Piano Sonata No.6 - Alexander Scriabin

Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy. I - Modéré. Mystérieux. Concentré. - Un peu plus lent - Le rêve prend forme (clarté, douceur, pureté) - L'épouvante surgit - Vivace - Poco più vivo - Vivo - Poco più vivo - De plus en plus entrainant, avec enchantement - Joyeux, triomphant - Sombre - Epanouissement de forces mystérieuses - Avec une joie exaltée, più vivo - Effondrement subit - Un peu plus lent - Tout devient charme et douceur - L'épouvante surgit, elle se mêle à la danse délirante: 0:00 Scriabin's Piano Sonata No.6 was composed in the summer of 1911, shortly after finishing "Prometheus". It was premiered in Moscow on March 19 of 1912, performed by Elena Bekman-Shcherbina, a former pupil of the composer. The composer only performed it for friends in private, like Alexander Siloti. According to their testimony, Scriabin shuddered when playing the piece and seemed afraid of it. Written in a single movement structured in a modified sonata form, it is often described to be "in G major" or in the tonal area of G, but this is an error. The harmony is largely "atonal" (better yet "multitonal" or "polytonal"), chords acting as independent, self-sustaining tonal centres with their own implied or expressed simultaneous "tonics". Further showing this abandonment of traditional harmony, Scriabin fully employs the octatonic scale for most of the work, witht the Mystic and Elektra chords making more subtle appearances. Unlike the fifth sonata, there is no explicit program nor poem that accompanies the work, but it is clear the work was inspired by a kind of nightmarish vision. Scriabin described the sonata as "frightening … dark and mysterious, impure, dangerous". A kind of vague vision is implied in the plentiful and exotic french performance indications; "Expansion of mysterious forces … all becomes charm and sweetness … winged, swirling … the Terrifying One arises, she joins in the delirious dance." The presence of evil, corruption and sin can be inferred from these descriptions, but a more detailed program should be left to the listener's imagination. The work opens with ominous chords that already set the mood. A dark and lugubrious main theme is presented composed of two elements; a quick and fantastical six-note motive (Winged motive) and an expressive and mysterious melody. Both of these grow and expand before a transition motive appears on the left hand. As "the dream takes form", a lyrical and gentle second theme is then presented, described as "pure" and "sweet". However, it becomes increasingly sensuous and yearning as it unfolds, with the transition motive peeking underneath. The development opens with a fragment of the second theme transformed into quick ascending figure, as if taking off. This leads to a fiercely dissonant climax in which "the terror suddenly appears". The winged motive as the ascending fragments continue, before the motive is substantially expanded. Then the second theme is more developed, before we reach a passionate climax with the return of the expressive melody of the main theme, followed by the "blooming of mysterious forces" as the terror returns in it fierce dissonance. The winged motive and second theme then lead to a dramatic "sudden collapse". The material is then recapitulated in a varied manner, with the initial sweetness and purity of the second theme now completely absent. The ascending figure of the second theme returns and lead us to the delirious coda, in which an ecstatic dance is mixed up with the horror chords. The sonata then ends with a pianissimo chord that is both as mysterious as is ominous in its lack of resolution. Picture: "Flying Demon" (1899) by the Russian artist Mikhail Vrubel. Musical analysis partially written by myself. Sources: https://tinyurl.com/236s7q9s, https://tinyurl.com/29abstg4, https://tinyurl.com/25a3he8z and https://tinyurl.com/24cd8md3 To check the score: https://tinyurl.com/2b3wajt3