For those unaware, The Scriabin Mystery is brought to vivid life by acclaimed French pianist Vincent Larderet and celebrates the 150th anniversary of the birth of the Russian composer.

Making his AVIE debut, Larderet presents a comprehensive survey of the scope of Scriabin’s output and the evolution of his style, from his early, post-Romantic works influenced by Chopin and Liszt, through to the modernism of the 20th century in his final works.

His harmonies famously colored by his synesthesia, Scriabin’s craft was a revolutionary fusion of freedom of expression underpinned by a sense of unity and geometric proportion, his psychologically complex constructions infused with incandescence and mysticism.

Scriabin’s music has long held pride of place in Larderet’s repertoire. He offers a brilliant and broad overview of the composer’s evolution in chronological sequence, revealing the mystery of one of the most visionary composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Scriabin’s life was tragically cut short at the age of 43, leaving his final work, Acte préalable, unfinished. Long thought lost, the sketches were re-discovered by composer and musicologist Manfred Kelkel, who used the material for his composition Tombeau de Scriabine. Vincent includes the Prelude of this work as a touching encore to The Scriabin Mystery.

1. Etude in C-Sharp Minor Op.2 No.1 (3:17)
2. Etude in F-Sharp Minor Op.8 No.2 (1:44)
3. Etude in B-Flat Minor Op.8 No.11 (4:08)
4-5. Prelude & Nocturne for the left hand, Op. 9 [I. Prelude: Andante / II. Nocturne: Andante] (7:22)
6-7. Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 19 "Sonata Fantasy" [I. Andante / II. Presto] (13:24]
8. Etude in C-Sharp Minor Op. 42 No. 5 (3:47)
9. Piano Sonata No. 7 Op. 64 “White Mass” (15:07)
10. Piano Sonata No. 9 Op. 68 “Black Mass” (10:50)
11. ’Vers la flamme’ Op. 72 (“Poeme”) (6:16)
12-16. 5 Preludes, Op. 74 [I. Douloureux, déchirant / II. Très lent, contemplatif / III. Allegro drammatico / IV. Lent, vague, indécis / V. Fier, belliquex] (8:18)
17. ’Tombeau de Scriabine’ Op. 22: I. Prelude (5:16)

Opening on the delightfully rich opulence of Etude in C-Sharp Minor Op.2 No.1, the forthright, yet playful Etude in F-Sharp Minor Op.8 No.2 and the finale of the trio, the gently-orchestrated, harmoniously-imbibed Etude in B-Flat Minor Op.8 No.11, those are seamlessly backed by the the sweetly-enthralling two-hander Prelude & Nocturne for the left hand, Op. 9: I. Prelude: Andante and Nocturne: Andante.

Up next is the beautiful pairing of Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 19 "Sonata Fantasy" Andante and the prosperously thriving Presto and they are in turn backed by the soaring Etude in C-Sharp Minor Op. 42 No. 5, and then we get the ten minute, sternly pointed, yet delicately balanced Piano Sonata No. 7, Op. 64 “White Mass,” and the quieter, much more controlled, yet still gently fervent within the darkness Piano Sonata No. 9 Op. 68 “Black Mass.”

Rounding out the work is the flinty, hard-edged approach within ’Vers la flamme’ Op. 72 (“Poeme”), the recording coming to a close on five Preludes, Op. 74; the first being the spiky Douloureux, déchirant, then comes the softer touch of Très lent, contemplatif, the aptly-named, short but controlled Allegro drammatico, the aching yearn within Lent, vague, indécis, and finally the free flowing Fier, belliquex.

However, in addition to those wondrously crafted tracks we also get treated to the exquisitely graceful work ’Tombeau de Scriabine’ Op. 22: I. Prelude, the extra bonus tracks being two Dances, Op. 73: I. Guirlandes, a playfully delicate number, and II. Flammes sombres, the sterner of the two pieces.

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www.vincentlarderet.com