Great Russian Composers: Alexander Scriabin

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Alexander Scriabin was an enigmatic figure sometimes considered the first of the modern composers. He composed piano and orchestral music noted for its unusual timbres through which he sought to explore musical symbolism. His First Symphony has a chorale finale glorifying art as a form of religion. The Third Symphony, The Divine Poem (1903), was based on Theosophical ideas, as were The Poem of Ecstasy (1907) and Prometheus, The Poem of Fire (1910). He also composed sensitive, exquisitely polished piano music, including his 10 sonatas, a concerto, and many preludes and short pieces.