Ep 20. Scriabin?Piano Sonata No. 5

Beginning as a post-Romantic composer, Alexander Scriabin made a dramatic transition, embracing theosophy and a vision of music as mystical revelation. In this daring, modernist piece, see how Scriabin shapes a musical narrative in which tonal and nontonal music coexist. From the sonata's dissonant opening, follow the interweaving of the first, tonal theme with a lyric, contrasting theme based in a "mystic chord," creating a melodic and harmonic sound outside of traditional tonality.