Alexander Scriabin

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Biography

Born: Jan 6, 1872; Russia   Died: Apr 27, 1915; Russia   Period: 20th Century
Mystic, visionary, virtuoso, and composer, Scriabin dedicated his life to creating musical works which would, as he believed, open the portals of the spiritual world. Scriabin took piano lessons as a child, joining, in 1884, Nikolay Zverov's class, where Rachmaninov was a fellow student. From 1888 to 1892, Scriabin studied at the Moscow Conservatory, where his teachers included Arensky, Taneyev, and Safonov. Although Scriabin's hand could not Read more easily stretch beyond an octave, he developed into a prodigious pianist, launching an international concert career in 1894. Scriabin started composing during his Conservatory years. Mostly inspired by Chopin, his early works include nocturnes, mazurkas, preludes, and etudes for piano. Typical examples of Romantic music for the piano, these works nevertheless reveal the composer's strong individuality. Toward the end of the century, Scriabin started writing orchestral works, earning a solid reputation as a composer, and obtaining a professorship at the Moscow Conservatory in 1898. In 1903, however, Scriabin abandoned his wife and their four children and embarked on a European journey with a young admirer, Tatyana Schloezer. During his sojourn in Western Europe, which lasted six years, Scriabin started developing an original, highly personal musical idiom, experimenting with new harmonic structures and searching for new sonorities. Among the works composed during this time was the Divine Poem.
In 1905, Scriabin discovered the theosophical teachings of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, which became the intellectual foundation of his musical and philosophical efforts. In true Romantic tradition, he sought to situate his work as a composer in the wider spiritual and intellectual context of his age. Previously influenced by Nietzsche's ideas about the advent of a superhuman being, Scriabin embraced theosophy as an intellectual framework for his profound feelings about humankind's quest for God. Works from this period, exemplified by the Poem of Ecstasy (1908) and Prometheus (1910), reflect Scriabin's conception of music as a bridge to mystical ecstasy. While the ideas underlying his works may seem far-fetched, Scriabin's musical language included some fascinating, and very tangible, innovations, such as chords based on fourths and unexpected chromatic effects. Lacking an inner forward-moving force, Scriabin's later works nevertheless fascinate the listener by harmonic transformations which aim to reflect certain undefinable aspects of human consciousness. In addition, the composer, who strongly believed in the synaesthetic nature of art, experimented with sounds and colors, indicating, for example, lighting specification for the performance of particular works. Indeed, Scriabin's interest in color was hardly academic, considering that , as an orchestrator, he exploited the full potential of orchestral color. While Scriabin never quite crossed the threshold to atonality, his music nevertheless replaced the traditional concept of tonality by an intricate system of chords, some of which (e.g., the "mystic chord": C-F sharp-B flat-E-A-D) had an esoteric meaning. Scriabin's gradual move into realms beyond traditional tonality can be clearly heard in his ten piano sonatas; the last five, composed during 1912-1913, are without key signatures and certainly contain atonal moments. In 1915, Scriabin died in of septicemia caused by a carbuncle on his lip. Among his unfinished project was Mysterium, a grandiose religious synthesis of all arts which would herald the birth of a new world. Read less

Featured Alexander Scriabin CDs & DVDs:

Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Scriabin: Piano Works / Mayron Tsong
Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Scriabin: Piano Works / Mayron Tsong
Release Date: 10/28/2008   Label: Centaur Records  
Catalog: 2946   Number of Discs: 1
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Idil Biret Plays Myakovsky, Liszt & Scriabin
Idil Biret Plays Myakovsky, Liszt & Scriabin
Release Date: 10/26/2010   Label: Iba [idil Biret Archives]  
Catalog: 8571281   Number of Discs: 1
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Scriabin: Piano Sonatas Vol 1 / Glemser
Scriabin: Piano Sonatas Vol 1 / Glemser
Release Date: 05/21/1996   Label: Naxos  
Catalog: 8553158   Number of Discs: 1
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Scriabin: Symphony No 1, Etc / Golovschin, Moscow Symphony
Scriabin: Symphony No 1, Etc / Golovschin, Moscow Symphony
Release Date: 11/05/1996   Label: Naxos  
Catalog: 8553580   Number of Discs: 1
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Scriabin: Symphony No 2, Etc / Igor Golovchin, Moscow So
Scriabin: Symphony No 2, Etc / Igor Golovchin, Moscow So
Release Date: 11/19/1996   Label: Naxos  
Catalog: 8553581   Number of Discs: 1
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Work: Prometheus, "Poem of Fire"

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  • 1.
