Poème satanique, Op. 36 (Scriabin)
Movements
Notes
In the Poème satanique, Op 36, Liszt’s influence on Scriabin is at its clearest; the sensual chromaticism of the Mephisto Waltz No 1 is evoked here. Later, speaking to his friend and associate Sabaneev, Scriabin characterized this work as ‘the apotheosis of insincerity. It is all hypocritical, false.’ The dolce appassionato of love is juxtaposed with a riso ironico, a powerful and recurrent ‘ironic laughter’. This mocking, quizzical attitude was explored later in Énigme (Op 52 No 2), Ironies (Op 56 No 2) and the Deux poèmes, Op 63. In the third statement of the luxuriant second idea, marked amoroso, Scriabin reverses the positions of principal and secondary voices, a tactic already adopted in Op 32 No 1 and later a favourite strategy. Here, a characteristic ‘above the clouds’ effect is achieved. (Simon Nicholls)
