The award-winning pianist and composer Sergei Dreznin marks the centenary of Scriabin's death earlier this year with a beautiful programme of his works, excerpts from  the memoirs of his great confidant Leonid Sabaneyev (in English), and a specially-created art video to accompany Scriabin's fiery masterpiece Vers la Flamme.  

Doors open 6.30pm; recital and talk (in English) 7pm; drinks 8pm; close 9pm.

Alexander Scriabin: composer, philosopher, and above all, visionary.  No other composer in history underwent such a transformation in such a short period of time.  His early works resemble Tchaikovsky, his last - Keith Jarrett.  He dreamt of synthesising different art forms, and was arguably a pioneer of multimedia.  He saw himself as a god, but died from septicaemia as a result of a sore on his lip.  An enigmatic figure, a prophet in music, and perhaps a typical Russian “dreamer” …

Programme:

2 Etudes op. 8

Mazurkas op. 25

Fourth Sonata

Fifth Sonata

3rd Etude op. 65

“Vers la Flamme”

Sergei Dreznin is a Moscow-born, Berlin-based pianist and composer who has won prizes and critical recognition in Russia, Europe and the United States. Alfred Schnittke dubbed him “the Soviet Gershwin” upon hearing Ophelia – Opera in Blue, which brought Dreznin a following in the Soviet-era Moscow underground scene.  Since 1988, he has seen 14 of his musical theatre productions staged in Europe and the US.  As a virtuoso pianist, he often includes improvisation to themes suggested by the audience in his recitals, in a revival of the 19th-century tradition.  The New York Times has praised his “virtuosity… grace, pliancy and confidence” and “seemingly limitless reserves of volume. He appears regularly at the prestigious music festivals incl. Bard Music (New York), the Sviatoslav Richter in Tarusa, Russia and Annecy Classic in France. Shows include Catherine the Great, Cabaret Terezin and Romeo & Juliuet in Sarajevo.