Talk:Piano Sonata No. 3 (Scriabin)

Structure and content original research

I find it's always difficult to try and describe a piece of music in a "subjective" manner, because unless it's done on a mostly theoretical basis, there's always going to be some sort of POV. That being said, this section is full of words to avoid. References would certainly help. --Blehfu (talk) 13:58, 20 August 2008 (UTC)

Just to echo the sentiments above, there's a lot of speculative language being used here. Scrubbing the document will likely strip away a lot of the raw content, but I think it may be warranted in this case.Chewieblue (talk) 00:14, 16 January 2010 (UTC)

Hi, I've started to rewrite the analysis section completely in a completely objective and contrastable way. I'll paste the original text here and start editing the article. Since I'm not a native English speaker, I'd welcome any grammatical corrections.--62.57.200.96 (talk) 14:07, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

Well, the 1st movement is rewritten--62.57.200.96 (talk) 14:35, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

Structure and content

Interestingly this sonata exhibits many conservative and modernistic traits at the same time. Yet Scriabin has managed to give it a convincingly unified appearance. Even though the scherzo-like Allegretto movement with its jaunty left-hand rhythm is not included in the cyclic form linkage of the other three movements, and may thus be superfluous to the formal construction, it fulfills a psychological and programmatic function by offering some (‘illusory’) respite. In fact by the application of strict classical form to his late Romantic indulgences, such as overwrought polyphonic complexities and excessive chromaticization of tonal harmony, Scriabin succeeds in preventing the disintegration and fragmentation of his musical language.

The sonata consist of four movements, typically spanning 18 minutes in performance.

Drammatico

The first movement, for example, is written in extraordinarily well-balanced sonata form. Even the start of the development section is politely marked by a double-line. Exposition, development and recapitulation are all of about the same length, the development falls neatly into two twenty-bar sections and the dividing point (bb. 74/75) is almost exactly the center of the movement. The phrase lengths of the exposition are: three times eight bars (first theme and bridge), three times six bars (second theme) and three times four bars (closing section). Equally controlled are the tonal relationships: The bridge modulates to the relative major, the exposition ends in A major and the recapitulation of the second theme is in F-sharp major - all very typical of sonata form.

This very solid exterior is brimful of mind-boggling polyphonic extravagances. The opening of the development combines the two themes by winding the first one round the second. This complex texture is eventually condensed into a chromatic scale (the second theme) and an abbreviation of the first theme, maniacally repeated with ferocious abandon.

Another tool, employed in the establishment of a unifying Affekt is the use of a characteristic rhythmic motif which (not unlike a Baroque dance) permeates each movement with elementary energy. The Drammàtico indication of the first movement should not be mistaken for drama in the Classical idea of the word. No clash of contrasting characters is effected. Instead we have the flaring up of an explosive rhythmic gesture, repeated ad nauseam: "Drammàtico" is not a progressive development, it is an unchangeable attribute, a "state of the soul".

Allegretto

In a similar way the constant repeats of the Baroque-like sixteenth-note triplets in the middle section of the Allegretto create the "state of gracefulness".

Andante

A more Romantic idea is the use of cyclic form in linking the two last movements by a pianissimo memory of the Drammàtico theme, and in the Maestoso restatement of the Andante theme as the ecstatic climax of the finale. Russian composers such as Tchaikovsky or Rachmaninoff often restated the lyric theme of the finale movement as climactic coda (for example in the piano concertos). Scriabin shows more boldness in using the "slow" movement’s theme, and this may have led to further experiments with a condensation of form in the next two sonatas. The outlay of the two movements from Sonata No. 4 appears to be closely related to the last two movements from No. 3 and the climax of the Prestissimo volando movement (Focosamente, giubiloso) is an ecstatic version of the Andante’s main theme (dolcissimo). A further condensation into a one-single-movement sonata has taken place in the 5th sonata, and—again—the climax (estatico) is a restatement of the Languido theme (dolcissimo).

Presto con fuoco

Not unlike Wagner, the modernistic traits in Scriabin can be seen as a result of using more and more radical means to express Romantic ideas. The compression of the finale’s theme in its conclusive triple statement (signaling the "plunge of the soul into the abyss of non being") does not sound Romantic anymore.

After this ending one somehow expects to hear the "Drammàtico" opening of the first movement again. Scriabin (who indulged in theosophical speculation) has created a "cosmic cycle" by opening and concluding the sonata with a very similar energetic signal. In a performance of the Andante from this sonata Scriabin is alleged to have exclaimed: "Here the stars are singing!"

With the final appearance of the slow movement's theme at the end of the finale, Scriabin builds up anticipation of a grand ending in F-sharp major, and then frustrates our expectations, ending the work bleakly.