Scriabin's ECSTATIC Sonata No. 5 - Analysis

This is one of the most interesting piano sonatas of the early 20th century. Scriabin pushes the boundaries both in musical expression, harmonic coherence and structural integration in this amazing work, so full of life and creative spirit. It's also nice to be able to do a substantial analysis play-through when I have the music in my hands, since I've just recorded it for my upcoming solo album Scriabiniana! Check out the fundraising campaign for that here:

0:00 Intro
0:25 Upcoming album
0:45 About
Analysis:
3:05 Exposition
17:34 Development
29:51 Recap - Coda

__________________________________________
Sources:
Correction: The four lines attached as epigraph to the sonata is not the first lines in the larger poem, as stated in the video.

Music: Alexander Scriabin: Piano Sonata No. 5, Op. 53 (1907)

[manzoh]

One of the best sonatas ever in all of music! I was so excited when I saw the video pop up, thanks for all the hard work!

[BentuxTheCowBenedict]

I’ve been SUPER looking forward to this analysis since you mentioned wanting to do it in your Scriabin 4 video!! I’ve been smitten by this really odd sonata ever since my first listen.

Every pianist seems to bring out a different side, different inner lines to this monstrous piece. For instance, Richter brings out the fireworks of ecstasy with ridiculous speed, while you sacrifice speed to highlight the references to the “force” motif and the languido motif and make a sublime storytelling experience. You bring to mind Lovecraft, as if the piano and the music are searching for cosmic truth beyond what human minds can handle, and find it for one overwhelming moment before exploding into massive flames.

I donated for Scriabiniana and can’t wait for it to release! Good luck!

[JimHantis]

crazy, your scriabin is some of the best I've heard. Thank you so much

[ferenc_l]

The variety in Scriabin's sonatas is incredible. The tragedy of the first 3 sonatas, the ecstasy of 4 and 5, the malevolence of 6 and 9, and whatever sonata no. 10 is - it feels as if at least a century must have passed between the first and last sonatas. And yet, Scriabin only lived for a short 4 decades.

PS If you like Scriabin, I recommend checking out Szymanowski's music - his 2nd and 3rd piano sonatas are a good place to start.

[ili]

I enjoy being guided through this fascinatingly complex yet coherently narrative piece. much appreciated

[donotapply]

Thank you for this wonderful analysis, my favourite Scriabin sonata by far!!

[IvoryStrings]

The piano sounds really nice, and the playing (who cares about the flubs !) is very enjoyable as well, probably because you just recorded this piece. Anyways, thanks for the video, interesting highlights.

[Андрей-йуб]

Sorry, I'm writing through a translator!)
Henrik, thank you very much for the fifth sonata. Keep up the good work by posting videos.
Personally, I would be even more pleased if you someday published Sonata № 10 and the Poem “To the Flame.”)
Желаю Вам всего наилучшего!

[kjcs_]

Scriabin is the best! I listen to him when I write, and he never fails to show me new worlds.

[hristotkun]

Impressive as always such a complex sonata

[mixolydian]

You have one of the best channels on the whole of YouTube!

[yoyichen]

Thank you very much for your analysis, which helps me to understanding of this great composer. At the same time, I learned a lot of music knowledge, which was very interesting. Your interpretation and playing are so beautiful.

[defentel]

Didn’t realise it’s a new video of yours
Just amazing! It is truly depicted creation of the world and glorious apocalypse that sends the universe back into nothingness

[margarethansen]

What a beautiful sonata
And very well explained! I loved that❤

[williamflame]

Hej Henrik, William från pianokongressen här. Så roligt att se dig där och att du lyssnade när jag spelade Liszt Liebestraum. Dina videor är så bra!

[samgrant]

Always a toss up between the 4th, 5th and 6th - there's something glorious about the 4th, but the 5th is just the most sublime experience that can take your breathe away at times - I can play a few bits, but I might have to sit down and try some more now.

[militaryandemergencyservic]

great! Congrats on new album! I'm not a great Scriabin fan. However, it may be of note that Beethoven and Schubert both also had opera '53' (and they are both incredibly virtuosic sonatas - the Waldstein and the Gastein). I'm sure Scriabin would have been aware... all 3 are sonatas and each ofthose sonatas may best be characterized by one word - ECSTATIC.
By the way - feel free to check out my own 6 sonatas and 8 impromptus on my channel. Some of them (e.g. sonata number 6 and impromptu number 4) are also supposed to be 'ecstatic'.

[jamesc]

Wonderful piece. Too bad Scriabin died so young.

[blackforestt]

do you think this sonata is harder than the fantaisie?

[Jqho-lv]

Are you going to do from the 6th onwards?