Alexander Scriabin - Piano Sonata No. 4 in F-sharp Major, Op. 30 (Ashkenazy)

Alexander Scriabin’s Piano Sonata No. 4 is a composition written in the advent of the 20th century. Consisting of two movements, it is one of the composer’s shortest piano sonatas. The sonata is notable in that its tonal ambiguity and colorful post-Romantic harmonies sets it as a seminal work that marks the beginning of Scriabin’s middle period.
The languid first movement leads directly into the nimble second, and the starting theme, typical of a work in cyclic form, appears in various iterations in the two movements. In conjunction with the poem that Scriabin penned after finishing the piece, the sonata seems to illustrate the faint gleam of a distant star light-years away, the star beckoning to a god-like being (presumably himself), the entity, thoroughly mesmerized by the stellar body, leaping toward and embracing the star. As the being closes the distance between him and the star, the view of the star grows until the blinding glory of an entire sun beams down upon the god-like arrivant. The divine entity, upon establishing contact with the star, would thereby consume and engulf it, becoming one with the star. The second movement concludes in a tone of celebration and ecstasy. Within it, the original theme undergoes its final incarnation as a grandiose supernova bursting with chordal tremoli (a favorite texture of Scriabin’s).
“In a light mist, transparent vapor
Lost afar and yet distinct
A star gleams softly.
How beautiful! The bluish mystery
Of her glow
Beckons me, cradles me.
O bring me to thee, far distant star!
Bathe me in trembling rays
Sweet light!
Sharp desire, voluptuous and crazed yet sweet
Endlessly with no other goal than longing
I would desire
But no! I vault in joyous leap
Freely I take wing.
Mad dance, godlike play!
Intoxicating, shining one!
It is toward thee, adored star
My flight guides me.
Mad dance, godlike play!
Intoxicating, shining one!
Toward thee, created freely for me
To serve the end
My flight of liberation!
In this play
Sheer caprice
In moments I forget thee
In the maelstrom that carries me
I veer from thy glimmering rays.
In the intensity of desire
Thou fadest
O distant goal.
But ever thou shinest
As I forever desire thee!
Thou expandest, Star!
Now thou art a Sun
Flamboyant Sun! Sun of Triumph!
Approaching thee by my desire for thee
I lave [wash] myself in thy changing waves
O joyous god.
I swallow thee
Sea of light.
My self-of-light
I engulf thee!”
Date: 1903
Catalogue: Op. 30
Order:
No. 1 - Andante in F-sharp Major: 0:08
No. 2 - Prestissimo volando in F-sharp Major: 3:17
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy on piano
Note: This channel does not own the score or audio, and they are used for non-commercial purposes.

[@TheModicaLiszt]

I do love Ashkenazy’s Scriabin 😍

[@Mazurking]

3:27 in the alto left hand. A quote from the 3rd sonata final movement? You can't make this up, this sonata has everything!
Edit: now that I listened more carefully I hear it appears in many places. Why would he reuse one of the main motifs of that movement in sonata 3?

[@SCRIABINIST]

So much playfulness and joy in such a concise moment

[@soongsoong123]

7:07 Ray of hope coming down !!!!!

[@themoonfleesthroughclouds]

I want to learn this and the weather is quite nice today

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

5:04 look how the theme of the first movement was quoted, what a genius Scriabin was...there was no limit to his creativity!

[@rize118]

Lovely recording. The piano sounds like a Bosendorfer Imperial to me, and its tone fits the piece very well especially the first movement in my opinion!

[@themoonfleesthroughclouds]

while I’m stuck here playing it on my shitty electric piano (which isn’t actually shit compared to most electric pianos, it’s quite good, but compared to the instrument this was played on it’s shit) 😔

[@Iumine]

@@themoonfleesthroughclouds i feel you bro... 😢 i wish i had a real piano

[@jere3558]

6:32 I have never even noticed that imitative voicing in the right hand

[@veganworldorder9394]

Genius

[@Scherzokinn]

Awesome!

[@estebanabad2795]

I think I know you from Instagram, cool to find you here hahahaha

[@Scherzokinn]

@@estebanabad2795 oooh hello!! Yes I see who you are too!

[@brucedavies8154]

Very nice I had not heard Askenazy's version before. I've been busy listening to the Feinberg recording recently

[@mark-eq5qb]

Ashkenazy's is the best. It's the gold standard in the recording literature.

[@Organham4903]

Cameron Carpenter does an incredible job with this on the organ

[@user-zw5sn6os9u]

3:18

[@user-gt4ol7tx3p]

👍

[@calebhu6383]

7:19

[@chmollo]

Prestissimo with six sharps. You know it’s gotta be Scriabin.

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

Scriabin+Ashkenazy=Based

[@nghiavan8952]

7:03 through 7:08 is basically Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2

[@alexanderbayramov2626]

this part (+-20 secs) also reminds of Mephisto waltz (and some similarities are striking!)