Scriabin, Alexander 1872 - 1915
Author: Nohara, Yasuko
Last updated：June 1, 2007
Author: Nohara, Yasuko
Russian composer and pianist. He was born in Moscow during the late Imperial era. His father was a diplomat, and his mother was a talented pianist. As his mother died when he was one year old, he was raised by his paternal aunt. While attending the Cadet Corps, he studied piano with Georgy Conus in 1883. From 1884, he studied with Rachmaninoff and others at Zverev's music boarding school, and from the following year, he studied theory and composition with Taneyev, director of the Moscow Conservatory.
At the Moscow Conservatory (entered in 1888), he studied piano with Safonov and theory and composition with Taneyev and Arensky. Upon graduation (1892), he began his career as a concert pianist. In 1894, he met his patron, Belyayev, who supported Scriabin's creative and performance activities. Even after Belyayev's death (1904), works up to 1908 were published by Belyayev's publishing house.
In 1897, he married the pianist Vera Isakovich. From 1898, he taught piano at the Moscow Conservatory, a period during which he intensively composed orchestral works (Symphonies Nos. 1-3). Around 1902, he deepened his inclination towards philosophy and mystical thought, and the following year, he resigned from the Conservatory. At this time, Piano Sonata No. 4, Symphony No. 3 'The Divine Poem,' and numerous piano miniatures were composed in rapid succession. These works marked a transition from his early late-Romantic style (up to Op. 29), which showed influences from Chopin and others, to a more original middle period style (Opp. 30-57). Regarding piano miniatures, 'Poèmes' began to be written, replacing nocturnes and mazurkas. From 1904, for six years, he relocated to Switzerland, Brussels, and other places, and began living with Tatyana Schloezer, who would later become his wife.
In 1905, he encountered Blavatsky's Theosophy and solidified his own philosophical ideas by incorporating its doctrines. His last orchestral work, Prometheus: The Poem of Fire (1909-10), is the first representative work of his late period (Opp. 58-74). By introducing the 'color-light piano' (which emits colored light upon key press), he partially realized his goal of integrating various arts. While this work is entirely constructed from the 'Mystic Chord,' his later works employ a technique of spinning out both harmony and melody from a specific sonic organization.
Parallel to his compositions from the middle period onwards, Scriabin had for many years nurtured the concept of the Mysterium (Mystery Play). This was a grand vision that aimed to incorporate all fields of art and nature, and through the magical effect of art, to promote cosmic evolution involving all humanity. Around 1913, he began work on a preliminary piece for it, the Preparatory Act, but his sudden death brought it to an end. However, the underlying philosophy of the Mysterium permeated his entire creative output, and particularly in his late works (such as Prometheus and Piano Sonatas Nos. 6-10), his philosophy and unique musical language are inextricably linked.
Works(80)
Concerto (1)
concerto (2)
Piano Solo (16)
sonata (11)
Sonata for Piano No. 9 'Messe noire' Op.68
Key: es-moll Composed in: 1913 Playing time: 8 min 30 sec
pieces (8)
etude (3)
prelude (16)
inpromptu (4)
mazurka (5)
waltz (4)
nocturne (2)
character pieces (16)