Prometheus: The Poem of Fire

Promethée. Le Poème du feu, op 60, ( German as: ". Prometheus Poem of Fire " ) is a tone poem by Russian composer Alexander Scriabin for large- occupied orchestra, piano, organ, choir and color piano (also known as " light piano " means ). The title of the 1909/10 composed work refers to the ancient myth of Prometheus.

The premiere ( without light voice ) took place on March 15, 1911 under the direction of Sergei Koussevitzky in Moscow. With the light voice it was performed by means of the so-called " Chromola " in March 1915 under Modest Altschuler at Carnegie Hall for the first time, a " color organ ," which was invented by Preston Millar. Pianist Marguerite was Volavy, accompanied by the Russian Symphony Orchestra. The colors were projected onto a screen above the orchestra. The target of Scriabin mystical atmosphere or intensification of music could never be satisfactorily achieved the composer's lifetime. Even today the work is performed mostly without additional lighting effects

The playing time is about 20 to 25 minutes.

Occupation

The score includes the following cast it: Piccolo, 3 flutes, 3 oboes, English horn, 3 clarinets, bass clarinet, 3 bassoons, contrabassoon, 8 horns, 5 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, bass drum, cymbals, tam-tam, triangle, 5 bells, chimes, celesta, 2 harps, organ, piano, four - part choir (only vocalise ) and strings. Added to this is a color organ.

With this orchestral apparatus, the requirements imposed by Scriabin in his previous orchestral work Le Poème de l' Extase, even exceeded.

Combination of music and light

Scriabin was a composer from the fact that there are six different arts: music, words, plastic movement, play of scents, lighting and painting. Music, words and movement plastic are among the dominant, light and fragrance to the accompanying arts.

Art set for the composer is a mystical- religious ritual process which can be achieved solely by the combination of all of these arts in one work. Scriabin's goal was to create such a mystical- religious ritual process. Because it but at that time not yet possible appeared to unite all these arts, he began with only first two arts: music and light. The light should thereby enhance the music and contribute to its intensification. For this purpose, ordered the gifted with color synesthesia Composer each key by intuition one color, in the concert hall should shine.

Luce voice

In the score of a separate piece, with " Tastiera per luce " voice designated for a purpose to be constructed color organ displayed. This luce voice is recorded in two voices, so that colors can be mixed. Each tone is assigned to the color of the key, for which it is the root. By Luce voice of the exact light sequence is determined in the piece. The upper Luce - voice is the more active. They are each the root of the chord center. The lower voice is parallel to the structure of the symphony. During exposure, it is blue for the color, the implementation shines in russet and the recapitulation in blue.

The harmony

" The mystical- religious art that serves the expression of all the secret skills of the people, reaching the ecstasy, always needed and always all means to exert influence on the psyche. "

Scriabin had a great awareness of nature and seeks ecstasy in music. For each key is a color corresponding to each harmonic changes, a corresponding color change.

Alexander Scriabin composed purely intuitive. The harmonies that he chooses without theoretical intent, are often described as " deep - mystical " and " odd- flattering ", and originated from the color impressions felt by the composer. But despite this arbitrary choice of harmonies, these strict laws rank among, as they follow the boundaries of a particular scale. This scale ( cde from fis ) consists of six tones that form the basic chord of Prometheus, located in Quart stratifications of the sequence c- fis - bead, the so-called mystical chord that can be transposed to all 12 steps of the chromatic scale. The Promethée leaves so the boundaries of traditional major-minor tonality. In the harmonies and in the distribution of a large diversity can be observed. He often uses pure, augmented and diminished fourths.

The scale harmonies underlying acoustically justified because these overtones of the so-called harmonic series of sounds form. The resulting sounds are the harmonics 8, 9, 10-13, 14 Such chords can be described as " Konsonanzakkorde " because they do not strive for resolution. These harmonies bring a mystical nervous atmosphere, but also a clarity and simplicity of the music. Scriabin avoids passing notes or exchange notes that are not included in the harmony. The melodic voices and counterpoints are built on the harmonies. Only through this structure, the composition can at the same time five to six issues occur.

The Promethée thereby provides a polyphonic and at the same time transparent work dar. until the end of a free sonata form following plant discharges into a F-sharp major triad.

Others

Alexander Sabaneev created in 1911 a piano transcription of the work.

Recordings

From Scriabin's Prometheus are several shots before, for example with:

• Anatol Ugorski (piano) and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Pierre Boulez. German Grammophon
• Martha Argerich (piano) and the Berlin Philharmonic under the baton of Claudio Abbado. Sony Classical SK 53978