Vers la flamme (Toward the flame), Op. 72, is one of Alexander Scriabin's last pieces for piano, written in 1914.
The main motif of the piece consists of descending half steps or whole steps interspersed with impressionistic representations of fire. The piece was originally intended to be Scriabin's eleventh sonata; [1] however, he had to publish it early because of financial concerns, and hence he labelled it a poem rather than a sonata. Like many of Scriabin's late works, the piece does not conform to classical harmony and is instead built on the mystic chord and modal transpositions of its tone center. A typical performance last 5 to 6 minutes. The piece is notorious for its difficulty, in particular the enormous leaps and long, unusual double-note trills in the final pages.
According to pianist Vladimir Horowitz, the piece was inspired by Scriabin's eccentric conviction that a constant accumulation of heat would ultimately cause the destruction of the world. [2] [3] The piece's title reflects the earth's fiery destruction, and the constant emotional buildup and crescendo throughout the piece lead, ultimately, "toward the flame". The piece has also been compared to Louis Brassin's piano transcription of Wagner's "Magic Fire Music" from Die Walkure . [4]
The piece was premiered on 14 March 1915 in Kharkiv, with Scriabin himself at the piano. [4] Notable pianists who have performed the work include Horowitz, Sviatoslav Richter, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Arcadi Volodos and Grigory Sokolov. However, many of the most celebrated recordings are by specialists of Scriabin, such as Vladimir Sofronitsky, Ruth Laredo, Heinrich Neuhaus, Stanislav Neuhaus and Igor Zhukov.
The piece has been orchestrated by composer-conductor Arkady Leytush. In 2018 Andrey Kasparov produced a treatment for piano duo. [5]
Vladimir Samoylovich Horowitz was a Russian and American pianist. Considered one of the greatest pianists of all time, he was known for his virtuoso technique, timbre, and the public excitement engendered by his playing.
Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin was a Russian composer and pianist. Before 1903, Scriabin was greatly influenced by the music of Frédéric Chopin and composed in a relatively tonal, late-Romantic idiom. Later, and independently of his influential contemporary Arnold Schoenberg, Scriabin developed a much more dissonant musical language that had transcended usual tonality but was not atonal, which accorded with his personal brand of metaphysics. Scriabin found significant appeal in the concept of Gesamtkunstwerk as well as synesthesia, and associated colours with the various harmonic tones of his scale, while his colour-coded circle of fifths was also inspired by theosophy. He is often considered the main Russian symbolist composer and a major representative of the Russian Silver Age.
The Piano Sonata No. 9, Op. 68, commonly known as the Black Mass Sonata, is one of the late piano sonatas composed by Alexander Scriabin. The work was written around 1912–1913. Although its nickname was not invented by Scriabin, he approved of it.
The Piano Sonata No. 7, Op. 64, subtitled Messe Blanche, was written by Alexander Scriabin in 1911. As one of the late piano sonatas of Scriabin's career, the music is highly chromatic and almost atonal. George Perle says that, "the primary set upon which the Seventh Sonata is based," is, in linear order as spelled by Scriabin, E, F♯, G, A, B♭, C, D♭, and that the mystic chord may be derived from the quartal spelling of this set.
The Piano Sonata No. 8, Op. 66, by Alexander Scriabin, was composed between 1912 and 1913. As one of Scriabin's late piano sonatas, the eighth sonata features non-tertian harmony, though is arguably less dissonant than some of his other late works. Like Scriabin's other late piano sonatas, the eighth sonata reflects the composer's mystical interests. Scriabin saw some parts of this sonata, which, like the sixth sonata, he never performed in public, as "the most tragic episode of my creative work".
The Piano Sonata No. 4 in F-sharp major, Op. 30, was written by Alexander Scriabin around 1903 and first published in 1904. It consists of two movements, Andante and Prestissimo volando, and is one of Scriabin's shortest piano sonatas. The sonata is generally considered to be the beginning of Scriabin's middle period due to the newly mystical sonorities and tonal ambiguity of the first movement. It remains one of the most performed of Scriabin's sonatas.
The Piano Sonata No. 5, Op. 53, is a work written by Alexander Scriabin in 1907. This was his first sonata to be written in one movement, a format he retained from then on. A typical performance lasts from 11 to 12 minutes. The work is considered to be one of Scriabin's most difficult compositions, both technically and musically.
The Piano Sonata No. 10, Op. 70, was written by Alexander Scriabin in 1913. It was his final work in this form. The piece is highly chromatic and tonally ambiguous like Scriabin's other late works, although arguably less dissonant than most of his late works. It is characterized by frequent trills and tremolos. It is sometimes called his "Insect Sonata", in reference to the following statement he made that was recorded by Leonid Sabaneev:
Étude in D-sharp minor, Op. 8, No. 12, is an étude for piano composed by Alexander Scriabin in 1894. It features many technical challenges, including numerous jumps in the left hand, repetitive chord strikes, and abundant octaves. It is a particular favorite among pianists and audiences alike. This piece was also a favorite encore of Vladimir Horowitz.
Vladimir Vladimirovich Sofronitsky was a Soviet-Russian classical pianist, best known as an interpreter of Alexander Scriabin and Frédéric Chopin. His daughter is the Canadian pianist Viviana Sofronitsky.
Réminiscences de Don Juan is an opera fantasy for piano by Franz Liszt on themes from Mozart's 1787 opera Don Giovanni.
Ruth Laredo was an American classical pianist.
The Piano Sonata No. 3 in F-sharp minor, Op. 23, by Alexander Scriabin was composed between 1897 and 1898. The sonata consists of four movements, typically spanning 18 minutes in performance.
The Piano Sonata No. 6, Op. 62, by Alexander Scriabin was composed in 1911. Although it was named the sixth sonata, the piece was preceded by the Sonata No. 7. As it is one of the late piano sonatas of Scriabin's career, the music consists of a single movement and is almost atonal, although it is sometimes listed as being in the key of G. Scriabin reportedly never played the sonata in public, because he feared its darkness.
Flamme, la Flamme, Flammes, Flammen, may refer to:
The Poem of Ecstasy, Op. 54, is a symphonic poem by Russian composer and pianist Alexander Scriabin written between 1905 and 1908, when Scriabin was actively involved with the Theosophical Society. The 20-minute work premiered on 10 December 1908 in New York City.
The Last Romantic is a documentary filmed within the home of concert pianist Vladimir Horowitz. The film contains mainly performances of classical works, but also provides an intimate look into Horowitz's private life.
John Bell Young was an American concert pianist, music critic and author, best known for his performances and recordings of the music of the Russian composer Alexander Scriabin.
Edward Mitchell (1891–1950) was a British pianist and composer best known for his interpretations of Russian piano music between the 1910s and the 1940s. After the First World War he became assistant organist at Westminster Cathedral. He taught at the Royal College of Music from 1921 until his death in 1950.