In summer 1891 Scriabin hurt his right hand through too much practice. For this reason he cultivated his playing with his left hand for which he composed his Prélude et Nocturne op. 9 in 1894. Both pieces were printed the following year, and quickly became very popular. In 1906 they were both even so well liked in America that Scriabin reported from New York: "It has emerged that the publisher here has reprinted my nocturne for the left hand and thousands of copies have been sold. [...] I am immensely popular!"