Op.22 - 4 Preludes

With his Four Preludes Op.22, Scriabin established the form as a personal favorite , moving beyond the idea of simply finishing two books of 24 preludes in the tradition of Chopin - eventually surpassing him in terms of quantity. — With his Four Preludes Op.22, Scriabin established the form as a personal favorite , moving beyond the idea of simply finishing two books of 24 preludes in the tradition of **Chopin** - eventually surpassing him in terms of quantity.

A set composed of four pieces, now without coherence in tonal succession:

No.1 : Andante (G♯ minor)
No.2 : Andante (C♯ minor)
No.3 : Allegretto (B major)
No.4 : Andantino (B minor)

Although still part of Scriabin’s early output, this set of preludes opens a new harmonic world:

No.1, calm and resonant, is reminiscent of his Sonata No.2 Op.19 with pre-impressionistic texture.

No.2, full of French augmented sixths, foreshadows his later influences of Wagner (Tristan chord) and the chromaticism of the Fourth Sonata Op.30.

While No.3 adheres more to Chopin’s traditional Mazurka style, No.4 once again evokes a quasi-impressionistic colour, somehow recalling the Nocturnes of Eric Satie.