This piece was part of a music history project where I wrote a piece using some of Scriabin’s compositional techniques in an effort to better understand and appreciate his unique style.
I incorporated the Chopinesque piano writing of the early sonatas, which was marked by octave passages, repeated chords, and wide left hand chordal patterns that build resonance and create counterpoint (ex. bar 40).
Later works of Scriabin were shaped by his synesthesia. I referred to the colour wheel below while composing this piece to guide my harmonic and melodic decisions.
Scriabin portrayed various types of light in his works. Trills, high-register chords, tremolos, and rolled chords all represented different qualities of light to Scriabin. My piece adopts this idea at bars 95 and 112.
Scriabin used polyrhythms to create tension and to make the sound-world vaguer. I incorporated 3 against 5, and 3 against 4 in various places. Scriabin also makes frequent use of “diabolical intervals” such as semitones, minor ninths, and tritones, and I have sprinkled these throughout my work as well (for example bar 14).
Scriabin often evokes bell-like sounds by using a repeated chord with pedal that creates a resonance. For example, I do this in my composition at bars 157-159.
Scriabin often uses quartal harmony (built on perfect fourths and tritones) and parallel dominant 7th chords, especially when separated by a tritone. Clear examples of these these harmonies appear in my composition at bars 36, 142 and elsewhere.
