Composition Notes
Composed in 1903, this Prelude by Alexander Scriabin is one of my personal favourites among his piano miniatures. In July 2024, I created a new arrangement of this work for string orchestra. In doing so, I took considerable interpretive freedom with the tempo, slowing it significantly and extending the duration from approximately 1 minute 35 seconds in the original to about 3 minutes 30 seconds. This broader pacing felt especially well suited to the music’s Mesto (sad) character, allowing the harmonic shifts and evolving timbres to unfold more fully. Several subtle dynamic adjustments were also introduced to enhance balance and clarity within the orchestral texture.
This arrangement was composed in memory of my friend, Erik Biesenthal (1988-2024).
Instrumentation
- 1st Violins
- 2nd Violins
- Violas
- Violoncellos
- Double Basses
