Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915)
             Solo Piano Music

Etude, Op. 2/1
Twelve Etudes, Op. 8 (1894)
Twenty-Four Preludes, Op. 11 (1888-1896)
Two Poemes, Op. 32 (1903)

Elena Kuschnerova, piano
Recorded January/February 1999
Released April 2000
Ars Musici AM 1259-2 [69:38]

In past reviews of recordings of Scriabin's piano music I have hammered
away at my premise that most modern-era pianists shortchange his music
by placing almost total emphasis on the beauty of the music.  They neglect
the tension that makes Scriabin's emotional outbursts a natural progression
of the musical argument and generally do not reach deeply into the angst
that Scriabin conveys.  Most significant, they gloss over what I call
the 'points of emphasis' that consistently inform the music; it could
be a slur, an inflection, an accent, a moment in a cross-rhythm, or even
the spacing between notes.  These points of emphasis need to be strongly
projected and articulated in order for the real Scriabin to emerge.

In her Scriabin recital disc on Ars Musici, Elena Kuschnerova falls
somewhat into the trap where most other pianists reside.  Tension can
be weak, resulting in climaxes that make little sense and therefore sound
contrived.  Rhythmic vitality is dampened, and there is little recognition
that Scriabin's music presents a troubled and often manic state of mind.
Further, points of emphasis usually are glossed over in the quest to
smooth out the music and deliver lovely performances.

Having said the above, I can't deny that you won't find more gorgeous
music-making than from Kuschnerova.  She targets beauty and sensuality
in a totally beguiling fashion, and the recorded sound is fantastic with
deep, clear, and sultry tones.  Also, she does a fine job with Scriabin's
compelling cross-rhythms.  When in the mood for love, this disc represents
a wonderfully fluid and natural alternative to viagra.

The issue I raise is whether beauty and sensuality are all that Scriabin
has to offer, and my view is that his music offers much more than that.
Scriabin's piano music conveys the ego-centric and tortured soul trying
to get a handle on life and ultimately not succeeding.  Is there any
historical evidence to support my opinion?  Most certainly.  We have
recorded examples from Scriabin himself and quite a few from some Russian
master pianists such as Vladimir Sofronitsky and Samuel Feinberg.  These
recorded documents clearly reveal the emphasis on cross-rhythms, tension,
despair, and the other qualities I mentioned above.  Since the points
of emphasis are in Scriabin's score and there are numerous authoritative
recordings showing how to appropriately perform Scriabin, I do become
puzzled as to why so many pianists disregard the correct program and
present him in a watered-down manner.  It has been said that classical
music performance style becomes more generic as time progresses, and
Scriabin's music has thoroughly been caught up in this generic wash.
Regardless, all I can do is cite the recordings that cut Scriabin down
at the knees and differentiate them from those that give us the total
picture of one of the greatest composers of the 20th century.

As a simple example, let's look at the early Etude, Op. 2/1.  In most
recordings, the piece is poignant with moderate angst; this is how
Kuschnerova plays it, and the lovely phrasing is a joy to listen to.
However, switch to Sofronitsky (Scriabin's son-in-law) and we hear utter
despair and a bleakness of immense magnitude and finality.  Sofronitsky
knows that the music's beauty really comes from its despair and does not
need to be highlighted as a separate quality.  Essentially, Kuschnerova
gives a limiting performance, while Sofronitsky delivers the total
package.

Kuschnerova gives an attractive account of the Opus 8 Etudes, but the
depth of despair continues at a relatively low level.  Still, there's
a sultry quality to her playing that is always irresistible.

The Opus 34 Preludes are quite different than the Etudes and play well
into Kuschnerova's strengths.  In the Etudes, there is time for musical
argument and the progression of thematic material.  The Preludes consist
of very short works of a monothematic structure; they are also among the
most beautiful and haunting pieces of music on earth.  The D flat major
just might be the most gorgeous miniature ever composed, and many of the
other Preludes are close behind.

Kuschnerova definitely shines in the Preludes.  She captures their
unfolding mystery to perfection, the elasticity seems to know no bounds,
and listeners will swoon at her erotic rhythms and phrasing.  Although
the performances are highly cultivated, she is able to convey an intense
sexuality.  Without a doubt, her Preludes are the highlight of the
program.

The disc concludes with the two highly contrasted Poemes of Opus 32.
The first is an Andante that Kuschnerova plays lovingly, and the second
an Allegro that she attacks with a vengeance.  The two pieces are also
different from the other works on the program in that they display a
more modern sensibility and largely eschew the Chopinesque properties
inherent in Scriabin's early Etudes and Preludes.

Don's Conclusions: I can certainly recommend any disc so captivating and
gorgeous as the Kuschnerova.  With the added feature of state-of-the-art
sound, this is a recording sure to please the senses.  If you buy it,
go directly to the Opus 34 Preludes and listen with a significant other.

What other recordings should you turn to?  A few that come to mind are
an out-of print Russian Seasons disc with authoritative performances
from Scriabin and other master Russian pianists of the early 20th century,
a number of Sviatoslav Richter recordings on various labels, a Philips
Great Pianists disc featuring Sofronitsky playing Chopin and Scriabin,
an Auvidus disc of Nikita Magaloff playing the Scriabin Etudes, and a
very recent recording of the Mazurkas from Eric Le Van on Music & Arts.
Also recommended are a Pierian disc of Scriabin playing his works through
the medium of piano rolls, and the newly reissued set of the complete
Piano Sonatas from Roberto Szidon on Deutche Grammophon.  With some of
these recordings under your belt, you should have excellent insight as
to additional Scriabin discs that will fully meet the requirements of
his piano music.

Don Satz
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