Mikhaïl Pletnev

Within the space of approximately 40 minutes, Chopin’s 24 Preludes offer a subtle and unique alchemy of the organisation of musical time. This suite of musical snapshots alternating between major and minor keys develops with a heady mixture of melancholy and joy. Because Chopin’s musical influences were Mozart and Bach – we can detect a nod to the Well-Tempered Klavier here – many musicologists view Chopin “as a classical spirit with a romantic head”. His 24 Preludes illustrate this very clearly. Scriabin occupies a singular space among Russian composers for piano at the turn of the twentieth century. Even in his early compositions, his writing went far beyond the Chopinesque traditions of his contemporaries Glazunov and Rachmaninov. This is evident in his countless Preludes, 24 of which are assembled in Opus 11, where he explores major and minor keys in succession. Despite scrupulously respecting the sequence of Chopin’s circle of fifths, he was keen for “each prelude to exist as a small autonomous and independent composition”. This evening’s programme of composers in counterpoint shows us two facets which share the same intent. Prepare to be fascinated.

Program and cast

Mikhaïl Pletnev | piano

Scriabin  24 Preludes
Chopin  24 Preludes