Alexander Scriabin (1872 - 1915) was a Russian composer and pianist. His whole life was driven through his compositions by the quest of universe mysteries : reconnection with cosmos, ecstasy, transcended state of life. Building up on romantic heritage, he will gradually disconnect his music from his first model Frederic Chopin to develop later on a totally unique and revolutionary musical language. Virtuous pianist, thinker and poet, Scriabin handwritten notes and list of works offers a great overview on one’s individual grow, as the opus numbers gradually unfold more and more research and evolution an aesthetic in which three periods can be defined :

Early (Woo 1 / Op.1 - Op.28 ) : Late romantic style in the tradition of Liszt and Chopin, lyrical phrases, singing counterpoint, flexible shift between minor and major tonality, intense and chromatic basses, fluid polyrythms, variations and extension of themes, Chopin’s forms (Impromptus, Preludes, Mazurkas), romantic subjects (love, destiny, individual grow).

Middle (Op.29 - Op.56) : Post-romantic modern-ish style that shares similarities with Chopin but grandly extended, others composers echoes (Debussy, Wagner, Rachmaninoff), blurred tonal functions through long appogiatura, ultra-chromaticism, unconventional voicing (in 4th of 6th) and pedals, invention of new forms or extension of old one (Poems, Quasi-Waltz, 30 seconds etudes), richer chords up to the 13th, sense of longing, sensuality, spiritual subjects and philosophy (soul awakening) .

Late (Op.57 - Op.74) : Totally modern and individual style sometime echoing to others composers (Late Debussy, Schoenberg, Berg), total blur of tonal functions through systematic use of new harmonic system (octophonic, “Mystic Chords”, whole-tone scale), one-movement sonatas, extreme piano writing style (various polyphonic line, large range, abstract polyrythms), no conclusive or tonal endings, transcendental subjects (apocalypse, universe, unknown and mysterious forces).

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Scriabin music is immensely diverse and offers to the listener a range of all resentment, from pure horror to total benediction, an enchanting painting of our deepest layers.

“If I offer to the world a single part of my benediction, he will exult for centuries !”