Tragedy at the Sea, Georges Inness, 1864.

The work, despite being marked Tragique, is surprisingly composed with great energy, victorious textures, and a fully major tonality. This is likely because the word in Russian can also imply heroism. Furthermore, the Italian performance direction indicates “festivamente”, a notion seemingly contradictory to one of despair or pathos.

The wildness of this piece recalls the second Poem Op. 32 as well as certain preludes and etudes by Rachmaninoff. The harmonies are primarily built on dominant chords with raised fifths and diminished ninths, a dissonant texture favored by Scriabin in his middle period, and one he would explore fully in the following Poeme Satanique Op. 36.

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{i-tabler:brand-youtube} https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWxkBziNssM&list=PL1XcDKyfQHyTm47w4gma6WU6n8bLCWz9J&index=166&pp=gAQBiAQB8AUB

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{i-tabler:brand-spotify} https://open.spotify.com/intl-fr/track/3GlBod76j0lmNSFqrJoDoh?si=fececbb7059f479d

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