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ALEXANDER SCRIABIN
THE DEFINITION OF A NEW SOUND SPACE
IN THE CRISIS OF TONALITY
Luís Miguel Carvalhais Figueiredo Borges Coelho
Tese apresentada à Universidade de Évora para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Música e Musicologia
Especialidade: Musicologia
ORIENTADORES: Paulo de Assis
Benoît Gibson
ÉVORA, JULHO DE 2016
INSTITUTO DE INVESTIGAÇÃO E FORMAÇÃO AVANÇADA
ALEXANDER SCRIABIN
THE DEFINITION OF A NEW SOUND SPACE
IN THE CRISIS OF TONALITY
Luís Miguel Carvalhais Figueiredo Borges Coelho
Tese apresentada à Universidade de Évora para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Música e Musicologia
Especialidade: Musicologia
ORIENTADORES: Paulo de Assis
Benoît Gibson
ÉVORA, JULHO DE 2016
INSTITUTO DE INVESTIGAÇÃO E FORMAÇÃO AVANÇADA
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To Marta, João and Andoni, after one year of silent presence.
To my parents.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to express my gratitude to my friend Paulo de Assis, for all his dedication and encouragement in supervising my research. His enthusiasm, knowledge and always-challenging opinions were a permanent stimulus to look further.
I thank Benoît Gibson for having accepted to co-supervise my work, despite my previous lack of any musicological experience.
I extend my gratitude to Stanley Hanks, whose willingness to supervise my English was only limited by the small number of pages I could submit to his advice before the inexorable deadline.
Thanks are also due to my former piano teachers—Amélia Vilar, Isabel Rocha, Vitaly Margulis,
Dimitri Bashkirov and Galina Egyazarova—for having taught me everything I know about music.
To my dear friends Catarina and André I will be always grateful: without their indefatigable assistance in the final assembling of this dissertation, my erratic relation with the writing software would have surely slipped into chaos. To Xavier, I thank for having borrowed me his parents during his first school-term weekend.
I am never grateful enough to my sister Mafalda and her husband Francisco for their constant support—and to my nephew, Pedro, for being a new reason of joy.
To Xico and Tiago I am always grateful for an ever-lasting friendship.
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ABSTRACT
This dissertation describes the new compositional system introduced by Scriabin in 1909–
1910, focusing on Feuillet d’Album op. 58, Poème op. 59, nº1, Prélude op. 59, nº2 and Promethée op. 60. Based upon exhaustive pitch and formal analysis the present study (a) claims the inexistence of non-functional pitches in all analysed works, (b) shows that transpositional procedures have structural consequences on the “basic chord”, and (c) for the first time advances an explanation on the intrinsic relation between the sonata form and the slow Luce line in Promethée op. 60.
Keywords: Scriabin, Prometheus, Mystic Chord, Synaesthesia, Theosophy
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RESUMO
Sob o título de “Alexander Scriabin: a definição dum novo espaço sonoro na crise da
Tonalidade”, a presente tese descreve o novo sistema compositivo introduzido por Scriabin em 1909– 1910, tomando como ponto de partida o estudo de Feuillet d’Album op. 58, Poème op. 59, nº1, Prélude op. 59, nº2 e Promethée op. 60. Baseando-se numa análise exaustiva das alturas e da forma, este estudo (a) conclui pela inexistência de alturas não funcionais em qualquer das obras analisadas, (b) mostra que os procedimentos transpositivos têm consequências estruturais no “acorde básico”, e (c) pela primeira vez explica a estrutura formal de Promethée op. 60 a partir da relação intrínseca entre a sua forma sonata e a linha lenta de Luce.
Palavras-chave: Scriabin, Prometeu, Acorde Místico, Sinestesia, Teosofia
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ABBREVIATIONS LIST
MC CC T
Mystic Chord Chord Centre Transpositional level, numbered from 0/unison to 11/major seventh
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ................................................................................................. 1! I. A New Musical System ................................................................................ 3!
1! Extinguishing dominant .................................................................................. 5! 2! Establishing a new context .............................................................................. 8! 3 Scriabin’s chord centre.................................................................................. 11! 4! Main transpositional procedures .................................................................... 14! 5! The #IV-I polarity and the T3 Transposition cycle .............................................. 15! 6! Transpositional consequences ....................................................................... 19! 7! The T3 transposition cycle as pan-chord centre ................................................ 20! 8! Scriabin and Theosophy................................................................................ 21!
