Stanchinsky - Piano Sonata in E-flat minor

Piano Sonata in E-flat minor (1905)

Hailed as a genius by Alexandrov, Medtner, Prokofiev, and Lourié, Alexei Stanchinsky (1888-1914) was once a household name to Russian composers in the early 20th-century only to be forgotten after the 1917 revolution. Today he is usually regarded as an eccentric composer whose premature death is shrouded in mystery. Throughout his youth, Stanchinsky was prone to mental illness, spent a year (1908-09) in an institution, and was pronounced "incurably insane." He often destroyed his own compositions in fits of hallucination and rage; thankfully, friends and colleagues did much to reconstruct many of his manuscripts. Despite his degrading mental health, Stanchinsky had ambitions in music and concertized widely. Yet in 1914 Stanchinsky's body was discovered near a creek and although the cause of death was unknown, rumors spread that it was suicide. During his studies at the Moscow Conservatory around 1909, Stanchinsky wrote experimental piano pieces that were considered avant-garde for the day. He assimilated elements of Scriabin, Medtner, Mussorgsky, and folk music in the creation of his own style, one that cradles the harmonic language of high Romanticism, especially Scriabin, and his own fascination with polyphonic textures. Interestingly, scholar Larry Sitsky calls Stanchinsky the "Diatonic Webern" for his propensity for diatonic saturation and employment of "polyphony not as a contrasting episode but rather as the essential and organic tool of his music."

Category:

Music

Tags:

• stanchinsky
• medtner
• alexandrov
• rachmaninov
• scriabin
• feinberg
• roslavets

[Reaper978]

Great piece, I love that haunting, intense Russian late-romantic style. Stanchinsky seems like quite a mysterious and troubled figure. Your short bio reminded me of Alkan and Ervin Nyiregyhazi.

[Hexameron]

Actually, when I wrote about Stanchinsky being an eccentric composer, I was going to use the phrase "Like Alkan, Stanchinsky..." because you're right - there is a resemblance, especially since both died so mysteriously.

[scriabinwasmydad]

Nice! I never bother uploading much of this music because I'm sure you'll do it. It took you a while for the Stanchinsky! Will I see Toch anytime soon?

[Hexameron]

I assume you mean Ernst Toch; I have a CPO label recording of his piano music but can't remember if I listened to or it not... Do you recommend it? Regardless, I don't have any scores so it's very doubtful that I'll get to Toch.

Right now my primary focus, as you can see, is Russian piano music, so you can expect Alexandrov, Myaskovsky, a few single uploads from Lourie and Weprik (second sonata), Ornstein, and Feinberg's First PC since I've acquired a score.

[musicwrest]

its almost like an extension of scriabin's d# minor etude

[MrFrenchBulldog]

Tragedy, passion and madness all beautifully enjoined in this riveting piece.

[junenostalgia]

Wow, this is beautiful.

[kmpiano1]

For example, I don't like how he treated the second theme, so choppy. But was the sonata an early work? I can hear, Rachmaninoff, very obvious Scriabin 3rd sonata, and Liszt in it. It's surprising that so many universities students only play Rach, Liszt, but this work deserves to stand side by side with some of their works!

[kmpiano1]

I'm think the pianist could've brought more of the lyricism of the music. Nonetheless, I'm very thankful that you've went through so much trouble to post such greatly underappreciated music. I'm especially a fan of Stanchinsky now!

[gymgymgymgym]

@RicAbapo Try Scriabin

[ProfessorSuckMah]

so this is a one-movement-piece? or are there other movements as well?

thank you very much for posting!!

[Starbirdy9999]

Such a sad death for such a great composer, who could've became so much more popular.

[Starbirdy9999]

This has got to be one of my favorite piano sonatas of all time!

[Starbirdy9999]

@janette20dragonfly It's beem published by Muzgiz, in about the 1960s. That score can be found on IMSLP.

[MagicDonDino]

Great!!

I'm very enjoyed Stanchinsky music, it's so rare and unknow composer...

[janette20dragonfly]

Does anybody know if this piece has been published and if of who the publisher is? Thanks!