Description:
Scriabin's interest in writing piano music for the left hand probably dates to 1891 when he was practicing such works as Balakirev's "Islamey" and Liszt's "Fanatasy" on Mozart's opera Don Giovanni and strained his right hand severely. Scriabin experienced pain in the right hand peridically throughout the rest of his life, causing him problems with efficiency and volume in performance. One writer suggests that Scriabin broke hi right shoulder blade in his early teens and this accident caused im t practice impatiently all his music with his left hand alone. It was not until 1894 when he was 22 years old that he composed the Prelude and Nocturne for the Left Hand Alone." He played it publically for the first time in 1895. These pieces became synonymous with Scriabin's reputation as a pianist, and when he played in the United States in 1906, he was billed as "the left-handed Chopin."

Published by Alfred. Edited by Maurice Hinson.