Piano Sonata No. 6 (Scriabin)
The Piano Sonata No. 6, Op. 62, by Alexander Scriabin was composed in 1911. Although it was named the sixth sonata, the piece was preceded by the Sonata No. 7. As it is one of the late piano sonatas of Scriabin's career, the music consists of a single movement, and is almost atonal. Scriabin reportedly never played the sonata in public, because he feared its darkness.
Structure and content
The piece consist of a single movement, typically lasting around 11–12 minutes, and is marked as follows:
Modéré: mysterieux, concentré
The mood of the piece is marked "mysterieux" by the composer, but most striking are the sudden moments of horror that interrupt its dreamlike atmosphere, explicitly marked "l'épouvante surgit" (surge of terror) by Scriabin. The final passages are colourful and languid, like an elaborate Debussy prelude, but darker forces are released at the end.Richard Strauss' Elektra chord is featured in the sonata, lending it a nightmarish quality that Scriabin's mystic chord could not provide alone.