    Anthology of Russian and Soviet Symphonic Music, Vol. 2 / Svetlanov, USSR State Academic Symphony
    Anthology of Russian and Soviet Symphonic Music, Vol. 2 / Svetlanov, USSR State Academic Symphony
    Label: Melodiya   Catalog: MELCD1002481 Release Date: 09/01/2017   Number of Discs: 56
    Composer:  Alexander Glazunov,  Alexander Scriabin,  Sergei Rachmaninov,  Nikolay Myaskovsky  ... 
    Performer:  Mstislav Rostropovich,  Ludmila Avdeyeva,  Anton Grigoriev,  Alexei Nasedkin  ... 
    Conductor:  Yevgeny Svetlanov
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  USSR State Academic Symphony Orchestra,  Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra,  Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra  ... 
    CD: $489.99
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  • 2.
    Ashkenazy: Complete Concerto Recordings / Various
    Ashkenazy: Complete Concerto Recordings / Various
    Label: Decca   Catalog: 4831752 Release Date: 08/04/2017   Number of Discs: 48
    Composer:  Sergei Rachmaninov,  Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky,  Johann Sebastian Bach,  Frédéric Chopin  ... 
    Performer:  Vladimir Ashkenazy,  Keith Puddy,  Fou Ts'ong,  Daniel Barenboim  ... 
    Conductor:  Anatole Fistoulari,  Lorin Maazel,  Kiril Kondrashin,  David Zinman  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  London Symphony Orchestra,  Ambrosian Singers,  Chicago Symphony Orchestra  ... 
    CD: $181.49
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  • 3.
    Scriabin: Prometheus & Piano Concerto / Ashkenazy, Maazel, London Philharmonic [Vinyl]
    Scriabin: Prometheus & Piano Concerto / Ashkenazy, Maazel, London Philharmonic [Vinyl]
    Label: Decca   Catalog: 4832253 Release Date: 08/04/2017   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Alexander Scriabin
    Performer:  Vladimir Ashkenazy
    Conductor:  Lorin Maazel
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  London Philharmonic Orchestra,  Ambrosian Singers
    LP: $32.99
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  • 4.
    New York Philharmonic: 175th Anniversary Edition
    New York Philharmonic: 175th Anniversary Edition
    Label: Sony   Catalog: 533636 Release Date: 04/07/2017   Number of Discs: 65
    Composer:  Richard Wagner,  Richard Strauss,  Camille Saint-Saëns,  Ambroise Thomas  ... 
    Performer:  Oscar Levant,  Robert Casadesus,  Isaac Stern,  Yo-Yo Ma
    Conductor:  Willem Mengelberg,  Josef Stransky,  Arturo Toscanini,  Sir John Barbirolli  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  New York Philharmonic
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  • 5.
    Martha Argerich: The Complete Sony Classical Recordings
    Martha Argerich: The Complete Sony Classical Recordings
    Label: Sony   Catalog: 532035 Release Date: 06/03/2016   Number of Discs: 5
    Composer:  Sergei Prokofiev,  César Franck,  Robert Schumann,  Claude Debussy  ... 
    Performer:  James Galway,  Martha Argerich,  Ivry Gitlis
    Conductor:  Martha Argerich,  Claudio Abbado
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  • 6.
    Richter Rarities With Orchestra
    Richter Rarities With Orchestra
    Label: Parnassus Records   Catalog: 96056 Release Date: 10/16/2015   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Ludwig van Beethoven,  Maurice Ravel,  Alexander Scriabin,  Richard Strauss
    Performer:  Sviatoslav Richter
    Conductor:  Kiril Kondrashin,  Riccardo Muti,  Yevgeny Svetlanov,  George Georgeseu
    CD: $13.99
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  • 7.
    Dmitri Kitaenko conducts Scriabin
    Dmitri Kitaenko conducts Scriabin
    Label: Rca   Catalog: 88875063922 Release Date: 07/10/2015   Number of Discs: 3
    Composer:  Alexander Scriabin
    Conductor:  Dmitri Kitayenko
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra
    CD: $19.99
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  • 8.
    Prometheus - Musical Variations On A Myth / Abbado, Argerich [blu-ray]
    Prometheus - Musical Variations On A Myth / Abbado, Argerich [blu-ray]
    Label: Euroarts   Catalog: 2001944 Release Date: 04/28/2015   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Ludwig van Beethoven,  Franz Liszt,  Alexander Scriabin,  Luigi Nono
    Performer:  Martha Argerich
    Conductor:  Claudio Abbado
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
    Blu-ray Video: $36.99
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  • 9.
