PT Journal
AU Keprt, M
TI Concerning the Symbol of Desire and Its Musical Rendition within A. N. Scriabin's Piano Compositions
SO Musicologica Olomucensia
PY 2014
BP 47
EP 60
VL 20
IS 2
DI 10.5507/mo.2014.011
DE Scriabin; symbolism; Russian music
AB The symbol of languor is a counterpart of the symbol of flight. It represents the erotic element which occurs in Scriabin's personality, philosophy and compositions very significantly. Melodically, the symbol of languor stands for the indirect melody ending with chromatic descent of three notes. The most frequently it is expressed by the "sigh" of twice or three times repeated two-tone figure in which the first note has a longer duration. If the motifs contain this "sigh figure", we can call them as "sigh" motifs which has the tendency to descend. Whereas the motifs lacking this figure we call as "floating" motifs which tend to rise. However, the sphere of the symbol of languor is defined by its texture rather than by its melody. The texture is characterized by significant or even polyphonic independence of the middle voices and the closeness of melody and accompanying figures.
ER