Prominent pianist Polina Osetinskaya made up her programme called “Eleganza” of pieces of five Russian composers who were friends. Thus, Scriabin and Rachmaninov both were students of Nikolay Zverev. Rachmaninov and Medtner were close friends, and it was Rachmaninov who helped emigrée Medtner survive abroad. Anton Arensky taught composition to both Rachmaninov and Scriabin, and harmony to Medtner. Prokofiev, as well as Rachmaninov, had experience of emigration; though one returned to Russia, and the other never came back. Yes, Arensky, Medtner, and Scriabin unfortunately, are a little bit overshadowed by the Russian piano titans such as Rachmaninov and Prokofiev. But all the five of them are descendants of Russian Romanticism, were brilliant pianists, and keen composers for piano. 

Three early Scriabin pieces, as well as “Forgotten Rhymes” by Arensky, or Medtner’s “Sonata reminiscenza” are like tender sprouts grow through two greatest oeuvres of world piano music, those of Racmaninov’s “Corelli Variations” and Prokofiev’s 7th Sonata. Both pieces are regarded as summits of both composers.