This Scriabin piano sonata dates from 1903. It is written in F# major which of course has six sharps and is the same key Gustav Mahler used for his last symphony 8 years later.
The soloist, Svetlana Smolina, has no score in front of her and is playing this incredible piece all from memory. Those out there who have perhaps not considered this, could better understand the … ineffable,beyond material reality aspect to pianism, by considering that to memorize music at this level amounts to … playing it directly from somewhere outside of oneself. This is the “spiritual” or “religious” aspect to this art that makes one dare to ask whether even this expression of the greatest human achievements stands in danger of being driven into extinction from what Eric Blair (George Orwell) described as “a boot stamping on a human face, forever.”
The place she is playing it is a fabulous small concert room with two Steinway concert grand pianos in it. You only gradually see that they have had their tops removed. The camera angles begin at the personal level and spread out to the whole space as the piece commences, The audio/visual presentation is very good; museum piece … that is forever, level presentation. The window behind the pianos, ties the place and the music to the surrounding outside. You wont believe where this is. It's in Fishtail, Montana!
Svetlana Smolina plays Scriabin: Piano Sonata No. 4, op. 30
Tippet Rise Art Center, The Olivier Music Barn, July 9, 2016
And
this is the place, this performance took place; out in the middle of
nowhere! Montana! Is this where we may be driven to? Consider the
ominous period through which we are passing. Meanwhile, we recognize
superb talent. We recall that Scriabin's first wife was a superb
pianist and played many of his works. Imagine her valiantly playing
his music, even after they were irrevocably separated. Consider what
this superb pianist has been able to accomplish. It is truly
spectacular. Best.
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