Alexander Scriabin (1871-1915) was a Russian composer who was first influenced by Chopin’s style. He had probably one of the most drastic change in composition style throughout his life, starting out Chopinesque and later developing a dissonant, atonal feel to his music. It has been believed that Scriabin would have been able to achieve true atonality like how Schoenberg did if he hadn’t died so young. Scriabin was also one of the first composers to associate key signatures with color, which is something I think about quite often now. I felt the need to make this post because I feel that Scriabin has been looked over quite often, and one of the less popular Russian composers. Here are some of his most notable compositions, give them a listen!
Symphony No 3- The Divine Poem
Symphony No 4- The Poem of Ecstasy
Piano Concerto in F sharp Minor
Etude in C sharp minor (Scriabin wrote this when he was only 15)
Prelude and Nocturne for the Left Hand
24 Preludes Op 11 (My favorites are No 8, 9, 10, 11, 19, but they are all so good!!)
5 Preludes Op 74 (Notice how dissonant these are compared to Op 11, which is much more romantic)
Of course Scriabin wrote a good amount of mazurkas, Chopin being his idol and all.
Scriabin’s had 10 sonatas published, the first 4 in a Romantic style
Sonata No 2 (personal favorite)
Sonata No 6 (is classical music can be creepy, then this piece is terrifying)
Waltz Op 38 (personal favorite)