For all of his short adult life, Alexander Scriabin wrote—or planned to write—monumental works of great import, and in between these efforts he produced a steady torrent of miniatures, tiny concentrated droplets of this same expansive genius. Fascinatingly, the composer’s designation ‘poème’ is applied both to ground-breaking symphonic perorations and to the extended series of thirty-four little piano pieces, written over more than a decade and often grouped into little sets. Their inspirations are as varied as their titles—from black magic to cosmic aspiration—and they offer a key into their composer’s inner world.

American pianist Garrick Ohlsson is an acknowledged master of the genre—astonished critical reaction to his recordings of Brahms, Granados and of course Chopin attest to this—and this new Scriabin recording will only enhance an admirable reputation.