Ewell ScriabinsSeventhPiano 2002

Scriabin's Seventh Piano Sonata: Three Analytical Approaches
Author(s): Philip Ewell

Source: Indiana Theory Review , Spring / Fall 2002, Vol. 23 (Spring / Fall 2002), pp. 23-
67
Published by: Indiana University Press on behalf of the Department of Music Theory,
Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University
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Scriabin s Seventh Piano Sonata:
Three Analytical Approaches
Philip Ewell
Introduction
body of literature has emerged concerning the life and work of Alexander
IN THE
Scriabin.YEARS
He was activeSINCE HIS timeDEATH
at a most fruitful atofthe
in the history Westernage
art of forty-three in 1915, a significant
music, when all structural parameters of musical composition were being redefined.
Scriabin studied piano and composition at the Moscow Conservatory and, in 1892,
graduated with a gold medal, a rare honor reserved only for the most out
standing students. One of his classmates, also a gold-medal recipient, was Sergei
Rachmaninov. Clearly, the caliber of student surrounding the young Scriabin
was topnotch, and this indeed drove him all the more. The great Petersburg
composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov also significantly influenced him. Though
Scriabin was a Muscovite, he would often travel to St. Petersburg to attend the
weekly meetings Rimsky held at his apartment with the St. Petersburg compos
ers of the time. For the most part, Scriabin made these trips in his youth before
the turn of the century. They must have had quite a large impact on him, since
there are many aspects of that compositional school evident in his early work.
As with many prolific composers, Scriabin's creative output is often split
into three periods: early (1886-1901, opp. 1—29), middle (1903—8, opp. 30—57),
and late (1910—14, opp. 58—74). Furthermore, between the first and second
periods, between the second and third periods, and after the third period, there
was an approximate one-year period of compositional inactivity. It is precisely
between the second and third periods that something very important happened
in Scriabin's musical mind. Beginning with the op. 58 Album Leaf, no subsequent
works end with a tonic triad, with the exception of his last tone poem, Prometheus,
op. 60. The fact that his late works lack tonal endings has prompted a huge
amount of analytical work with this repertory and much speculation regarding
which analytical approach best explains late Scriabin. It is my intention in this
article to look at the three most promising analytical approaches to Scriabin's
late music in general, and to the Seventh Sonata in specific, in hopes of identify
ing that which best reflects his compositional thought.

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24 Indiana Theory Review Vol. 23
The first approach is rooted in octatonicism. Over the past forty years, a
significant literature has arisen concerning this eight-note world and especially
how it relates, in a structural sense, to much of the problematic music of th
turn of the twentieth century. Defining just how it relates to Scriabin's Seventh
Sonata is my ultimate goal in this section. The second approach I will discuss
deals with the evolving dominant harmony in his music. By looking at the tonal
structure of the Seventh Sonata, I will attempt to show how his music can b
meaningfully interpreted as largely consisting of modified dominants. The third
approach tackles these problematic works from the perspectives of two Russian
theorists: Barbara Dernova and Yuri Kholopov. In Russia, not surprisingly, they
feel they hold the key to the true meaning behind Scriabin's music.
The Seventh Sonata
The Seventh Sonata is in a one-movement sonata-allegro form. Example 1

shows a modestly annotated exposition of the sonata. This exposition is propor
tionately short, totaling sixty-eight measures in all, and is split into a main
theme area (mm. 1—16), a transition (mm. 17—28), a secondary theme area
(mm. 29—59), and a codetta (mm. 60—68). Examples 2a—c show the primary
themes for the exposition: main theme (MT), transition theme (TT), and sec
ondary theme (ST).
Looking at example 2a, the regal character of the MT is evident. Quite odd
for late Scriabin, it outlines an A-major sonority (with "Dt" substituting for
"Ct").1 In example 2a, I have included the chord under the final note of the
MT, arguably the most important four-note sonority in the piece. It is part
of what I will call motive X, which is shown, along with motives W, Y, and
Z, in examples 3a—d. Notice how motive X is comprised solely of the chord
from the end of the MT. Motive W is a simple, powerful, ascending fifth in
octaves (always written as a diminished sixth), which often signals the end of
the four-measure MT. Motive Y, often appearing right after motive X, con
sists of the signature four-note chord moving in descending thirds, as in meas
ures 13—16. The last motive, Z, is the five-note descending theme, as in
measures 39 and 47.
'I will use the pitch register designation system used by the Acoustical Society of America,
C1-C2-C3-C4-C5-C6, in which C4 is middle "C." When speaking about a note abstractly, I
will enclose it in quotation marks (e.g., "A").

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Ewell, Scriabin's Seventh Piano Sonata 25
EXAMPLE 1. Piano Sonata no. 7, exposition
Main Theme Area ► (to bar 17)
* u.

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EXAMPLE 1 (continued).
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Example 1 (continued).

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134.95.7.150 on Sun, 14 Jan 2024 23:56:24 +00:00
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EXAMPLE 2. Primary themes for the Seventh Sonata
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Octatonicism
About Scriabin, the octatonic, and Scriabin's Sixth Piano Sonata, Richard
Taruskin says:
It was Scriabin who, with magnificent resourcefulness, handled the

octatonic collection. ... In the music of his last period . . . the octa
tonic collection does not interact with diatonic harmony or emphasize
triadic cognates. . . . Rather, in a work like the Sixth Sonata . . . the
three octatonic sets act as referential collections, functionally akin to
keys in the traditional sense. While a given set is in force, it furnishes
the entire pitch content for as much as seventy measures at a stretch,
allowing for a modicum of ornamental chromaticism, such as passing
tones, appoggiaturas, etc., which lie outside a given octatonic collec
tion but resolve to scale tones according to traditional voice-leading
rules. A sense of tonal motion is achieved by modulations from one
octatonic grouping to another. That this was a conscious technique
based on traditional tonal procedures is made clear by the fact that a
Scriabin essay in octatonicism, whatever the vagaries along the way,
will always end in the same octatonic key as it began.2
EXAMPLE 3. Motives W, X, Y, and Z

3
*
fc): 4 *<.—i
8 -w »
J
b) MotiveX ft ?
Hi
13
c) Motive Y
47.. ";.Jn irr

d) Motive Z
2Richard Taruskin, "Chernomor to Kashchei: Harmonic Sorcery; or, Stra

Journal of the American Musicological Society 38 (1985): 99n.

