Sonata No. 1 was written in the summer of 1892, shortly after Scriabin completed his graduation examinations at the Moscow Conservatory. During this period, Scriabin's right hand became paralyzed due to excessive piano practice, and he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. For the 20-year-old Scriabin, who aspired to be a concert pianist, this was an insurmountable obstacle. He experienced an unprecedented sense of defeat and began to ponder the value of life, religion, and God. His notes from that time state: "I prayed fervently, from the bottom of my heart, and went to church... I cried out against fate, against God. I composed Sonata No. 1 with a Funeral March."

The first movement (F minor) begins with a first theme that suggests a tragic outburst of emotion. In contrast, a gentle and calm second theme (measures 22-30, A-flat major) appears, and elaborate thematic development takes place within the conventional sonata form. It concludes in F major (pppp), contrasting with the opening.

The second movement (C minor) begins with a quiet and sorrowful chorale. As the theme is repeated, an increasingly ornate and delicate texture is woven. Like the first movement, it concludes in a major key (C major).

In the Presto of the third movement (F minor), a pulsating rhythm and syncopation in the left hand (octaves) create an unsettling musical idea. Scriabin called this "ропоты" (murmurings of discontent), a submission before God and fate. After this theme returns and erupts into fff, a Lento phrase bridges to the final movement.

In the fourth movement (F minor), the rhythm of a funeral march is etched in the bass, and a heart-crushing melody is sung solemnly. In the middle section, heavenly harmonies are heard extremely quietly (Quasi niente). After the funeral procession resumes and then quiets as if the cortege has passed, a forte, poignant final chord resonates.