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Romantic · prelude

Prelude in G-sharp minor, Op. 16 No. 2 (Allegro)

Alexander Scriabin · Level 7, estimated · With Maestro

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The short answer

Prelude in G-sharp minor, Op. 16 No. 2 (Allegro) is a prelude by Alexander Scriabin from the Romantic era. PlayPiano puts it at Level 7, an estimate.

On this page
  • prelude
  • Romantic
  • stormy

Also known as Préludes opus 16 - 2..

History

Nicholls dates this prelude to Witznau, June 1895, and describes its repeated cross-rhythms. A travel location is not a declared programme.

Sources

What to listen for

  1. Held chords answer with quick groups

    Opening chords receive quintuplet figures. Hear the contrast between their sustained sound and compact moving replies.

  2. The opening appears higher with a changed response

    A higher version of the opening develops different calls. Recognise its contour through the register change.

  3. Octaves give the return a fuller sound

    Opening material returns in octave-thickened form. Compare its weight with the earlier held chords and quick answers.

  4. A short reply settles into sustained chords

    The closing response becomes brief before the last held harmony. Hear the longer release after the quick movement.

How to practise it

Short upper changes inside a longer low gesture; long arrival after the decoration.

  1. Listen slowly to where each component changes, avoiding a forced all-notes-together attack pattern.
  2. Practise the long arrival first, then lead the short preceding changes into it without delaying its onset.

How hard is it

Level 7, estimated

Five-note groups interact with differently divided beats and chord textures. A reliable pulse and controlled chord voicing are the central challenges, not simply playing the notes fast.

About this piece

Interpretive sketch of Alexander Scriabin, an illustration and not a verified likeness
An illustration, not a portrait
Collection
The prelude gallery
Licence
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5
Source
mutopiaproject.org
Credit
“Préludes opus 16 - 2.” by A. Scriabin (1872 to 1915). Mutopia edition maintained by Philippe Hézaine. Source: https://www.mutopiaproject.org/cgibin/piece-info.cgi?id=760. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/. Changes to the supplied file: none; any later conversion or edit must be disclosed separately.

More by Alexander Scriabin

  1. Prelude in E-flat minor, Op. 16 No. 4 (Lento)Level 5, estimatedWith Maestro
  2. Étude in C-sharp minor, Op. 2 No. 1Level 6, estimatedWith Maestro
  3. Two Pieces, Op. 59: No. 2, PreludeLevel 7, estimatedWith Maestro

With Maestro

Play it, slow it down, hear where you land

Short upper changes inside a longer low gesture; long arrival after the decoration.

Practise it in PlayPiano