ALEXANDER SCRIABIN

Aleksandr Skrjabin was a romantic-era russian composer and pianist. his early works were very conventional and he was very much influenced by Chopin. later in life, he developed a much more complex and dissonant musical language. While not atonal (SHIT) or strictly serialist, his works ascended regular tonality. His Piano Sonatas and Piano Etudes were a dear expression of pvre genius, a love letter to the artistry of music, that unfortunately most people will never hear or care to hear, or even understand. Lots of normalniggers in YouTube comment sections will compare classical music to that of metal music; and what they really mean by that is "le ebin 1000bpm solo!" and it is disgusting how musically incompetent these 'people' are. Skrjabin's 9th is the only piece of western classical music that truly embodies the Faustian spirit.

Skrjabin's most famous work: Etude Op 8 No 12, performed by Horowitz.

Recordings

Skrjabin's music can't just be "got" immediately, like it is with most other composers. You could not listen to it once or even a handful of times and grasp the essence of it; His music requires a deep methodical thought to truly understand after much listening. I myself haven't fully gotten it myself. But, to first 'listen' to his art, one must find the objectively best iterations of it. Even professional concert pianists will fuck up Skrjabin's pieces and make them into something that is unrecognizable and inherently anti-Skrjabin. It is garbage that tries and fails at attempting to recreate Skrjabin. Skrjabi Pianists - those who really understood and voiced his pieces in ways no other man could - come few and far between. As far as i'm concerned, there only exist 4: Vladimir Ashkenazy, Vladimir Sofronitsky, Vladimir Horowitz, and Svjatoslav Richter.

When you look for emotional immediacy, perhaps as a beginner to Skrjabin's works, Horowitz fulfills that in all aspects, as he was very much a crowd-pleaser. His performances of the Etudes - of which, he cited Op 8 No 12 as one of his favorite concluding pieces to his concerts - are very powerful in that He emphasizes the bass notes giving a very thunderous sound. The only pianist who rivals him in his performance of Op 8 No 12 is Alexei Sultanov. Horowitz, although an incredible pianist and perhaps the greatest pianist who has ever lived, never performed Skrjabin's Sonatas to the same prestigious effect.

Richter, Ashkenazy and Sofronitsky are the only pianists who could competently play Skrjabin's Sonatas. Richter's recordings of the 5th are widely regarded to be the best out there. I would also recommend you listen to Ashkenazy play the Sonatas. It is quite unfortunate that Vladimir Sofronitsky (who died in 1961) wasn't born in a more modern era of the world, where recording equipment didn't sound so shit. However, through all the crackling and the hissing of the primitive recordings, wreaks the burning spirit of a man most in tune with Skrjabin's works, and in that we find beauty. I believe, in some cases, that the vagueness of the sound catapults the music to a realm of antique, dark sonority.

the deisgne of this page was inspired by this album cover which was the first recording of skrjabin i listened to. Sofronitsky Skrjabin.Schutzstaffel Sonata.Sublimity Supreme.
also, thanks for all the (You)s, guys.