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Taruskin believes that the three distinct transpositions of the octatonic essen
tially function as keys and that notes that he outside of the given collection resolv
through traditional voice-leading rules. Indeed, one of the strongest points h
makes is that all of Scriabin's purportedly octatonic works begin and end wit
the same collection. There is, however, one problem in his system. Voices in a
octatonic context cannot resolve, as Taruskin says, though "traditional voic
leading rules." Strictly speaking, such rules apply only to diatonic contexts
George Perle touches briefly upon this problem in an article on Scriabin whe
he mentions "the problem of voice-leading in a system that makes no distinction
between the linear and harmonic implications of the scale."3 Indeed, Taruskin
is a system that makes no such distinction. Perhaps instead of "voice leading"
more appropriate term would be "voice clinging," which might be defined as
the tendency of notes outside of any one of the three transpositions of the octatoni
to gravitate toward one of the eight fundamental notes of the collection. Thi
would capture the essence of those notes that He outside of any one of the three
transpositions of the octatonic. At the same time it would not imply that oct
tonic textures are harmonically the same as diatonic, as "voice leading" does.
Octatonicism and the Seventh Sonata
In terms of the octatonic, the master collection for Piano Sonata no. 7 is CIII.4
The collection, however, is not unequivocally established from the beginning.
In part, this is due to the strong tonal implications of the MT and motive W.
The quick T2 transpositions, each resulting in a new collection, further cloud
CIII as the main collection. Aside from the last thirty-second note chord in the
second measure, the first two measures he entirely in CIII. The final thirty
second note chord in measure 2 is a pivot chord between CIII and CII. Pitch
classes (hereafter "pes") 2 and 8 do not belong to CIII, the opening collection,
and pitch class (hereafter "pc") 1 does not belong to CII, the destination collec
tion. The fact that pes 2 and 8 are placed in the bass, for registral prominence,
further aids the move away from CIII. Another notable element of this chord is
the top note, DtS; it is a holdover from the first measure and, as such, can be
considered a suspension relating back to CIII and falling into CII. On the down
beat of measure 3, Dl>5 changes to DS and becomes part of a tetrachord that is
'George Perle, "Scriabin's Self-Analyses," Music Analysis 3, no. 2 (1984): 116.

4Using the common octatonic collection nomenclature as described by Pieter van den
Toorn in The Music of Igor Stravinsky (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1983): CI — octa
tonic collection 1, CII = octatonic collection 2, and CHI = octatonic collection 3.

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Ewell, Scriabin's Seventh Piano Sonata 3 S
entirely within CII. The B4 that occurs in measure 5 completes the pitch-cl
aggregate for the opening, thereby establishing the twelve-note saturation
the main-theme area. The completion of the aggregate is further proof of
uncertain octatonicism at the beginning of the sonata. The T2 transposit
moves in exactly the same fashion as before, arriving at CI on the downbea
measure 7. Motive X is absent from the T2 transposition, and the music is ther
fore free to move abruptly to the T4 transposition in measure 8. As befor
Scriabin moves to another collection, winding up this time at CIII on the do
beat of measure 9. From this point until the fourth beat of measure 22 the mu
is exclusively in CIII. Thus, after starting briefly in CIII and touching the othe
Scriabin settles in the main octatonic collection for the piece, CIII, in measure
Example 4 shows the main theme area of the sonata, the internal rep
tions labeled with the letters "p-v," the transpositions, and the accompany
octatonic collections. In the example, we see that the collections do not help
establish the repeated elements of the main theme area, nor do they help
establish the different transpositions of the MT. Notice how the transpositions
of the opening four measures end with motive X in measure 11. These disc
ancies between collection and form weaken the argument for an octatonic r
ing of this sonata. It would, of course, be possible to simply force the exist
music into the appropriate collection, at the appropriate time. For instan
measures 3—4 could be read as C13I, with the corresponding non-octatonic
2, S, and 8 being considered notes outside the main collection, clinging to t
main eight-note texture. This, however, contradicts the more fluid reality
the music itself. A better interpretation of this somewhat bizarre beginning is
a cycle through the three collections, ending on the main collection at the fini
Once all the dust settles, we arrive in our eight-note universe in measure 9.
EXAMPLE 4. Main theme area of Piano Sonata no. 7
Measure: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Repetition: p q r s p' q' r' q" r" s* t s" u v u' v'

I I I I 1 I U U I I I I
Transposition: T0 ^Tj ►[
Octatonic
Collection: CIU—►CII ►« ►CIII

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The TT beginning in measure 17 falls entirely within CIII until it moves

without warning to CII on the fourth beat of measure 22. The "E" on that bea
does not belong to the new collection, however, and should be considered a
back relating. This is one way in which Scriabin begins a new collection: an
unprepared jump in the middle of a theme, something like a direct modulatio
in tonal harmony. Similarly, the incipient move away from CIII was to CII in
measures 2—3. In measure 22, however, the move to CII is for the remainder of
the exposition. With only two exceptions—the "Atts" in measures 30 and 40—
all the music from the upbeat to measure 23 to the end of the ST area is par
of the eight-note world of CII. What started as an uncertain octatonicism ha
become, by the end of the exposition, unmistakable.
The octatonic has the unique ability to work as a scale, beginning on a half
or whole step, or as a referential set of pitch classes, using the three distinc
transpositions as sonic areas worthy of thematic development. When operatin
primarily as scale, it relates to the systems of traditional tonal harmony and pro
longs structures in a quite traditional fashion. The referential octatonic, in order
to sustain larger structures, must produce a contextually based framework in
which the thematic material will be developed.
Example S shows a graph of the octatonic sections for the entire Seventh
Sonata. The graph shows the three collections in relation to the music in terms of
thematic and motivic elements. The large beam above the graph displays the thre
basic collections in succession for the whole work. The large beam under the grap
connects the main bass note for the entire piece, "Fi" Those four "F#s" fall within
the initial and ending CIII sections. In general, each collection is significantly sup
ported by long, sustained, and largely unchanging chords in the bass. Notice the
six flagged notes in the treble clef: they represent structural non-octatonic notes.
After all that has been written on behalf of the octatonic and its ability to
support large segments of music, there are still several factors that throw it
efficacy into question. First and foremost, the absence of a binary system is prob
lematic. Because the referential octatonic is ternary, it cannot provide the same
binary tension inherent in any tonal piece, that is, the feeling of build-up an
release. Indeed, this is the largest difference between tonal and post-tonal oct
tonicism: when used as a ternary referential set of pitches, bypassing the pr
longational capacity of tonal operations, the ternary octatonic must build on
contextually based elements in order to expand sections within one of the co
lections, and it will necessarily lack tonal duality. That said, when trying to
understand how Scriabin's late music is held together in a large-scale fashion
octatonicism offers an incisive method by which to analyze this body of music.

