Composed in Moscow in the early 20th century. Until the year prior to composing this work, Scriabin served as a professor of piano at the Moscow Conservatory. This work represents a transitional period in which Scriabin began to establish his unique harmonic language.

Etude No. 1

This first etude is characteristic of Scriabin's polyrhythmic studies. It features an irreducible rhythmic structure of 9 against 5. The melody is interwoven within arpeggios. This dominance of rhythm over melody is one of the hallmarks of Scriabin's later works.

Etude No. 2

The second etude is a study in quintuplets, featuring a polyrhythm of 3 against 5. Furthermore, the quintuplets begin one eighth note ahead of the melody, creating cross-phrasing. Although a short piece of only 31 measures, the two measures of whole rests near the end produce an exquisite effect.

Etude No. 3

The third etude assigns sixteenth-note triplets to each eighth note in a 6/8 meter. Marked "Prestissimo," it is also a short piece of only 34 measures. The rapid chromatic trills feature a bold use of non-harmonic tones, creating a structure reminiscent of a powerful gust of wind that leaves a strong impression. The popular name "Mosquito" derives from this sound.

Etude No. 4

The fourth etude makes extensive use of triplets. Marked "Cantabile" at the beginning, it creates a sweet sound.

Etude No. 5

The fifth etude is one of Scriabin's larger and more frequently performed etudes. It requires the melody to be sung out fully, ensuring it is not buried by the wide range of the left hand or the inner voices of the right hand.

Etude No. 6

The sixth etude builds a 3 against 5 polyrhythm using triplets and quintuplets. The melody draws an expressive line. Sections that traverse a very wide range at a soft dynamic require a high degree of expressiveness.

Etude No. 7

The seventh etude builds a 4 against 3 polyrhythm using eighth-note triplets and sixteenth notes. The right-hand triplets also include double stops. Similar to the previous etude, there are sections where quintuplets are juxtaposed with triplets. And, again similar to the previous etude, there are sections where the difficulty of playing softly must be overcome.

Etude No. 8

The eighth etude builds a 3 against 5 polyrhythm using triplets and quintuplets. This polyrhythm is shifted forward by one eighth note relative to the beat, also creating cross-phrasing. It also features a chorale-like middle section characterized by chromatic melodic movement.