Sonatas
No. 1, Op. 6 in F minor
No. 2, Op. 19 'Sonata Fantasia' in G# minor
No. 3, Op. 23 in F# minor
No. 4, Op. 30 in F# major
No. 5, Op. 53 in F# major
No. 6, Op. 62 in G major
No. 7, Op. 64 'White Mass' in F# major
No. 8, Op. 66 in A major
No. 9, Op. 68 'Black Mass' in F major
No. 10, Op. 70 in C major
Studies, Op. 42
Op. 42 No. 1 in Db major
Op. 42 No. 2 in F# minor
Op. 42 No. 3 in F# major
Op. 42 No. 4 in F# major
Op. 42 No. 5 in C# minor
Op. 42 No. 6 in Db major
Op. 42 No. 7 in F minor
Op. 42 No. 8 in Eb major
Preludes, Op. 11
Op. 11, No. 1 in C major
Op. 11, No. 2 in A minor
Op. 11, No. 3 in G major
Op. 11, No. 4 in E minor
Op. 11, No. 5 in D major
Op. 11, No. 6 in B minor
Op. 11, No. 7 in A major
Op. 11, No. 8 in F# minor
Op. 11, No. 9 in E major
Op. 11, No. 10 in C# minor
Op. 11, No. 11 in B major
Op. 11, No. 12 in G# minor
Op. 11, No. 13 in Gb major
Op. 11, No. 14 in Eb minor
Op. 11, No. 15 in Db major
Op. 11, No. 16 in Bb minor
Op. 11, No. 17 in Ab major
Op. 11, No. 18 in F minor
Op. 11, No. 19 in Eb major
Op. 11, No. 20 in C minor
Op. 11, No. 21 in Bb major
Op. 11, No. 22 in G minor
Op. 11, No. 23 in F major
Op. 11, No. 24 in D minor
Other Works
Op. 28 'Fantasia' in B minor
Op. 72 'Vers la Flamme'
Video Clip - Kissin plays Etude in C# minor, Op. 42, No. 5
