Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin was and still remains one of the great curiosities and fascinations of musicologists and pianists all over the world. A great majority of his music, with his symphonies as exceptions, involve the piano. An astounding pianist, Scriabin most freely expressed himself by composing for this instrument. His music can be traced from the early Chopin-influenced (but not chopinesque) compositions to . . . well, the later completely unique music that can not be compared to that of any other composer. The late master pianist Vladimir Horowitz was, without a doubt, Scriabin's greatest champion. Other pianists such as Sviatoslav Richter and Vladimir Ashkenazy have recorded or programmed the music of Scriabin extensively. My Scriabin Experience! I've just returned from hearing Arthur Greene perform Scriabin Sonata nos. 2, 3, 4, 6, 9 and the Vers la flamme. I really don't know what to say. It was the scariest emotional roller-coaster ride that I've ever experienced at a concert. Greene's performance was vibrant and lucid, but the music is what really affected me. Knowing these works so well myself and hearing them played by such and authority on Scriabin is something that I will never forget. The first half was the Sonata-Fantasie, op. 19, Sonata no. 3, op. 23, and Sonata no. 4, op. 30. The second was wonderful, the third was thick and the fourth was lighter than air. The intermission was spent in awe of what had just happened and what I knew was about to come. For the second half the house lights were off and a particular color of light was shone for each piece. Special lights were affixed above the keyboard to allow Mr. Greene to see the keyboard. For Sonata no. 6, op. 62, there was a greenish light shone. That performance was quite unsettling. Nothing could have prepared me for what was about to happen. The Ninth Sonata, op. 68, Scriabin's Black Mass was absolutely frightening. A blue light was used during this piece. I kid you not that at the end I was out of breath and my entire body was pulsating. I was enraptured and disgusted at the same time. Absolutely amazing. The final piece on the program was the Vers la flamme, op. 70 (originally intended, perhaps, to be an eleventh sonata, but Scriabin needed the money and had it published as we know it today.) Greene's performance was much faster than any other I've heard. It worked well. He played it with dashing brilliance and a deep red light shone down as he moved toward the flame. I predicted that for an encore he would play either the Étude op. 8, no. 12 or op. 42, no. 5. He played op. 8, no. 12, and he played it almost fortissimo throughout, and with the deepest feeling. In my experience, the best concert to date. Horowitz plays Scriabin Horowitz: Late Russian Romantics Horowitz: The Historic Return Vladimir Horowitz: A Reminiscence Horowitz in Moscow: Scriabin's evolving musical style is very accurately traced in his ten Sonatas and the Vers la flamme. Here are some artists who have recorded his ten sonatas: Ruth Laredo
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