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EXAMPLE5.OctaonicsmintheSventhSonat

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Indiana Theory Review Vol. 23
c
a
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The Dominant Harmony
Speaking of the larger realm of the dominant harmony in the analys

Scriabin, Roy Guenther says:
This theory depends primarily on two factors: the traditional tonal

character of Skryabin's pre-op. SI works, and the intervallic structure
contained in the chord-types which dominate the later works. The
approach of those scholars who use the "dominant" label for Skryabin'
unique chords has been to observe that Skryabin, from the early works
on, gradually altered and added more notes in his traditionally em
ployed chords. Chords of typically dominant structure—root, major
third, minor seventh as basic members—began to appear on scale
degrees other than the dominant. . . . Finally Skryabin removed the
tonic itself from the music; "dominants" only remained, chords which
had appeared as truly functional dominants in earlier contexts and
which now retained their former structural but not functional charac
ter. That is, the word "dominant" was used to signify both a structural
peculiarity and a connection with the past; it no longer had a reference
to function.5
Perhaps the most important point Guenther makes is the one concern
tion—what role does the dominant have if it no longer functions as such
dominant in Scriabin's music becomes the stable sonority, then to wh
relate, if anything? Despite the fact that Scriabin's late music contained
sonority, is it possible to relate any of Scriabin's music to a tonic ch
therefore a tonic key?
The following four piano miniatures show the intimate relation
tween Scriabin's most basic chord from his late period and fully fun
dominants from an earlier time. Examples 6a and 6b show the beginn
ending of op. 45, no. 2, the Fantastic Poem. The piece, in C major, ope
progression from til to V. From the start, the whole-tone element of th
is indisputable. Eliminating the chromatic passing tone G#4 from th
figure yields an entire six-note segment of the whole-tone scale. In f
dominants in late Scriabin inflect the fifth above the bass as l>5 or #5, a
fore become whole tone in sound. The origin of these dominant-
sRoy Guenther, "Varvara Dernova's System of Analysis of the Music of Skry

Russian Theoretical Thought in Music, ed. Gordon McQuere (Ann Arbor: UMI Resea
1983), 168-69.

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chords, from this period, is the dominant harmony itself and not the who
tone scale. In other words, these sonorities function as dominants: the who
tone scale is the fortuitous result of Scriabin's chordal vagaries.
EXAMPLE 6. Op. 45, no. 2, Fantastic Poem
a) beginning
Presto. k.h. J r ia».
X
to
7 ^ ^7 " J
C: blps v*s
? 3 3 1
r4-i
»r T' 8pp *1' fif
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The motion from the V chord on the downbeat of measure 1 to the tonic
on the downbeat of measure 2 is of interest. The only thing that identifies this as
a V-I cadence is the strong root motion by fifth in the bass, G2 to C2. All the
other tones of the tonic chord of measure 2 are suspended notes from the pre
vious V chord. The tonic chord on the downbeat of measure 3 represents a
resolution of the suspensions contained within the tonic chord of measure 2.
Notice, however, that the resolution is not a simple tonic triad, but one with two
non-chord tones, "Fit" and "Ak" Thus the tritone "F" and "B" does not resolve.
The last measure in example 6b shows the final resolution of the "Ft" and "Al>"
into the tonic triad. Even though the tonic is fading into the background and the
dominant is becoming more and more assertive, the final consonant tonic triad
still sounds and the music is, therefore, tonal.
In op. 57, no. 1, Desire, shown in example 7, Scriabin comes still one step
further to the complete dissolution of the tonic. The final two measures show
this dissolution. Notice once again the strong root movement by fifth in the bass.
Over that final C2, all of the voices of the previous dominant chord are sus
pended and, quite beautifully, none resolve. To be sure, the dominant is exert
ing a massive influence over the final harmony. In an earlier work by Scriabin,
he would have resolved all of the dissonant suspensions into the tonic harmony,
but now, the dissonance is taking over. The fact that the final harmony is pre
ceded by til is also of prime importance. Flat two, with the dominant, accounts
for the harmonic makeup of much of Scriabin's late-period music. All that
remains for him is to eliminate the root motion by fifth in the bass.
Examples 8a and 8b, two excerpts from die second of the two pieces of op. 57,
Danced Caress, is meant to be the resolution of the irresolute Desire. As is seen in
example 8a, it begins with the same sonority. Notice the authentic cadences in
C major in both examples. In a larger sense, Desire can be thought of as repre
senting the dominant and Danced Caress, the tonic. The following historical point
elucidates the way in which Scriabin viewed dominant harmonies in this period.
Insofar as op. 57, no. 1 signifies an unresolved dominant-seventh harmony, and
op. 57, no. 2 the resolution of that harmony, we know for a fact that Scriabin
began to think of the unresolved dominant as an end in itself, not requiring reso
lution. This is evident by looking at the programs of his own concerts, in which
he began to play Desire without Danced Caress. For example, on October 8, 1911,

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EXAMPLE 7. Op. 57, no. 1, Desire
C: I#4 V7 IJV7 [MI? Vib

UT
v,J ii7
(in bass only)

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EXAMPLE 8. Op. S7, no. 2, Danced Caress
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rw
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I
in Odessa, Ukraine, Scriabin

cates that, in his late period,
as a stable entity, not requir
opment strips away the final
^Margarita Priashnikova and Ol

A.H.CKpnÔma (Chronicle of th
Muzyka, 1985), 198. On this prog
key of Ak

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Op. 63, no. 1, shown in example 9, represents the final stage in Scriabin's
treatment of the dominant. The A section, moving through a hll harmony to a
half cadence on V, is split into two phrases that I will call X and Y. Let us focus
our attention on the end of the piece. Starting with the A' section in measur
24, the music is exactly the same as the beginning until the downbeat of mea
ure 28. From measures 28 through the downbeat of 30, phrase Y is repeated,
and the figure in the last two measures is simply an elaboration of the dominant
chord from the end of phrase Y. Within that last figure, the soprano "F-A-B
motion is doubled at the octave and the arpeggio in the bass is made into a quin
tuplet figure so that the lower "A" can sound on the downbeat. Substituting "D"
for the "A" on the downbeat of the last measure would render an ending ver
similar to Desire. Example 10 offers such a substitution. In terms of harmon
structure, the ending in example 10a is exactly the same as that of Desire, and it
sounds entirely plausible. Example 10b would also not be out of the question,
especially in earlier Scriabin; it shows the complete resolution of the dominan
to the tonic.
Thus, in op. 63, no. 1, we see the preeminence of the dominant as the sole
structural harmony. In example 10, I have clearly shown the link between this
late work and Scriabin's earlier tonal ones. Realizing this indisputable link pro
vides enormous credence to the claim that the driving force behind Scriabin's
late music is the dominant harmony specifically, and traditional tonality overall.
The Dominant Harmony and the Seventh Sonata
The root tone of the basic dominant harmony for the Seventh Sonata is "Fit,"
seen in the first measure of the piece. Taking the F#2 from the first measure and
adding it to the "Bk-Dt-A" triad that begins the piece yields the same chord, in
interval content, as in the downbeat of measure 3. As stated above, this is the
most fundamental four-note chord for the piece. By examining it further, it
reveals its own tonal tendencies. Example 1 la shows the chord from measure 3
in three basic forms: unchanged, inverted, and as the two resultant "D" triads,
with respelled enharmonic equivalents.
Example lib shows the chord combined with motive W. By itself, this
tetrachord never represents a triad, but in conjunction with motive W, it can
come to tonal life. The strong fifth-sounding motion in the bass, and the fact
7In example 1 lb, and later in this article, a minus sign refers to "minor," thus, "10"
refers to a minor tenth above the bass. This is a common analytical device in Russia,

