Sophia Lisovskaya plays Scriabin

 (Programme notes for the Morpeth Music Society concert of February 2009; prepared by Ian C. West)

Thursday, February 12th., 2009    Sophia Lisovskaya  (Piano)

"Sophia Lisovskaya is a rising star of the piano world and is sought-after for recitals internationally.  On this occasion Sophia will be playing the melodic Scriabin preludes followed by his darker études and the unique ‘Vers La Flamme’ said to have been written after the composer had a psychotic vision in which he witnessed the end of the world.  Her performance of the Scriabin in particular has been likened to that of Richter."

Partita in E minor No. 6 (BWV 830) ––––––––– J.S. Bach (1685 – 1750)

i. Toccata, ii. Allemanda, iii. Corrente, iv. Air, v. Sarabande, vi. Tempo di Gavotta, vii. Gigue

A partita (by the late 17^th century) was essentially a suite of instrumental pieces in dance tempi. The 6 partitas forming Bach's Klavierübung book I were the first of his works to be published, but the last of his keyboard suites to be written. The partita in E minor (BWV 830) published in 1730, is the last of the 6 and is one of the longest, but it is based on earlier material contained in the 1725 version of Anna Magdalena Bach's Notebook. These suites, published under the general heading of 'Keyboard Exercises', are clearly offered as teaching pieces, concerning which Bach had considerable experience, and decided views. The way repeating phrases progress stepwise down the keyboard is occasionally reminiscent of a touch-typing course-book, but that does not prevent these pieces being profoundly satisfying music, exploring the gamut of human emotions. While most of the movements explore the capacity of different dance rhythms as vehicles of 'pure' music the extended Toccata is a prelude/fugue/prelude sandwich, and the Air is a lyric interlude.

Sonata in C minor, 'Pathetique' (Op. 13) –– L. van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)

i. Grave—Allegro, ii. Adagio cantabile, iii. Rondo (Allegro)

The Pathétique sonata, so named by its publisher but with Beethoven's approval, is one of Beethoven's best loved works. It was written in 1798 when the composer was 28 years old (and published the following year). Beethoven was by then established in Vienna as a piano virtuoso.

So it is an early work, showing traces of Haydn, and Mozart; and in particular Mozart's K457 keyboard sonata, which was written 15 years earlier, has the same key (C minor), has the same 3 movements, the same sombre opening chord, similar tempi and themes. However, Beethoven uses more advanced key modulations, and introduces a thematic unity between movements that is not found in Haydn or Mozart.

Preludes opus.11; Nos.1, 2, 5, 6, 8 & 9 ––– Alexander Scriabin (1872 – 1915)

Scriabin, one year older than Rachmaninov, shared the same piano tutor (Zverev) and was Rachmaninov's contemporary at the Moscow Conservatoire. In 1894 he made his debut as a concert pianist in Moscow and started to compose commercially for the publisher Belyayev. He also married. These preludes are from a set of 24 published in 1896 during what is called Scriabin's 'early period' when he was deeply influenced by Chopin; they are arranged like Chopin's in ascending order of sharps (C major, A minor, G major etc., unlike Bach's chromatic sequence). They are tuneful, open, pieces with a mere sprinkling of 9ths, 7ths and tritones which give a pleasing sharpness to the harmony; and there are few traces of atonality (e.g. in prelude 9 with the left hand in C# minor while the right is in E major).

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Etudes op. 65 Nos. 1, 2 & 3 –––––––– Alexander Scriabin (1872 – 1915)

i. Allegro fantastico; ii. Allegretto; iii. Molto vivace

In 1903, 5 years into a professorship at the Conservatoire, Scriabin ran off to western Europe with a young admirer Tatyana Schloezer, leaving his wife and 4 children, and entered his (transitional) 'middle period'.  In 1905 he encountered the mystical philosophy of Madame Blavatsky and entered his frankly mystical 'late period'. Supported by donations, Scriabin continued to explore his music with bold originality. Conventional tonality evolved into a highly dissonant and rather rootless structure which seems to rely on theories uniting colours, scents and the meaning of the universe. Scriabin once wrote in his secret notebook "I am God", though what he meant is not clear. (Perhaps we see the ill-effects of excessive admiration on a mind inclined towards solipsism.)

Vers La Flamme op.72 –––––––– Alexander Scriabin (1872 – 1915)

It has been said of Scriabin that, "No composer has had more scorn heaped nor greater love bestowed..." While some may doubt Scriabin's sanity, no one has doubted the originality or sincerity of his musical genius. Scriabin died at the age of 43 of septicaemia, whereupon Rachmaninov set out to tour Russia giving all-Scriabin recitals. 'Vers La Flamme' (Towards the flame) was apparently intended to become Sonata 11. It is technically difficult, especially for hands as small as Scriabin's own; but it certainly aspires, and to some extent carries us, towards something transcendent.

Sonata in G minor op.22 ––––––––––– Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

i. Prestissimo, ii. Andantino, iii. Scherzo, iv. Rondo (presto-prestissimo)

Schumann's second piano sonata (Op22) was composed at much the same time as Carnaval and Études symphoniques (1834), but before Fantasiestücke (1837), Kreisleriana (1838), and Kinderszenen (1838); and before his acquaintance with Clara Wieck had ripened into love (1836). It is another minor-key work. The second movement is headed 'Getragen' (= solemn); the Scherzo 'Sehr rasch und markirt' (= very fast and marked). Schumann in manic mode.

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