II. Three piano miniatures: Feuillet d’Album op. 58, Poème op. 59, nº1 and Prélude op. 59, nº2 ........................................................................................... 23!
1! Feuillet d’Album op. 58 ................................................................................ 25!
1.1! Introductory note....................................................................................................................... 25! 1.2! Specific sound material............................................................................................................. 25! 1.3! Form ........................................................................................................................................ 27! 1.4! First section, bars 1–8 .............................................................................................................. 27! 1.5! Second section, bars 9–14 ....................................................................................................... 32! 1.6! Third section, bars 15–23......................................................................................................... 37! 1.7! Conclusions.............................................................................................................................. 42!
2! Poème op. 59, nº1 ...................................................................................... 43!
2.1! The specific sound material....................................................................................................... 43! 2.2! Form ........................................................................................................................................ 47! 2.3! First section, bars 1–12 ............................................................................................................ 47! 2.4! Second section, bars 13–24 ..................................................................................................... 57! 2.5! Third section............................................................................................................................. 63! 2.6! Conclusions.............................................................................................................................. 73!
3! Prélude op. 59, nº2 ..................................................................................... 76!
3.1! The chord centre in Prélude op. 59, nº2.................................................................................... 76! 3.2! Specific sound material............................................................................................................. 77! 3.3! Form ........................................................................................................................................ 79! 3.4! First section, bars 1–27 ............................................................................................................ 82! 3.5! Second section, bars 28–61 ..................................................................................................... 95!
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3.6! Coda, bars 55,5–61.................................................................................................................. 96! 3.7! Conclusions.............................................................................................................................. 98!
III. Promethée op.60.................................................................................. 101!
1! Light and form ...........................................................................................103!
1.1! Tastiera per Luce / Colour Keyboard....................................................................................... 103! 1.2! Form ...................................................................................................................................... 111!
2.!Promethée op. 60—analysis..........................................................................126!
2.1! Introduction, bars 1–26 .......................................................................................................... 126! 2.2! Exposition, bars 27—192......................................................................................................... 139! 2.3! Development: bars 193–370(2) .............................................................................................. 201! 2.4! Recapitulation......................................................................................................................... 224! 2.5! Coda, bars 512–606 .............................................................................................................. 234!
Conclusion ............................................................................................... 245! Reference List .......................................................................................... 249! Glossary .................................................................................................. 253!
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INDEX OF EXAMPLES
Example 1. Scriabin’s tritone link (reproduced from Taruskin, 2000, p. 331) .......................................6! Example 2. Piano sonata nº4, op. 30: bars 1–8 ..................................................................................6! Example 3. Tritone Link in Poème languide op. 52, nº3: bars 1–2.......................................................6! Example 4. Désir, op. 57, nº1.............................................................................................................7! Example 5. Mystic Chord ....................................................................................................................8! Example 6. Piano Sonata nº5, op. 53: bars 263–265..........................................................................8! Example 7. Prélude op. 37, nº2: bars 6–8 ..........................................................................................9! Example 8. Piano Sonata nº4, op. 30, second movement: bars 6–8(1)................................................9! Example 9. Promethée op. 60: bars 1–4...........................................................................................10! Example 10. Scriabin’s draft (reproduced from Eberle 1978, p. 64)...................................................13! Example 11. Mystic Chord II .............................................................................................................13! Example 12. Mystic Chord b .............................................................................................................13! Example 13. Invariance between T6 transpositional related Mystic Chords.........................................15! Example 14. T3 Transposition cycle ..................................................................................................16! Example 15. S1 and S2 within MC-F#................................................................................................25! Example 16. Sib and S2r within MC-F#..............................................................................................25! Example 17. S2’ and S2b within MC-F#.............................................................................................26! Example 18. S1(5,6) within MC-F# ....................................................................................................26! Example 19. S2+ and S2r+ within MC-Aꢀ and MC-E♮ .....................................................................26! Example 20. Bars 1–4......................................................................................................................28! Example 21. Bars 5–8......................................................................................................................32! Example 22. CC-E♮ and CC-C♮ in the second section ....................................................................34! Example 23. Bars 9–14....................................................................................................................36! Example 24. Bars 15–19..................................................................................................................39! Example 25. Bars 20–23..................................................................................................................42! Example 26. M1 and M1ti within CC-B♮ and CC-F♮..........................................................................44! Example 27. M1’ within CC-B♮ and CC-G♮ .......................................................................................45! Example 28. M2 within CC-C♮ and CC-F#..........................................................................................45! Example 29. Set class (0,1,2,6,8) in Bar 2........................................................................................45! Example 30. S1, S2 and S2b within CC-B♮.......................................................................................46!