134.95.7.150 on Sun, 14 Jan 2024 23:56:24 +00:00
that it is immediately preceded by its third in the same register, lends c

to a tonal understanding of this moment in the music. There are many s
with strong-sounding fifths in this sonata; this is quite striking for late S
Example 9. Op. 63, no. 1, Mask
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EXAMPLE 10. Two possible endings for op. 63, no. 1
a) #• b) . m
£
it I I
1 1 11 1 ~ ==J=3;
izJzfe :=^=Jfe
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EXAMPLE 11. Four-note chord from m. 3
b)
^ ip i hi
» "» v
I il- p
>
w
" tii
"*-10 -10
unchanged
unchanged inverted
inverted d
d or
or D
D j?
?
DD 3
The voice-leading graph in example 12 shows the exposition through the

TT, through measure 18. The basic tonal motion is the bass arpeggiation of V to
I'll to V. From the onset, it seems that bll is a goal in and of itself, inasmuch as it
is where the initial harmonic activity comes to a halt; that harmony lasts for
seven measures. The different transpositions of the MT result in different har
monies: V to VI (mm. 1 and S) and to VII (m. 8). I have stemmed and flagged
the sevenths of these harmonies to highlight their motion with the chords. In
between the staves I have beamed together the three root tones of the three
instances of motive W—they represent the harmonies III, IV, and V of the
tonic key, B minor. In a sense then, there is a buildup to the V chord in meas
ure 9, through parallel harmonic motions: V-VI-VII and III-IV-V. Lastly, the
prolonged dominant harmony of measures 1—9, a middleground element, is
indicated with a dotted beam, in order to highlight its importance.

134.95.7.150 on Sun, 14 Jan 2024 23:56:24 +00:00
Ewell, Scriabin's Seventh Piano Sonata
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134.95.7.150 on Sun, 14 Jan 2024 23:56:24 +00:00
In example 13 we see the role tonality played in Scriabin's life during his
three compositional periods. The left circle stands for the closed system of
tonality, while the arc at the right stands for the realm of post tonality. Fu
thermore, the arc, an unbroken piece of a larger circle, also implies an open
endedness with post-tonal systems and the fact that there may be, at some point
in the future, a closed system to deal with certain post-tonal operations. In
terms of Scriabin's music, we see four stages of his development from left t
right in the graph. The intersection of the two circles implies that Scriabin was,
at this time, breaking out of traditional norms and establishing his own la
guage. The middle circle represents much of the music of the late period. In
this music there are no tonic endings and mainly non-functional dominants yet,
significantly, tonics can still be implied.
EXAMPLE 13. Four stages of Scriabin's tonal evolution
Period: Early ►Middle ►Late
2) Appearance of non-functional
dominants with functional, strong *11
key areas, with fully and partially tonic / 4) No d

endings (opp. 42,56,57) j sounding
function as such, no
"implied" tonic, the
formally strong Ml/V
dichotomy still
present, yet with no
3) Almost purely J \ relation to a ton
1) Functional / 1 \ non-functional f \ (opp
dominants, tonic dominants,
endings, Absence of tonic
traditional endings, though
tonality tonality can be
(opp. II, 13,42) \ / "implied"
(opp. 52,63)
Tonality ^ Post-tonality Scriabin's late

"Tonality"

134.95.7.150 on Sun, 14 Jan 2024 23:56:24 +00:00
The intersection of the arc and middle circle represents Scriabin

advanced works, in which no tonality can rightfully be assigned to th
Notice that I have included the Seventh Sonata in this group. In this comp
it would be wrong to call the main Fit harmony the dominant of a B-minor
By seeing the tonal evolution and the ever-changing form of the domina
realize this. That is to say, it would be wrong to assume that a domina
stage four can or should be interpreted as a dominant from stage one
To be sure, the former evolved from the latter; however, this does n
that Scriabin viewed late dominants the same as early dominants. Lastly,
right we see a question mark—had he not died at the relatively youn
forty-three, he surely would have continued this innovative trend. It is d
to speculate what he may have done. In some of the last works, for e
the op. 74 Preludes, he seems to be less obsessed with root motion by
which suggests that perhaps he was beginning to explore other root r
Eventually, he may have relaxed the rigid chordal aspect of his musi
searching for sparser textures. No matter what we might speculate, w
assured that Scriabin would have created new procedures and pushed the l
seeking newness and freshness in his compositional method.
Barbara Dernova and Yuri Kholopov
In the afternoon we met at JJfieM mm co6pajinci> y

Kusevitsky's place. . . . Sitting at the KyceBHmcHX—CxpaÖHH cnna
piano in the "music room" ... b «My3MKam.H0H KOMHaTe» . ..
Scriabin was tickling the ivories. That nepeönpaji najititaMH no KJiaB
evening I decided to go to Scriabin's B 3tot Benep a pemnnca nobpat
to speak with him. Sitting at the piano, CKpaÖHHa h noroBopnn> c hhm.
he showed me the main harmony Cn.ua y poana, oh noKa3MBa
from his symphonic poem Prometheus noxa «rapMOHHH» H3 IIpoMer
[the mystic chord]. «Kax BaM 3to cJibunnTca? He
"How do you hear this? Isn't it crpaHHO? He ähko?»—cnpauiHBaji
strange? Even wild?" he asked. Then oh. H oh nrpaji Hanajio pa3pa6oTKH—
he played the beginning of the devel- 3th HacJioatomneca Äpyr Ha Jtpyra
opment section. "These sonorities are 3ByHaHna, b aceJie3Ht>ie, pyöamne
layered one on top of the other in pnTMM oÔJieneHHMe...
iron-clad hacking rhythms. I have six «Y MeHa Tyr no rnecrb 3ByxoB b
notes in this harmony, and in my rapMOHHH. A bot b MncTepnn y MeHa
Mysterium I have even nine and ten ecTL h b êBaTb n b jjecaTb 3ByKOB,

134.95.7.150 on Sun, 14 Jan 2024 23:56:24 +00:00
different notes in one harmony." pa3JiHHHbix ...»

