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 …
Wow, this is beautiful.
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!
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!
@RicAbapo Try Scriabin
so this is a one-movement-piece? or are there other movements as well?
thank you very much for posting!!
Such a sad death for such a great composer, who could’ve became so much more popular.
This has got to be one of my favorite piano sonatas of all time!
@janette20dragonfly It’s beem published by Muzgiz, in about the 1960s. That score can be found on IMSLP.
Great!!
I’m very enjoyed Stanchinsky music, it’s so rare and unknow composer…
Does anybody know if this piece has been published and if of who the publisher is? Thanks!
@YouKnowTheyExist thanks.. “i know they exist”, we just have to find them..hahahaha.. thank yopu so much, am’ma gonna listen to them sometime..thanks…hugs..
@RicAbapo The first movement of Alkan’s Symphony for Solo Piano, perhaps 500 or more times and I still listen every week if possible. Each time I can’t believe it could be written; as well, that Stanchinsky found his. There is Anatol Liadov, mostly orchestral efforts, Kikimora, Enchanted Lake, Musical Snuffbox, Baba Yaga, many others no one knows of, rich, deep, fabulous.
@andreybeci
E-flat minor is a rather odd key to play in.
oh my GOd, this piece is so beautiful in its sense, i just found it just now, i feel bad because this piece is not that popular, huhuhu, if it is just popular it would sure be a hit..this is really nice.. can anyone suggest some unpopular pieces which sound as beautiful as this or more beautiful than this, i really want to hear some..thanks..
regards from Philippines..
I discovered this music thanks to you, and I can’t thank you enough… This is SO beautyful, such a wonderful music… Please, keep it up! I’m looking forward to discover some more music! Greetings from Buenos Aires, Argentina!
so dry!
Wonderful piece
Did D.Blumenthal finally played this piece?
wonderful!
I would liket to thank you Hexameron for this awesome selection!!! Please continue to post here these unknown treasures
This is one of my favorite Sonata’s that Stanchinsky wrote. Definitely early Scriabin-ish. Did he write any more sonatas that are reminiscent of early Scribian, or that are more traditional early romanticism?
beautifull musicqe!and a great pianist.(is the pianist was son of great pianist blimenthal????)
I agree with all the comments- total beauty and very haunting.
Great Upload
Tragedy, passion and madness all beautifully enjoined in this riveting piece.
its almost like an extension of scriabin’s d# minor etude
Great blog right here! Additionally your site rather a lot up very fast! What web host are you the use of? Can I am getting your affiliate hyperlink for your host? I want my site loaded up as fast as yours lol