Composer: Alexander Scriabin
Performer: Dmitri Alexeev
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Brilliant Classics
Catalogue: 95651
Release: 2018
Size: 894 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
3 Morceaux No. 2, Op. 2
01. II. Prelude in B Major
Prelude and Nocturne for the Left Hand, Op. 9
02. I. Prelude in C-Sharp Minor
24 Preludes, Op. 11
03. I. Vivace in C Major
04. II. Allegretto in A Minor
05. III. Vivo in G Major
06. IV. Lento in E Minor
07. V. Andante cantabile in D Major
08. VI. Allegro in B Minor
09. VII. Allegro assai in A Major
10. VIII. Allegro agitato in F-Sharp Minor
11. IX. Andantino in E Major
12. X. Andante in C-Sharp Minor
13. XI. Allegro assai in B Major
14. XII. Andante in G-Sharp Minor
15. XIII. Lento in G-Flat Major
16. XIV. Presto in E-Flat Minor
17. XV. Lento in D-Flat Major
18. XVI. Misterioso in B-Flat Minor
19. XVII. Allegretto in A-Flat Major
20. XVIII. Allegro agitato in F Minor
21. XIX. Affettuoso in E-Flat Major
22. XX. Appassionato in C Minor
23. XXI. Andante in B-Flat Major
24. XXII. Lento in G Minor
25. XXIII. Vivo in F Major
26. XXIV. Presto in D Minor
27. Prelude No. 1 in C Major, Op. 13
28. Prelude No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 13
29. Prelude No. 3 in G Major, Op. 13
30. Prelude No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 13
31. Prelude No. 5 in D Major, Op. 13
32. Prelude No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 13
33. Prelude No. 1 in A Major, Op. 15
34. Prelude No. 2 in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 15
35. Prelude No. 3 in E Major, Op. 15
36. Prelude No. 4 in E Major, Op. 15
37. Prelude No. 5 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 15
38. Prelude No. 1 in B Major, Op. 16
39. Prelude No. 2 in G-Sharp Minor, Op. 16
40. Prelude No. 3 in G-Flat Major, Op. 16
41. Prelude No. 4 in E-Flat Minor, Op. 16
42. Prelude No. 5 in F-Sharp Major
43. Prelude No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 17
44. Prelude No. 2 in E-Flat Major, Op. 17
45. Prelude No. 3 in D-Flat Major, Op. 17
46. Prelude No. 4 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 17
47. Prelude No. 5 in F Minor, Op. 17
48. Prelude No. 6 in B-Flat Major, Op. 17
49. Prelude No. 7 in G Minor, Op. 17
50. Prelude No. 1 in G-Sharp Minor, Op. 22
51. Prelude No. 2 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 22
52. Prelude No. 3 in B Major, Op. 22
53. Prelude No. 4 in B Minor, Op. 22
54. Prelude No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 27
55. Prelude No. 2 in B Major, Op. 27
56. Prelude No. 1 in D-Flat Major, Op. 31
57. Prelude No. 2 in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 31
58. Prelude No. 3 in E-Flat Minor, Op. 31
59. Prelude No. 4 in C Major, Op. 31
60. Prelude No. 1 in E Major, Op. 33
61. Prelude No. 2 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 33
62. Prelude No. 3 in C Major, Op. 33
63. Prelude No. 4 in A-Flat Major
64. Prelude No. 1 in D-Flat Major, Op. 35
65. Prelude No. 2 in B-Fflat Major, Op. 35
66. Prelude No. 3 in C Major, Op. 35
67. Prelude No. 1 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 37
68. Prelude No. 2 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 37
69. Prelude No. 3 in B Major, Op. 37
70. Prelude No. 4 in G Minor, Op. 37
71. Prelude No. 1 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 39
72. Prelude No. 2 in D Major, Op. 39
73. Prelude No. 3 in G Major, Op. 39
74. Prelude No. 4 in A-Flat Major, Op. 39
3 Morceaux, Op. 45
75. III. Prelude in E-Flat Major
76. Prelude No. 1 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 48
77. Prelude No. 2 in C Major, Op. 48
78. Prelude No. 3 in D-Flat Major, Op. 48
79. Prelude No. 4 in C Major, Op. 48
3 Morceaux, Op. 49
80. II. Prelude in F Major
4 Morceaux, Op. 51
81. II. Prelude in A Minor
4 Morceaux, Op. 56
82. I. Prelude in E-Flat Major
2 Morceaux, Op. 59
83. II. Prelude
84. Prelude No. 1, Op. 67
85. Prelude No. 2, Op. 67
5 Preludes, Op. 74
86. I. Douloureux, déchirant
87. II. Très lent, contemplative
88. III. Allegro drammatico
89. IV. Lent, vague, indécis
90. V. Fier, belliqueux
The Complete Preludes constitutes another captivating milestone in Dmitri Alexeev’s ongoing project to record Scriabin’s entire oeuvre for the piano on Brilliant Classics, a cycle that already includes the complete Piano Sonatas (2-CD 94388) and Complete Études (94439).
The 90 preludes composed by Alexander Scriabin (1872–1915) span the entirety of the three periods into which his musical career is usually divided. His fastidious habit of indicating the date and location of compositions allows us to trace groups of roughly contemporary pieces. Consequently, it can be seen that around half of the preludes fall into the ‘first period’ (1888–1900), in which the composer’s music was heavily influenced by Frédéric Chopin’s work.
Scriabin’s music evolved over the course of his life, and in 1900, he completed the 2 Preludes Op.27. These compositions exorcised the spirit of Chopin which had hovered over their predecessors, therefore marking the end of the so-called ‘first period’. Whilst more harmonically adventurous, his ‘middle period’ works still mostly adhere to traditional functional tonality.
In the third period (1910–14) Scriabin composed his final works, the Preludes Op.74. Stable tonality and key signature disappear completely. However, Scriabin’s interest in symmetrical patterning is highly evident. They raise the tantalising question of where Scriabin might have taken 20th-century music had he not tragically died the following year.
Russian pianist Dmitri Alexeev is one of the world’s most highly regarded artists. His critically acclaimed recitals on the world’s leading concert stages and concerto appearances with the most prestigious orchestras have secured his position as one of ‘the most remarkable pianists of the day’ (Daily Telegraph).
Recorded July 2017, London
Contains liner notes on the composer and works and the musician’s biography