    Scriabin: The Complete Works
    Scriabin: The Complete Works
    Label: Decca   Catalog: 002280502 Release Date: 04/07/2015   Number of Discs: 18
    Composer:  Alexander Scriabin,  Alexander Nemtin
    Performer:  Valentina Lisitsa,  Vladimir Ashkenazy,  Gordon Fergus-Thompson,  Vovka Ashkenazy  ... 
    Conductor:  Lorin Maazel,  Igor Golovchin,  Valery Gergiev,  Eliahu Inbal  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  London Philharmonic Orchestra,  Moscow Symphony Orchestra,  Kirov Theater Orchestra  ... 
    CD: $75.49
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  • 10.
    Claudio Abbado: The Complete RCA & Sony Album Collection
    Claudio Abbado: The Complete RCA & Sony Album Collection
    Label: Sony   Catalog: 304505 Release Date: 08/05/2014   Number of Discs: 39
    Composer:  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,  Ludwig van Beethoven,  Felix Mendelssohn,  Robert Schumann  ... 
    Performer:  Claudio Abbado,  Murray Perahia,  Anatoly Kotcherga,  Midori  ... 
    Conductor:  Claudio Abbado
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  • 11.
    Ashkenazy - 50 Years on Decca
    Ashkenazy - 50 Years on Decca
    Label: Decca   Catalog: 001820202 Release Date: 04/02/2013   Number of Discs: 50
    Composer:  Sergei Rachmaninov,  Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky,  Robert Schumann,  Ludwig van Beethoven  ... 
    Performer:  Vladimir Ashkenazy,  Boris Belkin,  Daniel Barenboim,  Fou Ts'ong  ... 
    Conductor:  Kiril Kondrashin,  Anatole Fistoulari,  Lorin Maazel,  Uri Segal  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra,  London Symphony Orchestra,  London Wind Soloists  ... 
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  • 12.
    Alexander Scriabin: Symphonic Works
    Alexander Scriabin: Symphonic Works
    Label: Melodiya   Catalog: 1001993 Release Date: 11/13/2012   Number of Discs: 4
    Composer:  Alexander Scriabin
    Performer:  Heinrich Fridheim,  Yuri Krivosheyev,  Sviatoslav Richter
    Conductor:  Yevgeny Svetlanov,  Lyudmila Yermakova
    CD: $54.49
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  • 13.
    Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No 4; Scriabin: Promethee / Lefevre, Nagano, Montreal Symphony Orchestra
    Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No 4; Scriabin: Promethee / Lefevre, Nagano, Montreal Symphony Orchestra
    Label: Analekta   Catalog: 29288 Release Date: 04/10/2012   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Sergei Rachmaninov,  Alexander Scriabin
    Performer:  Alain Lefčvre
    Conductor:  Kent Nagano
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Montreal Symphony Orchestra
    CD: $18.99
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  • 14.
    Scriabin: Symphonies 4 & 5, Piano Concerto / Johanos, Ponti
    Scriabin: Symphonies 4 & 5, Piano Concerto / Johanos, Ponti
    Label: Vox Allegretto   Catalog: 8170 Release Date: 08/02/2011   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Alexander Scriabin
    Performer:  Phillip Ruder,  Richard Giangiulio,  Alfred Mouledous,  Michael Ponti
    Conductor:  Donald Johanos,  Hans Drewantz
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Dallas Symphony Orchestra,  Hamburg Symphony Orchestra
    ArkivCD $16.99
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  • 15.
    Scriabin: 3 Symphonies, Poeme de l'extase / Eliahu Inbal
    Scriabin: 3 Symphonies, Poeme de l'extase / Eliahu Inbal
    Label: Philips   Catalog: 420785 Release Date: 06/28/2010   Number of Discs: 3
    Composer:  Alexander Scriabin
    Performer:  Fausto Tenzi,  Doris Soffel
    Conductor:  Eliahu Inbal
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra,  Frankfurt Kantorei
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  • 16.
    Mitropoulos Conducts Schoenberg And Scriabin
    Mitropoulos Conducts Schoenberg And Scriabin
    Label: Music & Arts Programs Of America   Catalog: 967 Release Date: 12/09/2009   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Arnold Schoenberg,  Alexander Scriabin
    Conductor:  Dimitri Mitropoulos
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra
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  • 17.