We spoke not of theosophy, Mbi pa3r0B0pmiHCb, He o
about which I did not feel com- Teoco<|>HH, b KOTopon a HyBCTBOBaji
pletely comfortable conversing, but ce6a Bee ace He coBceM jiobko, a b
rather about the main idea behind oÖJiacTH toh Hên 06 «oraax»,
"Fire" [Prometheus], which he had pre- KOTopyio OH öpoCHJi MHe,
sented to me earlier at one of our pa3roBapHBaa Koma-TO paHbrne b
Kusevitsky meetings. 3T0M ace £OMe KyceBHHKHX ...
Scriabin already had this dogma Y CxpafinHa h Tyr 6buia yace
and he believed in it—he no longer noma h oh b Hee yace BepHJi. Oh He
asked or tried to find out more cnpaimiBaji, He y3HaBan, a yace noyuau.
about it, but simply preached it. «Be#b xaacnoMy 3Byxy
"You see, a color corresponds to cooTBeTCByeT hbct»—cica3aji oh, Kaic
every root tone," he said, as if impart- 6bi Bbicica3biBaa BceMH npH3HaHHyio
ing an axiom acknowledged by every- aKCHOMy. «BepHee, He 3ByKy, a
one. "Actually, not to a root tone, TOHajibHOCTH. Bot y MeHs b
but rather to a tonality. Here's what «flpoMeree» b Hauajie—iyr KaK 6bi
I have at the beginning of Prometheus— coBMemeHHe TOHajibHOCTH A H
a combination of the tonalities A and TOHajibHOCTH Fis—nosTOMy Tyr
Fl—therefore there should be pink flojiacHbi 6brn> HBera po30Bbifi h chhh
and dark blue colors. " —E(o3BOJibTe MHe AjieKcaH^p
"Just one moment Mr. Scriabin," HHKOJiaeBHM, —3anpoTecTBOBaji a
I protested. All of a sudden the old b KOTOpoM npocHyjica crapbiö 4>h
physicist in me was awakened—after yneHHK MarepnaJiHCTa JleôeaeBa,
all, I had been a student of the mate- me 5Ke TyT y Bac TOHajibHOCTH A hji
rialist [in a philosophical sense] Fis—a He BHxey hhk3koh Tyr
Lebedev. "Where are the A and Fl TOHajibHOCTH... H noueMy bbi jiyM
tonalities—I see neither? And why hto Ka»aoMy 3Byicy cooTBercrByeT
do you think that every root tone HBer, h noueMy hmchho A
corresponds to a color, and why coorBeTCTByer po30Bbin
specifically A to the color pink?" «Tax HeT ace», —h jihho
"That's not the case ! " Scriabin's CicpaÔHHa Bbipa3Hjio Jiencoe
face expressed a fight unpleasantness, HeyziOBOJibCTBHe, hto npHxo^HT
insofar as it was necessary to explain oöbacHaTb Benin ctojh» acHbie; —
things even more clearly. "You see, Beflb bot ace ochobhoh aiocopn, —
here is the main chord," and he oh B3îui npoMeTeeBCKoe mecTH3By
played the Prometheus six-note chord. —3T0 ace y MeHH 33MeHaeT Tpe3ByH
"For me, this replaces the triad. In B KJiaccHHecKyro anoxy Tpe3ByHH

134.95.7.150 on Sun, 14 Jan 2024 23:56:24 +00:00
the Classical epoch, the triad corre- cooTBecTByer iuiany paBHOBecHH.

sponds to equilibrium. Here, the Tenepb oho 3aMeHaerca y MeHH b
equilibrium is replaced by this six- 3THM co3ByHneM. 3to coBceM HHo
note chord. It's an entirely different omymeHHe, npaßßa Beflb? ... 3to
sensation, isn't it?... It is light, radi- aoaxcch 6brn> CBer, Jiyne3apHOCT
ance . . . Don't think that this repre- Bw He flyMairre, hto 3to TOHajibH
sents the tonality D," he added, seeing «pe», —npaôaBHJi oh bhah, hto y
my expression of bewilderment as to MeH» Bbipa3HJiocb He/ioyMHeHHe
how this chord, having all the signs (Jhöhohomhh, khkhm o6pa30M axx
of a dominant ninth chord built on HMeBnmfi Bee npH3HaKH HOHaxxo
the fifth scale degree of D major, Ha iwtoh eryneHH b «pe» Maacop
could represent the tonality A. . . . mot oxa3arbca b TOHajibHOcra A
"This is not a dominant harmony, «3to He ecn. AOMHHairroBafl
but rather a fundamental one, and a rapMOHHX, a 3TO ocHOBHaa, 3TO
consonance. Isn't it true that it sounds KOHCOHaHC. Be^b npaBAa—3to m
smooth and completely consonant?" He 3ByoHT, coßceM KOHCOHaHC». H oh
played this consonance several times, B3JUI HecxoJibxo pa3 stot KOHCOHaHC
a consonance that still didn ' t really KOTopbrä Bee eme njioxo yxjiaAMB
strike me as such. But I must admit b yam Kaie TaKOBOH. Ho b HeM,
that there was in it a certain smooth- npaBfla, 6biJia h Mxraoctb h Aaxce,
ness and, perhaps, even consonancy. noHcajiyfi, KOHCOHaHTHOCTb ...
"Here is why this represents the «Bot noneMy 3TO TOHajibHOCT
tonality A. In C major it will be this!" A. B «£0» Maacope sto 6yaeT bot
Scriabin played the notes "C-D-E- hto! ! » H CxpaGHH B3HJT 3ByKH AO
FÏ-A-BI-." "Here are the notes all in a MH-<j)al-Jia-CHl>. «Bot y MeHH ohh Ty
row." Then he played one of the pas- Bee noApHA», —oh cbnpaji KaKOÖ
sages from Prometheus. "This is both H3 naccaaceS IlpoMeTea. «3to h
melody and harmony simultaneously. MejiOAHX h rapMOHHH OAHOBpeMeH
This is how it should be—harmony .. BeAb Tax h AOJiacHO 6biTb—
and melody—since these are two rapMOHHH H MejiOAHH—3TO Abe
aspects of the same principle, of one CTOpOHbi oahoto npHHimna. oah
essence. At the beginning, in Classical cynjHOCTH, ohh CHanaiia b
music, they got separated—this is the KAaccnaecKOH My3bnce, Bee
process of differentiation. It is the pa3teAHHîuincb—3TO npouecc
downfall of spirit into matter, until AHtjxjtepeHitHaitHH, sto naAeHHe Jfy
the point where melody appeared with b MaTepmo, noxa He CTajia mcjio
accompaniment, as with Beethoven. conpoBoacAeHHe, xax y BeTXOBeH
Now, a synthesis is beginning— Tenepb y Hac HammaeTca CHHTe3

