This album features a selection of piano works by Alexander Scriabin, performed by Dag Achatz. Scriabin, one of Russia’s most distinctive composers, evolved from a Romantic style influenced by Chopin to a highly individualistic and mystical harmonic language.
The program spans Scriabin’s three stylistic periods. Early works, such as *Étude, Op. 2 No. 1* and *Mazurka, Op. 3 No. 3*, reflect Chopin’s influence with rich expressivity and refined textures. The middle period includes pieces like *Étude, Op. 42 No. 3*, *Danse languide, Op. 51 No. 4*, and *Désir, Op. 57 No. 1*, marked by increasing chromaticism, harmonic fluidity, and pedal-driven sonorities. His late works, including *Vers la flamme, Op. 72* and *Sonata No. 5, Op. 53*, demonstrate his most advanced style, abandoning traditional tonality for complex harmonic structures based on his "mystic chord."
Scriabin’s music is characterized by a unique blend of sensuality, spiritualism, and ecstatic climaxes, making his piano compositions some of the most visionary in the repertoire. Achatz’s interpretation captures the composer’s evolving sound world, from intimate lyricism to dazzling virtuosity.
