Norwegian classical guitarist Kristina Vårlid performs Variations on a Theme of Scriabin by Polish composer Alexandre Tansman (1897–1986), written in 1972 for Segovia, after the Prelude, Op. 16, No. 4 by Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915). This comes via Varlid’s Youtube channel (go subscribe).
Beautiful performance by Vårlid with excellent pacing and a range of delicate to pianistic playing. I award a special prize for the flicking of the 6th string with the right hand pinky finger at 1:17. Some more info via Graham Wade on this Naxos recording:
The Polish composer, Alexandre Tansman, having been introduced to Andrés Segovia during his stay in Paris in 1921, was persuaded to write for the guitar…Variations on a Theme of Scriabin, dedicated to Segovia, was written in 1972. The theme, Prelude, Op. 16, No. 4, in E flat minor (for piano), was arranged by Segovia in B minor for guitar (publ. Celesta Publishing Co., New York, 1945). This melody has a haunting quality with poignant accompanying chord progressions, though Tansman has at certain points reworked the original harmonization of the theme. The composition has six variations, the first being a transference of the theme to the bass line, with an accompaniment in the treble. Var. II, slightly faster, explores the harmonic potential of Scriabin’s melody, while Var. III is a virtuosic Vivo episode in semiquavers. Var. IV changes the tonality and explores some ingenious harmonic modulations. The fifth variation, Allegretto grazioso (quasi Mazurka), is the composer’s homage to Poland, presenting the national dance with a dash of humour and elements which evoke the music of J.S. Bach. The last variation is fugal, a contrapuntal working out of the melodic implications, which gives way to a final, slightly modified, gentle statement of the theme itself.