134.95.7.150 on Sun, 14 Jan 2024 23:56:24 +00:00
SO Indiana Theory Review Yol. 23
harmony is becoming melody, and rapMOHHfl CTaHOBHTCH MejioßHeö h

melody harmony. . . . Mejio/uiH rapMOHHen ... ».
"For me there is no difference «H y MeHa HeT pa3HHHt>i Meamy
between melody and harmony—they MenoßneH h rapMOHHeö—3to OflHO h
are one and the same. This system Toace. Tyr y MeHfl KOMap hqcv He
leaves nothing to be desired—-it is hotohht. Tyr hh o#hoh jihihhch hotkh
absolutely perfect—and there is not HeT», —CKpaÖHH yribiöanca c hshbhoh
one note unaccounted for." Scriabin ropAOCTbio, hto oh noÜMari Kaxyio-TO
smiled with naïve pride, since he felt xyztoxcecTBeHHyio h OßHOBpeMeHHO
he had uncovered an artistic and, at the MHpoByio TaÖHy, Kaicoö-TO o6iiihh
same time, worldly secret, some kind of npmntHn, BbipaacatonpfHCH h b 3Byice
universal principle, manifesting itself h b ayxe h b MHpo3JtaHHH
8
in sound, spirit, and the universe
This account of a discussion with Scriabin by his friend and biographer Leonid
Sabaneev sheds an intriguing light on Scriabin's harmonic thinking. According
to Sabaneev, Scriabin made quite clear how he viewed the mystic chord: this
dominant-sounding entity, so emblematic of his late period, replaced the tonic
triad of the Classical era and itself became the stable sonority to which others
could resolve, that is, the new tonic. Indeed, this throws much of what I have
written thus far into question. Scriabin's vertical, chordal thinking, as expressed
in the above quotation, would suggest that he did not have in mind any kind of
octatonic structure at all. Nor would it be accurate to label his late harmonies
dominants, which would contradict what Scriabin himself said to Sabaneev.
Barbara Dernova was the first to realize that Scriabin's late music featured
largely, indeed at times entirely, two dominant-sounding harmonies whose roots

fie a tritone apart. She named the relationship between these two chords the
tritone link, as shown in example 14. About this link, Richard Taruskin says:
Notice that the resolution tendencies in the harmonic tritone are con
tinually contradicted and recontradicted by the bass progression. This

easy reciprocity of function attenuates the harmony's "functionality,"
turning it qualitatively from an active tendency into a latent or passive
one. Although there is continual root activity, there is no functional
progression. Until one of the root notes leaves the tritone treadmill
'Leonid Sabaneev, BocnOMUHdHM 0 CKpAÔune (Recollections of Scriabin) (Moscow:

Izdatel'stvo Muzyka, 1925), 46-47. All Russian-to-English translations in this article are by
the author.

134.95.7.150 on Sun, 14 Jan 2024 23:56:24 +00:00
Ewell, Scriabin's Seventh Piano Sonata S1
and proceeds along the circle of fifths, the eventual destination of the
tritone is in doubt, and one can even forget that the tritone has a desti
nation. A quality of hovering, of time-forgetful stasis, altered conscious
ness, or trance, can be induced. At a minimum, suspended harmonic
animation of this kind is one extremely potent means of prolonging
and embellishing the dominant function. It contains the seeds of the
eventual neutralization of that function, indeed of "function" itself, and
its veritable extinguishing.9
EXAMPLE 14. Dernova's tritone link (LT — leading tone)
LT seventh LT seventh LT seventh LT seventh
-X
/-* -W,
-Uw 4™
(h pt
( (fa iuP -o -e
L°
U°
If®
Le
-e
\ -tr"1—
«j "fr®
■fl® -#®
J seventh
seventh LT seventh LT seventh LT seventh
seventh LT
ko.
(I'*" l#=l
if y
J ^ -J L-e Le
L©
Tritone
TritoneLink
Link
In Scriabin's late music there often exists a negation of harmonic function,

manifested in the hovering, or trance-like quality that Taruskin writes about.
More often than not, the root tone of the first dominant-sounding harmony is
the same as the root tone of the last. In between the beginning and ending
dominants, there is also often a strong motion to the dominant harmony whose
root is a tritone away from that of the initial harmony. The genesis of this motion
in Scriabin's late music is the bll-V key relationship. The juxtaposition of these
two chords—one representing V, the other III—reduces the active quality of
the tritone to a passive one. Therefore, the very nature of the tritone, to create
motion, is altered.
For Dernova, the two dominant chords whose roots he a tritone apart
remain dominants in the music of Scriabin, to his very last opus. In other words,
these two harmonies imply tonics that sound only in the imagination, not in
reality. Dernova says about the dominant:
'Richard Taruskin, Defining Russia Musically: Historical and Hermeneutical Essays (New Jersey:
Princeton University Press, 1997), 330—31.

134.95.7.150 on Sun, 14 Jan 2024 23:56:24 +00:00
However, it would be a mistake to think that the tri tone link replaced
the tonic, or became the "tonic" of dual polarity. It both was and
remained "dominant," since the non-resolution of the dominant and
all its enharmonic transformations is understood to be at the basis of
Skryabin's dual-polarity. Every such dominant implies a tonic, but this

tonic either does not appear at all, sounding only in the imagination in
a distant perspective, or else it changes into a dominant of resolution,
one of the traditional functional features of dual-polarity.10
EXAMPLE 15. DA and DB of the tritone link
ifit
DA DB
Example 15 displays a tritone link b

the designations Dernova uses for the
"DB" for the "derived dominant." Not
result of the transposition at the trito
Promethean works can be reduced to thi
chord makes up the minimum of Scri
the preponderance of additional notes,
major ninth. By adding these two not
one based entirely on the whole-tone s
writes, "It is this dominant ninth chord
is the basic chord of Dernova's entire an
When speaking about this chord, Gu
that can be directly applied to Yuri Kho
Furthermore, if such a chord seems to

structure and as to root location (i.e., the
stucture [sic] appearing at both the be
term tonic would seem more appropriate
,0Roy Guenther, "Varvara Deraova's Garm

Commentary" (Ph.D. diss., Catholic Universit
"Ibid., 184.
"Ibid., 169.

