Not to be confused with the 1905 Feuille d'Album or two other earlier pieces entitled Feuillet d'album (Album leaf)—the first (without opus number) dating to 1889 and the second in the Morceaux (3), Op. 45/1 (1904 -1905)—this nocturne is stylistically more advanced than its earlier namesakes, exhibiting that mystical, otherworldly quality associated with late Scriabin. Cool and distant, the music here is cool and seems to convey a sense of wandering or floating. Sparsely textured, the writing displays advanced harmonic structures. The piece opens quietly, the notes sounding tentative as if gingerly testing the sonic waters to find a thematic stream to swim in. Somewhat Impressionistic, the music nevertheless seems to evoke netherworlds or astral spheres. The strange main theme emerges from the hesitant murk of the opening, and soon taking on an energetic demeanor. After a while, however, the theme retreats to a ponderous manner and fades at the end, the music sounding more tentative than at the opening. This nocturne's duration is about two minutes.

© All Music Guide

Portions of Content Provided by All Music Guide.
© 2008 All Media Guide, LLC. All Music Guide is a registered trademark of All Media Guide, LLC.