Piano Sonata No. 3 (Scriabin)

The 3rd Piano Sonata in F sharp minor, Op 23 by the Russian composer and pianist Alexander Scriabin ( 1872-1915 ) was born 1897/98 and is provided with a psychologizing program. Features are particularly strong thematic clamping of the four sets, as well as the rich counterpoint.

Formation

The emergence of the third piano sonata Alexander Scriabin in the years 1897/98 was in a positive phase of life of the composer: In December 1897, he was awarded the ( since 1884 a year by switching Vladimir Stasov awarded ) Glinka Prize for his compositions for piano, Op 3, 4, 6, 7 and 9, after he had previously denied as a pianist successful European tours. In 1897 closed marriage with pianist Vera Ivanovna Issakowitsch a daughter was born in the summer of 1898, and in the fall of 1898 Scriabin was offered a piano professor at the Moscow Conservatory.

Characterization

The Sonata with a playing time of about 18 to 20 minutes in four movements:

• I. Drammatico
• II Allegretto
• III. andante
• IV Presto con fuoco - Maestoso

The sonata was later provided with a psychologizing program, which was probably written in 1905 by Scriabin's second wife Tatjana de Schloezer, but is authorized by the composer. In the translation from the French it says:

During the first set in his heroic triumphant gesture to Franz Liszt reminds, the second set fulfills the role of a scherzo with restless continuous play figures in the left hand. The lyrical Andante is marked by a lyrical opening theme. The final illustrated according to the above program struggle and victory of the "soul."

The sentences are clamped thematically to a large extent. Thus, the fourth jump of the main theme in the first movement appears in the first theme of the finale. The rhythmic pulse of this theme emerged as the thematic material of the second, third and fourth set again. Prior to the line of the third set to attacca following fourth set, the first theme of the first movement is resumed. In the coda of the final movement is heard in " Maestoso " again the theme of the preceding Andante.

Another feature of the sonata is its rich contrapuntal writing. Already at the beginning of the implementation of the first movement sounded first theme and secondary theme synchronously over an accompaniment. In the implementation of the finale, the main theme of the movement appears first in the reversal and is then counterpointed in increasing stretto with itself.

The premiere of the sonata played Vsevolod Ivanovich Bujukli on November 23, 1900 with great success in Moscow. Also Scriabin himself performed repeatedly until his last concerts.