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Alexander Scriabin

(Romantic - Early 20th century)
   
 
Alexander Scriabin

At the turn of the 20th century works of artists, musicians, poets and writers were fraught with looming anticipations of cataclysmic change. Late romanticism coexisted with modernism, avant-garde, impressionism and surrealism. During these troubled times the Russian composer and pianist Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin started his musical career. His legacy includes compositions pertaining late romantic traditions combined with manifestations of symbolism, expressionism and impressionism. His music brims with emotions and the imagery comprises nuances from subtle and elevated to expressive and heroic ones.

Since his early childhood Scriabin spent days on end at the piano wearing out the soles of his boots by its pedals. His musical endowments and motivation bore their fruit – in his teens Scriabin toured Russia, Europe and the USA attracting admiration for both his compositions and personality. Scriabin’s concert performances were always permeated with spirituality, expressiveness and “fire” so characteristic of his style. His own compositions made up the major part of his program. While at the Conservatory Scriabin, following the path of Chopin, composed pieces characteristic of late romanticism (mainly preludes and etudes). Since 1899 he had written six major symphonic works including the most renowned “The Divine Poem”, “The Poem of Ecstasy” and “Prometheus: The Poem of Fire”. In the latter he introduced for the first time a separate line in the score for the part of light.

The composer believed his music could influence the entire universe. His most grandiose project was a multi-media work “Mysterium”, a synthesis of all arts, to be performed by the whole humankind in the Himalayas Mountains. His dream never realized because Scriabin died prematurely from septicaemia at 43.

 
   
 
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