Prelude Op. 9 No. 1 for the Left Hand by Alexandr Skryabin

Abstract

This article aims to analyze one of the masterpieces that have conquered concert halls around the world, Skryabin’s Prelude op. 9 no. 1 for the left hand. A miniature piece having the clear, classical structure of a tripartite lied. It consists of two periods, the first one comprising two equal-sized motifs and ending in a cadence on the dominant tonality. It had begun with an octave leap, a fact that amplifies the sonority, giving it a certain tension. The prelude ends with a Codette in which the accompaniment formulas in arpeggios arches, alongside the repeating of the initial motif cell, stay pithy. Pianists are attracted by the challenge of this composition, which, among others by the same composer, makes them develop great piano skills and achieve high interpretative mastery.