Alexander Scriabin - Symphonies (Vladimir Ashkenazy)

Information

Composer: Alexander Scriabin

• Symphony No. 1 in E major, Op. 26
• Prométhée - Le Poème du feu, Op. 60
• Symphony No. 2 in C minor, Op. 29
• Piano Concerto in F minor, Op. 20
• Rêverie, Op. 24
• Symphony No. 3, Op. 43 'Le Divin Poème'
• Le Poème de l'extase, Op. 54

Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin

Vladimir Ashkenazy, conductor

Date: 1990-1995

Label: Decca

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Review

This Scriabin set is one of the finer offerings in Universal’s Trio series. Vladimir Ashkenazy’s crisp phrasing and lean orchestral sonorities contrast markedly with the lush appointments of Riccardo Muti’s cycle, which relies heavily on the voluptuous sound of the Philadelphia Orchestra to make its effect. In this regard Muti scores over Ashkenazy in the First symphony, where the Russian conductor’s crisp, no-nonsense approach sounds comparatively restrained (especially the highly emotive second movement). But the tables turn in Symphony No. 2. Here Ashkenazy’s clarity and focus give much needed shape and rhythmic definition to this music, which tends to meander in Muti’s hands. The finale is a perfect example: muscle with Ashkenazy; mush with Muti.

Ashkenazy’s sharp contours and high energy make for a distinctly compelling account of the rhapsodic Third Symphony, while in Poem of Ecstasy his passionate conducting galvanizes the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester to produce a stunningly executed, blistering performance. Prometheus does not reach this exalted level (Boulez’s recording is one of the few that do), but Peter Jablonski and Ashkenazy do establish a synergistic rapport that evokes the music’s mysticism. The two artists are just as in sync for Scriabin’s early Chopinesque Piano Concerto, resulting in an elegant yet warmly romantic rendition.

The collection offers an additional bonus in Scriabin’s Reverie. Composed a year after the Piano Concerto in 1898, it nonetheless displays a budding chromaticism along with hints of the sensuality that would typify the composer’s later work. This, plus the excellent soloist and choral contributions–as well as Decca’s clear and powerfully present sound–makes Ashkenazy’s Scriabin set a choice acquisition, especially at the bargain price.

-- Victor Carr Jr

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Alexander Scriabin (6 January 1872 – 27 April 1915) was a Russian composer and pianist, renowned for his innovative contributions to classical music. He studied at the Moscow Conservatory under Anton Arensky, Sergei Taneyev and Vasily Safonov. Scriabin composed almost exclusively for solo piano and for orchestra. Initially influenced by Romanticism, his style evolved into more abstract and mystical realms, incorporating complex harmonies and unconventional scales. His most famous compositions include piano works like Etudes, Preludes, and Sonatas, as well as his symphonic work Prometheus: The Poem of Fire. 

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Vladimir Ashkenazy (born 6 July 1937) is a Soviet-born Icelandic pianist and conductor. He studied with Lev Oborin and Boris Zemliansky at the Moscow Conservatory. Ashkenazy won 2nd prize in the 1955 Chopin Piano Competition, 1st prize in the 1956 Queen Elisabeth Competition, and 1st prize in the 1962 Tchaikovsky Competition. He has recorded a wide range of piano repertoire, both solo works and concerti. As a conductor, he has served as principal conductor of the Royal Philharmonic, the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, the Czech Philharmonic, the NHK Symphony and the Sydney Symphony.

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