Classical Music | Piano Music

Alexander Scriabin

Sonata No. 4 in F-sharp Major, Op.30  Play

Vassily Primakov Piano

Recorded on 08/28/2013, uploaded on 04/04/2014

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Almost a century after his premature death at the age of 43 in 1915, Scriabin remains one of the most controversial figures in music history. He still inspires passionate debates and polarizes opinion. Hardly anyone remains indifferent – one either likes his music or does not.  It should be mentioned that during the period this sonata was composed, Scriabin was influenced by the writings of both Nietzche and Shopenhauer.

It is a two-movement work (although the first leads directly into the second). The opening motive, which Scriabin described as “the striving upward toward ideal creative power” is restated in the ecstatic coda of the second movement, augmented with vehement repeated chords. Scriabin attached a fiery, passionate poem to this sonata, which describes the contemplation of a distant star, the journey towards it, and the eventual plunging headfirst into it.    Vassily Primakov