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Example 31. S3, S4 within CC-B♮, CC-F♮.........................................................................................46! Example 32. S3’ within CC-B♮/CC-G♮..............................................................................................46! Example 33. S4b within CC-C♮/CC-F# ..............................................................................................46! Example 34. MC-B♮, first statement..................................................................................................47! Example 35. Bars 1–4......................................................................................................................49! Example 36. Bars 5–8......................................................................................................................52! Example 37. Bars 9–12....................................................................................................................56! Example 38. Bars 13–16..................................................................................................................58! Example 39. Bars 17–20..................................................................................................................60! Example 40. Bars 21–24..................................................................................................................62! Example 41. Bars 25–28..................................................................................................................65! Example 42. Bars 29–32..................................................................................................................66! Example 43. Bars 33–34..................................................................................................................67! Example 44. Bars 35–37..................................................................................................................69! Example 45. Bars 38–39..................................................................................................................70! Example 46. Root notes of the governing chord centres and its relation to CC- B♮ and CC-E#.............73! Example 47. Mystic Chord II .............................................................................................................76! Example 48. M1 within MCII-A♮ and MCII-C♮ ...................................................................................77! Example 49. Set class (0,3,6,9) and set class (0,3,7) within MCII-A♮.................................................77! Example 50. S1’ within MCII-C♮ .......................................................................................................78! Example 51. M1’ within MCII-C♮.......................................................................................................78! Example 52. S4 within MCII-A♮ and MC-A♮ ......................................................................................78! Example 53. S2’ and S2i within MCII-A♮ and MC-A♮.........................................................................79! Example 54. Bars 1–5......................................................................................................................85! Example 55. Bars 5–10....................................................................................................................87! Example 56. Bars 8–9 and bar 11: relations .....................................................................................89! Example 57. Bars 11–15..................................................................................................................90! Example 58. Bars 16–19..................................................................................................................91! Example 59. Bars 20–23..................................................................................................................92! Example 60. Bars 11–13 and bar 26: relations .................................................................................93! Example 61. Bars 24–27..................................................................................................................94! Example 62. Vertical outline of bars 48–49 on the second beat of bar 54 ..........................................96!
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Example 63. Bars 138(3)–142: main theme and harmonic outline ..................................................119! Example 64. Bars 143–150............................................................................................................121! Example 65. Bars 491–503: main theme and harmonic outline ......................................................123! Example 66. Bars 503–506............................................................................................................124! Example 67. Bars 1–4....................................................................................................................128! Example 68. Theme B-5..................................................................................................................131! Example 69. Bars 13–16................................................................................................................132! Example 70. Bars 17–20................................................................................................................133! Example 71. Bars 20–21................................................................................................................135! Example 72. Theme B-5b, Theme B-21 and Theme of Will: relations................................................136! Example 73. Bars 21–23................................................................................................................137! Example 74. Bars 24–26................................................................................................................138! Example 75. Theme B-5 and Theme of Reason ...............................................................................140! Example 76. Bars 26(3)–30............................................................................................................142! Example 77. Bars 47–54................................................................................................................147! Example 78. Circular Theme of Will.................................................................................................149! Example 79. Theme B-65: relation with previous themes.................................................................151! Example 80. Bars 69–71................................................................................................................152! Example 81. Theme of Motion: relation with sequential segments of Theme of Will ..........................153! Example 82. Bars 72–74................................................................................................................154! Example 83. Cadenza-like Theme of Will in bars 79–81 and 33(2,3)................................................155! Example 84. Bars 109–114: major third common content of Subtheme B-89 and Theme of Will......157! Example 85. Transposition model of the second Colour Stage..........................................................161! Example 86. Transpositional plan of the second Colour Stage..........................................................161! Example 87. Bars 87–90................................................................................................................162! Example 88. Bars 91–94................................................................................................................163! Example 89. Bars 95–98................................................................................................................164! Example 90. Bars 99–102..............................................................................................................166! Example 91. Bars 103–106............................................................................................................167! Example 92. Bars 107–110............................................................................................................169! Example 93. Bars 111–114............................................................................................................171! Example 94. Bars 115–116 and 119–120......................................................................................175! Example 95. Bars 131–134............................................................................................................179!