In this first volume of
Alexander Scriabin's symphonies on the LSO Live label,
Valery Gergiev and the
London Symphony Orchestra begin in media res with the Symphony No. 3, "Le Divin Poème," and the Le Poème de l'extase, which is unofficially counted as the Symphony No. 4. These works date from
Scriabin's middle period (ca. 1902-1908), which marks a transition from his youthful Romantic phase to his final visionary works. The Symphony No. 3 reflects a lingering attachment to the symphonic conventions which influenced
Scriabin's first two symphonies, particularly in its three-movement structure and relatively clear tonal scheme, though it already hints at the organic development and greater harmonic complexity of the single-movement Le Poème de l'extase, which strains the boundaries of form and key. These effusive works demand a calculated control that may seem at odds with their volatile and languorous expressions, though
Gergiev and the
London Symphony Orchestra deliver the music with rhythmic precision and focused tone colors to bring across
Scriabin's kaleidoscopic soundworld with brilliance. The engineering is superb on this hybrid SACD, and the acoustics of London's Barbican add wonderful dimensions to the orchestra's lush and vibrant sound.