A piano score, or piano reduction, is a more or less literal arrangement for piano of a
piece intended for many performing parts, especially orchestral parts. Such arrangements
are made for piano solo, duo or duet. Extra small staves are sometimes added at certain
points in piano solo scores to make the presentation more nearly complete, though it is
usually impracticable or impossible to include them while playing. It takes considerable
skill to reduce an orchestral score to piano because it must not only be playable on the
keyboard but must be thorough enough to present the harmonies, textures and figurations.
Markings are sometimes included to show which instruments are playing at given points.
Piano scores are not usually meant for performance outside of study and pleasure
although Liszt’s transcriptions of Beethoven’s symphonies are an exception. Ballets get
the most practical benefit from piano scores because a ballet can be rehearsed with a
pianist until an orchestra is needed for the final rehearsal. Piano scores can also be used
for training beginning conductors.
A vocal score, or, more properly, a piano-vocal score, is a reduction of the full score of a
vocal work, such as an opera, musical, oratorio or cantata. The piano score shows the
solo and choral vocal parts on their staves and beneath them the orchestral parts in a
piano reduction usually for two hands. If a portion is ‘a cappella’ a piano reduction is
often added to aid in rehearsal, especially in ‘a cappella’ religious sheet music. A vocal
score serves as a convenient way for vocal soloists and choristers to learn the music and
rehearse separately from the instrumental ensemble.
An organ score is often used in association with church music for voices and orchestra,
such as arrangements of Handel’s ‘Messiah’. It is like the piano-vocal score in that it
includes staves for the vocal parts and reduces the orchestral parts to be performed by one
person on an organ. The organ score may be used to substitute for the orchestra in
performance.
SCRIABIN
Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915) was a Russian composer and pianist. He developed a
highly lyrical and idiosyncratic tonal language and was driven by a poetic, philosophical
and aesthetic vision that verged on the mystical.
Scriabin’s music was highly regarded during his lifetime but declined in the public
estimation in the middle of the twentieth century. There has been a revival of interest in
his music in recent years, especially among pianists.
Many of Scribain’s works are written for the piano. The earliest pieces resemble Chopin
and use his forms such as the étude, prelude, nocturne and mazurka. His music gradually
evolved over the course of his life, using very unusual harmonies and textures and
eventually becoming atonal.
Scriabin wrote ten sonatas for the piano including no.7 opus 64 ‘White Mass’ and no. 8
opus 86 ‘Black Mass’.