One of the boldest and most radical composers of all time, Alexander Scriabin had a lifelong obsession with occult and mystical ideas. Initially under the influence of Chopin, Wagner, and Liszt, his music later became more complex, taking on an expressive power which provoked extreme reactions from audiences – of adulation as well as repulsion. Not shying away from hyperbole, Scriabin once declared: ‘I am the apotheosis of creation – I am the aim of all aims – I am the end of all ends.’

The three works featured on this release belong to Scriabin’s final compositional period where the music seems to veer between voluptuous languor and striving energy. Composed back-to-back, the Poem of Ecstasy and the Fifth Piano Sonata are drenched in bitter-sweet harmonies and carefully constructed dissonances. The scores of both works make reference to the same poem – by Scriabin himself – which ends with the lines ‘thus the universe resounds with the joyful cry: I AM!’. In his last symphonic poem, Prometheus — The Poem of Fire, Scriabin aims even higher. Here he expresses the evolution of the world from formless chaos, through the appearance of mankind, fertilized by the divine spark, towards spiritual liberation and ultimate transcendence. The unusually large orchestra and a wordless choir produces a kaleidoscope of contrasts, colors and sounds caught up in an ecstatic whirl.

REVIEWS:

In Scriabin’s work, the Prometheus myth is focused less on the creative element of Prometheus and more on the theft of fire, which allows the composer to create ‘light-filled’ images. Lan Shui creates a very great tension from the very first bars, giving expression to the fantasy nature of the composition. We thus hear music with those detaching particles of sound that, like the flock of birds in flight, create effects from ever-changing forms. Shui thus proves to be an imaginative conductor who spurs his orchestra and choir on to an outstanding performance. Evgeny Sudbin blends perfectly into this feverish sound...A great performance!

-- Pizzicato

Lan Shui and his Singapore Symphony Orchestra...inflame the subject; they delight in lascivious sensualities, the better to suddenly cause volcanoes to burst. All this is of a dizzying control and a sonic refinement...

The pianist is none other than Yevgeny Sudbin...He touches on genius in Prometheus, but you also have to hear him burn his keyboard, all hammers and iron, for a 5th Sonata that sounds as if it had just come out of the forge. A great album - totally unexpected, and recorded with striking fidelity.

-- Artamag'

The Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Clausen Trio, and Jean Thorel present Symbiosis - Tribute to Bill Evans, a remarkable album celebrating the enduring legacy of one of jazz's greatest pianists. Featuring three extraordinary works, the album opens with Palle Mikkelborg's Bill Evans Suite (1969), reimagining Evans' classics such as "Waltz for Debby" and "Time Remembered". Thomas Clausen's deeply personal For Pi follows, a tender jazz ballad infused with the spirit of Evans, orchestrated for strings and trio with Anders Malta's lyrical trumpet adding poignant beauty, and Claus Ogerman's Symbiosis, reconstructed here for the first full live concert performance. Recorded live with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Symbiosis - Tribute to Bill Evans offers a vivid, contemporary perspective on Evans' timeless influence, blending intimacy, sophistication, and orchestral grandeur. This album continues the orchestra's extensive collaboration with PENTATONE, complementing the acclaimed Mozart: Violin Concertos (2025), Butterfly Lovers & Paganini (2024), Kozlowski: Requiem (2024), and Vivaldi: Four Seasons & Locatelli: Harmonic Labyrinth (2023).

Beloved worldwide, Chloe Chua returns to PENTATONE with Mozart's complete violin concertos - a project that began when she was just 15 years old. The album features Mozart's Rondo in B-Flat Major, K. 269 and Rondo in C Major, K. 373 as well as the Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola & orchestra in E-Flat Major, K. 364. The latter also features the outstanding young Chinese violist Ziyu He, winner of the 2016 Yehudi Menuhin Competition at just 16. In this performance, he showcases his remarkable artistry alongside Chloe, herself a former winner of the same prestigious competition. The soloists are accompanied by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Hans Graf, for whom the relationship with the violin star is particularly special. For Chloe, Mozart's music holds a special place in her heart and she has embraced the challenge of following in the footsteps of so many legendary violinists. In these refined and fresh interpretations, her deep connection to the music - written by Mozart when he was around her age - is unmistakable. Even without a trained ear, one can appreciate her extraordinary technique, elegance, and effort to capture the vitality of these beloved works. This album continues Chloe's exclusive collaboration with PENTATONE, complementing the already released and acclaimed Butterfly Lovers & Paganini (2024) and Vivaldi Four Seasons and Locatelli Harmonic Labyrinth (2023).