134.95.7.150 on Sun, 14 Jan 2024 23:56:24 +00:00
He continues:
Given the straightforward vertical organization of Skryabin's language,

a vertical, that is, a harmonically oriented analytical system would
seem a better choice [than analyses based on synthetic scales].13
Guenther's two points best summarize Kholopov's ideas on the late oeuvre
of Scriabin. His is precisely a harmonically oriented analytical system, in which
the sonorities that Dernova labels "dominants" are called "tonics," as Scriabin
himself suggested in the quotation above. This is Kholopov's neotonality, in
which unstable sonorities can {unction as tonics. Indeed, this is exactly the point
on which he and Dernova part company: to her, the dominant-formed chord in
late Scriabin, though exhibiting many aspects of a tonic, remains a dominant to
the end, whereas to him, it becomes the tonic of this new analytical system. It
should be mentioned that his system of analysis is intended for a wide body of
late-Romantic compositions and not only for the music of Scriabin. For instance,
Kholopov applies his analytical ideas to the music of Liszt, Wagner, Debussy,
and the Second-Viennese composers, among others.
Writing one year before the publication of Dernova's The Harmony of Scriabin,
Kholopov says:
The essence of Scriabin's late har- CymHOCTb rapMOHHH no3,nHero

monies consists of a "basic chord," CicpaÖHHa coctoht b tom, hto
which, according to its constructive «ochobhoh aKKopn» no CBoefi
function, replaces the central tonic KOHCTpyKTHBHofi (JjyHKUHH 3aMemaeT
triad that is typical for the major and THimmoe jyisi Maacopa hjih MHHOpa
minor modal system. This "basic uempajibHoe TOHHHecicoe Tpe3Bynne.
chord" varies from time to time, and «Ochobhoh aKKopa» HecKOJibKO
is represented in compositions at BapbHpyercH, h b tom hjih hhom
times by a five-note sonority, or coneHeHHH npencraBJieH jihöo
even by six- and seven-note sonori- nHTH3ByHHeM, jihöo mecTH
ties. An incomplete (without the ceMH3ByHHeM. OyHâMeHTOM aKKop.ua
perfect fifth) minor seventh chord aBJiaerca HenoJiHbm (6e3 kbhhtm)
with a major third is the fundamental Majibm MaacopHbiH cemaiacopfl,
of this chord, usually distributed in a noMemaeMbrii oöhhho b HH3K0M
lower register. The remaining tones peracrpe. OcTajibHbie 3ByKH MoryT
can vary, essentially remaining a BapbupoBarb, ocraBaacb no cymecray
l3Ibid., 174.

134.95.7.150 on Sun, 14 Jan 2024 23:56:24 +00:00
layer on top of the fundamental. The HacjioeHHeM Han 4>ynaaMeHT0M.

chord can be transposed, used in an Aiocopa Moacer TpaHcnoHHpOBarbCH,
incomplete fashion or, conversely, Hcpojrb30BaTbca no nacTSM hjih,
can have other notes added to it. HaoôopoT, aonojiHHTtCH ^pyrnMH
Genetically (and only genetically!) 3ByicaMH. TeHerHHecKH (tojibko
this "basic chord" is connected with reHenmecKH!) «ochobhoh aKKopa»
the dominant function. The regen- CBJßaH c aoMHHairroBOH <J)yHKmieH.
eration of Scriabin's system is mani- IlepepoagteHHe CKpaÖHHCKOH
fested, in part, in the transformation CHcreMM h coctoht, b HacTHOcra, b
of the dominant chord to the center npeßpameHHH flOMHHaHTaKKOpâ b
of the system, that is, to the function peffrp CHcreMH, to ecTb b HOByro
of the new tonic. A typical instantia- TOHHKy. Thtihhhhh bhu «ochobhoto
tion of the "basic chord" is the well- aKKOpfla»—3HaMeHHToe
known Prometheus six-note sonority. npoMeTeeBCKoe mecTH3ByuHe.
Any harmonic structure inevi- Bcaxaa rapMOHHuecKaa crpyicrypa
tably should make use of specific HeH3ÔeacH0 flOJiacHa HcnoJib30BaTb
characteristics of a given tonal- cneim<j)HHecKHe CBOHCTBa aaHHoro
harmonic fabric before using the TOHantHO-rap.MOHHHecKoro MarepHana
characteristics of a central basic npeame Bcero CBOHCTBa uempaJibHoro,
chord or a central group of notes in ochobhoto axKopaa hjih Booßme
general. The specific feature of ueHTpaiibHOH rpynnw 3ByK0B.
Scriabin's system is stipulated on the CneuH(}>HHecKax ocoöeHHOCTb
structure of the central "basic ckp»6hhckoh chctcmbi oöycjioßjieHa
chord."14 crpyKTypoH ueHTparibHoro
«ocHOBHoro aicKopaa».
From this quotation the main difference between Kholopov and Dernova is
clear. Though he admits to the dominant-function genesis, he clearly thinks that
somewhere along the way Scriabin changed his beliefs concerning the function
of the dominant and the tonic. So, at precisely the same time as Dernova,
Kholopov offers a slightly different interpretation of Scriabin's dissonant stabili
ties. At no point in his writings does Kholopov offer a specific explanation as to
how this transformation took place. Perhaps he thinks that during the period of
l4Yuri Kholopov, "KnacCHHeCKHe crpyicrypw B COBpeMeHHOH rapMOHHH" (Classical

Structures in Contemporary Harmony), in IlpOÔJieMbl COepeMeHHOÜ My3blKU (Problems
of Contemporary Music) (Moscow: Muzyka, 1967), 91-128. In the above quotation Kholopov
footnotes the term "basic chord" by saying that it is the dominant-formed chord that makes
up the fundamental chordal material for all of Scriabin's late music.

134.95.7.150 on Sun, 14 Jan 2024 23:56:24 +00:00
Ewell, Scriabin's Seventh Piano Sonata S S
compositional inactivity between his second and third periods (approximat

