23rd Annual Student Research Conference
Alexander Scriabin: Music, Color, and The Mystery
Jaycie N. Vos
Prof. Shirley McKamie, Faculty Mentor
Throughout history, artists have attempted to create tremendous messages and to immortalize their ideas about mankind's potential and divinity. At the turn of the 20th century, Alexander Scriabin's chosen method to achieve this goal was a unification of all of the arts, the earth and its inhabitants, and God. Specifically, Scriabin focused on the synesthetic relationship between music and color as he tried to expose and realize mankind's potential. He conceived his masterpiece, Mysterium, as the means for this accomplishment, but he died before its completion; his symphonic work Prometheus serves as a partial realization of this quest. Scriabin's conception of the physiological and psychological phenomenon known as synesthesia; his obsessive devotion to spiritual ideas, including Theosophy, a religion that finds divine wisdom in all religions and philosophies; plus his strong sense of individualism contributed to this Russian composer's inspiration and unique artistic achievement.
Keywords: Alexander Scriabin, synesthesia, music, Theosophy , color organ, Russia
Topic(s):Interdisciplinary
Music
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 5-4
Location: MG 1090
Time: 8:45