    The Anthology Of Russian Symphony Music: Vassily Kalinnikov & Alexander Scriabin
    The Anthology Of Russian Symphony Music: Vassily Kalinnikov & Alexander Scriabin
    Label: Nikolaeva-svetlanova   Catalog: 15 Release Date: 12/08/2009   Number of Discs: 6
    Composer:  Vasily Kalinnikov,  Alexander Scriabin
    Conductor:  Yevgeny Svetlanov
    On sale! $119.98
    CD: $115.49
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  • 18.
    Scriabin: Piano Concerto, Prometheus / Dubourg, Uljanov
    Scriabin: Piano Concerto, Prometheus / Dubourg, Uljanov
    Label: Tudor Records   Catalog: 7025 Release Date: 06/29/2009   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Alexander Scriabin
    Performer:  Evelyne Dubourg
    Conductor:  Nicholas Uljanov
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra,  Bratislava City Choir,  Bratislava Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra
    CD: $12.99
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  • 19.
    Shostakovich: Symphony No 5; Scriabin / Ormandy, Philadelphia Orchestra
    Shostakovich: Symphony No 5; Scriabin / Ormandy, Philadelphia Orchestra
    Label: Rca Victor Red Seal   Catalog: 38061 Release Date: 01/31/2008   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Dmitri Shostakovich,  Alexander Scriabin
    Performer:  Vladimir Sokoloff
    Conductor:  Eugene Ormandy
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Philadelphia Orchestra,  Mendelssohn Club Chorus Philadelphia
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  • 20.
    Scriabin: Orchestral Works / Segerstam, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic
    Scriabin: Orchestral Works / Segerstam, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic
    Label: Bis   Catalog: 1669 Release Date: 10/30/2007   Number of Discs: 3
    Composer:  Alexander Scriabin
    Performer:  Urban Agnas,  Love Derwinger,  Inger Blom,  Lars Magnusson  ... 
    Conductor:  Leif Segerstam
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra,  Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Chorus,  Stockholm Philharmonic Chorus
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  • 21.
    Prometheus - Musical Variations On A Myth / Abbado, Argerich
    Prometheus - Musical Variations On A Myth / Abbado, Argerich
    Label: Arthaus Musik   Catalog: 101717 Release Date: 09/25/2007   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Alexander Scriabin,  Franz Liszt,  Ludwig van Beethoven,  Luigi Nono
    Performer:  Martha Argerich
    Conductor:  Claudio Abbado
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
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  • 22.
    Dmitri Mitropoulos Conducts Schoenberg, Scriabin, Et Al
    Dmitri Mitropoulos Conducts Schoenberg, Scriabin, Et Al
    Label: Music & Arts Programs Of America   Catalog: 1156 Release Date: 02/22/2005   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Arnold Schoenberg,  Alexander Scriabin,  Franz Schmidt
    Conductor:  Dimitri Mitropoulos
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra,  Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra
    CD: $29.99
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  • 23.
    Trio - Scriabin: Complete Symphonies, Etc / Ashkenazy, Et Al
    Trio - Scriabin: Complete Symphonies, Etc / Ashkenazy, Et Al
    Label: Decca   Catalog: 000088102 Release Date: 08/12/2003   Number of Discs: 3
    Composer:  Alexander Scriabin
    Performer:  Brigitte Balleys,  Sergei Larin,  Peter Jablonski
    Conductor:  Vladimir Ashkenazy
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Berlin RIAS Chorus,  Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
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  • 24.
    Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No 4; Scriabin, Stravinsky / Lubimov, Saraste
    Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No 4; Scriabin, Stravinsky / Lubimov, Saraste
    Label: Apex   Catalog: 7430732 Release Date: 04/08/2002   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Alexander Scriabin,  Igor Stravinsky,  Sergei Rachmaninov
    Performer:  Alexei Lubimov
    Conductor:  Jukka-Pekka Saraste
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Toronto Mendelssohn Choir,  Toronto Symphony Orchestra
    CD: $8.99
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  • 25.
    Scriabin: Concerto For Piano, Etc / Nikolay Golovanov
    Scriabin: Concerto For Piano, Etc / Nikolay Golovanov
    Label: Boheme Music   Catalog: 908087 Release Date: 12/19/2000   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Alexander Scriabin
    Performer:  Alexander Goldenweiser
    Conductor:  Nikolai S. Golovanov
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  All-Union Radio Chorus,  All-Union Radio/TV Large Symphony Orchestra
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