Keyboard instruments > Piano solo
Alexander Scriabin
Piano Sonata no. 8 op. 66
Editor: Valentina Rubcova
Fingering: Michael Schneidt
25.95 $
Urtext Edition, paperbound
Pages: 37 (V, 32), Size 23,5 x 31,0 cm
Order no. HN 354 · ISMN 979-0-2018-0354-8
Level of difficulty (Piano): difficult (Level 9)
In his last years, Skryabin realized a noble and great idea. Inspired by his study of theosophical writings, he dreamed of joining music, poetry, mime, architecture, light, colour and even aromas to create a “Gesamtkunstwerk”, and thus elevate human beings to a higher level of consciousness. This “Mysterium” was never completed, but his late piano sonatas – conceived as preliminary studies – enable us to see what moved Skryabin. He spent a particularly long time working on his eighth sonata and proofread it intensively; but later quite a few mistakes still found their way into it. Thanks to the autograph and the first edition, ambiguous passages have now been cleared up and corrected in our Urtext edition.
Audio example: Roberto Szidon
Deutsche Grammophon 028947704928GTR3
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Reviews
Mit Skrjabins 8. Klaviersonate hat der G. Henle Verlag eine Ausgabe vorgelegt, die in der Tradition seiner seit langem bekannten hohen Qualität steht.
[Neue Musikzeitung, 2008]
The clarity of the Henle edition will facilitate initial learning, as it makes the detail of cross-rhythms and layering of voices easy to comprehend.
[Piano Professional, 2008]
Henle continue their admirable re-branding of Scriabin’s complex music with an especially lucid and expansively presented presentation of the mysterious, wistfully lugubrious Eighth Sonata. … Rubcova has also removed a number of unnecessary reminders of accidentals which had existed in earlier publications. Fingering by Michael Schneidt is subtly spread throughout the work and is generally sensible.
[International Piano, 2008]
The levels of difficulty of the
piano music published by G. Henle Publishers
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| easy | medium | difficult | ||||||
The levels of difficulty of the piano music published by G. Henle Publishers
| Level | Grade | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | easy | Bach, Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach, nos. 4 and 5 |
| 2 | Bach, Well-Tempered Clavier I, no. 1 Prelude C major | |
| 3 | Beethoven, Piano Sonatas op. 49,1 and 2 | |
| 4 | medium | Grieg, Lyric Pieces op. 12, no. 4 |
| 5 | Schumann, Fantasy Pieces op. 12, no. 1 | |
| 6 | Chopin, Nocturnes op. 27, nos. 1 and 2 | |
| 7 | difficult | Beethoven, Piano Sonata op. 10, no. 3 |
| 8 | Beethoven, Piano Sonata op. 81a | |
| 9 | Schumann, Toccata op. 7 |
Guide to the levels of difficulty
"I don't know what 'difficult' means. Either you can play or you can't" – this was the rather terse comment by the great violinist Nathan Milstein, on being asked about the unbelievable difficulty of Niccolo Paganini's Caprice no. 1.
The relativity of the evaluation of difficulty in music immediately becomes clear. Yet I gladly take up this great challenge, presented to me by G. Henle Publishers. For I am aware of how useful a guide like this can be, both from my own experience as well as that of many colleagues. In particular so as to be able to identify "appropriate" works. For example for music teachers, who teach at very different levels, from beginners to those preparing for music conservatories, but also for all those interested amateurs for whom this guide is intended.
After careful deliberation I have settled on nine levels of difficulty, which I have divided into three groups: 1–3 (easy), 4–6 (medium), 7–9 (difficult). A number of parameters have been considered when assessing the level of difficulty. I have not just looked at the number of fast or slow notes to be played, or the chord sequences; of central importance are also the complexity of the piece's composition, its rhythmic complexities, the difficulty of reading the text for the first time, and last but not least, how easy or difficult it is to understand its musical structure. I have defined "piece" as being the musical unit of a sonata, or a single piece in a cycle, which is why Bach's "Well-Tempered Clavier" Part I comprises a total of 48 levels of difficulty (each prelude and fugue is considered separately), Schumann's Sonata in f sharp minor op.11 only has a single number. My assessment is measured by the ability to prepare a piece for performance.
While assessing the pieces, it became clear that the medium level of difficulty (4–6) is the trickiest. Now and again this means that a piece is judged as a "3/4", even if it only deserved a "3" as far as piano technique is concerned. An example of such a "borderline" case (easy/medium) is Schumann's "Scenes from Childhood" op. 15 Von fremden Ländern und Menschen or at the other end "6/7" part of Bach's "English Suites". And of course within a main category there are also "from-to" evaluations (e.g. 7/8).
Any evaluation of art or music will always be subjective, even if the aim was to be objective. Despite the fact that I have endeavoured to be as careful as possible, I am all too aware that the results of my work can be called into question, and am therefore grateful for any suggestions you might have.
Prof. Rolf Koenen © 2010