1908—10), Scriabin experienced a metamorphosis, brought about by his e
changing apocalyptic and theosophical views of the world at large. Dernova,
clearly relating Scriabin's dominant chord to a dominant function, did not hav
to explain anything new about his late music; she simply focused on assiduously
studying the harmonic vagaries and codifying all the different possibiliti
Kholopov, by saying that the dominant became the new tonic, needed to defin
a new system, which he called "neotonality."
In his article, "Scriabin and the Harmony of the 20th Century," Kholop
states, "In some sense, Scriabin's new creative output occupies a key position
the harmony of the twentieth century. He belongs to that group of discoverer
of new harmony. Scriabin opened the door leading to the New Harmony of our
[twentieth] century."15 Furthermore, he identifies three major events in t
middle-period works (opp. 30 to 57, 1903-08): "functional inversion," "dep
ture to the dominant," and "transformation of the dominant to the basic stabi
ity, the tonic."16 He goes on to describe each of these phenomena. Functio
inversion occurs when the tonic maintains its formal supremacy, but the focu
"artistic attention" (xyflOafeCTBeHHOe BHHMäHHe) is on other chords—th
common in the music of late-Romantic composers. Departure to the domin
happens during the end of Scriabin's second period, when much of the non-ton
emphasis is placed specifically on the dominant. Significantly, all the works fr
this phase still have tonal endings. The last event, transformation of the domina
to the basic stability, the tonic, is self-explanatory, as it relates to Scriabin.
Kholopov describes neotonality thus:
Neotonality is not the same as old HoBaa TOHaatHOCTb—3to 3HaHHT He

tonality, but is a different subject crapaa TOHajibHOCTb, 3to flpyrofi
matter with a similar tide. Accord- npe^MeT c TeM ace HaHMeHOBaHHeM.
ingly, the new tonic is also a subject HoBaa TOHHKa, cooTBercrBeHHO,
with different properties from the Taxace ecu. npe^Met c ztpyrHMH
15 Yuri Kholopov, "ClcpÄÖHH H rapMOHHJl XX Beica" (Scriabin and the Harmony of

20th Century), in YneHbie 3anuCKU (Scholarly Writings) (Moscow: Izdatel'skoe Ob"edin
Kompozitor, 1993), 25. The original Russian reads "B HeKOTOpOM CMtlCJie HOBaTOpC
CKpaÔHHa 33HHMaeT KJConeBoe nojioaceHHe b rapMOHHH XX Beica. Oh othochtc
nepBOOTKpHBaTeJMM HOBOH rapMOHHH. CKpaÔHH OTKpbUI ÄBepb, Be^ymyio K hob
rapMOHHH Harnero CTOJienw."
l6Ibid., 27. The Russian for these three terms is "(J)yHKimOHaJIBHaa HHBepCHa,"
"yxoa k flOMHHaHTy," and "npeßpameHHe ÔMHHaHTM b ochobhoh ycrofi, b TOHHicy

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Classical tonic. If the "dominant- cbohctbumh, neM xnaccHnecxaa

formed" sonority completely loses its TOHHKa. Ecjih ".aoMHHaHTOoöpasHoe"
gravitation, it ceases to be a dominant, c03Bynne nojiHOCTBK) yrpaHHBaeT
though it still has a striving strained TflroTeHHe, oho nepecTaeT 6brn>
character. In Barbara Dernova's flOMHHaHToS, xoth HMeeT xapaicrep
writings, rich in thought and analysis, ycrpeMJieHHMH, HanpœxeHHbm. B
this moment is interpreted mechani- öoraroH mmcjmmh h aHamnaMH
cally, in such a way that it is impos- KOHuennjîH B.n.JfepHOBOH 3tot
sible to agree with it; in late Scriabin MOMeHT TpaKTOBaH HHepiiHOHHO, c
there is not "DA" and "DB" [domi- neM Hejn>3H coraacHTbca; y no3AHero
nants], but "TA" and "TB" [tonics] (if Cxpabmia He "Da", "Db", a "Ta",
in a duplex mode), or "TA, TB, TC, "Tb" (ecjin b flBaa«bi-Jiaay) hjih 'Ta
and TD" (if in a diminished mode), Tb, Tc, Td" (ecjiH b yMeHbmeHHOM)
or "TA, TB, and TC" (if in an aug- hjih 'Ta, Tb, Tc" (ecjin b
mented mode). In the spirit of yBejnraeHHOM). B jiyxe TeopHH
Yavorsky's theories, in place of the ÜBopcKoro bmccto HenoaxojyimHX
inappropriate designations Ft major 6ojiee o6o3HaneHHH Fis-dur, A-dur,
and A major, it is necessary to use Ha#o nojn>30BaTbca anexBaTHbiMH
more appropriate signs: Ft1™ and o6o3HaneHH5iMH: Fisd,m, Adim
A^ (diminished) and Amax (aug- (yMeHbiiieHHbiH), A™x
mented). And in similar situations (yBejiHHeHHbiH). H b noAOÖHbix
with the duplex-modal tritone of the cjiynaax b nBaxcflbi-JiaaoBOM TpHTOHe
fundamental bass, the basic tonic- (jiynnaMeHTanbHoro 6aca—
tone double is witnessed. . . . tohhhcckhh ochobhoh TOH-jiyÔJib....
Not being a theorist, Scriabin He 6ynyHH TeopeTHKOM,
formulated several of his own new CxpxÖHH c<])opMyjiHpOBaji HeKOTopbie
concepts. Such new functional rela- HOBbie noHHTHa. Tax, HOBbie
tionships that are not similar to pre- (jjyHXijHOHajibHbie OTHonieHHX, Tax He
vious ones Scriabin suggested calling noxoxcne Ha npexcHHe, CxpxÖHH
"polarities." Polarities, according to npeanoxoui Ha3bmaTb
Scriabin, were in the relationship of "nonxpHOCTbio". IlojixpHbi, no
a tritone, and also of a third in the CxpxÖHHy, OTHomeHHX TpHTOHa, a
minor-third (diminished) mode. . . . Taioxe TepuHH b MaaoTepuoBOM
About this relationship, Scriabin (yMeHbmeHHOM) Jiajjy... .
said: "It is completely analogous to CxpxÖHH cxa3aji 06 3tom
the tonic/dominant succession and oôopoTe: "3to coBepmeHHO
cadence in the Classical system, only aHajioniHHO ToromecxoMy h
on a different plan, a level higher." aoMHHaHTOBOMy nocjienoBanHio,

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The composer Scriabin suggested KaßemjHH b KjiaccHHecKOH cncreM

a new analytical method, which was tojibko b hhom iuiaHe, BTaacoM BHi
needed precisely for the new harmony KoMno3HTop-Cicpji6HH npetpio
of the 20th century and, more con- hobmh aHanHTHuecKHÖ MeroA, Koro
cretely, for a chromatic tonal system HyaceH hmchho juw hoboh rapMOH
where the functions are not three XX Beica, KOHKpeTHO—jum
(tonic, dominant, and subdominant), xpoMaranecKOH TOHajiBHOÖ chctcm
but all twelve.17 r#e (JiyHKixHH He rpn (TDS), a Bee
We will see shortly how Kholopov's neotonality is used, but first a

comments on his thinking seem to be in order. Surely, there is a certain
tionalism to his method: he is, after all, defining Scriabin in terms of tonali
He makes a clear break from Dernova and calls all stable resting moments ton
Moreover, he points out that Scriabin viewed the tritone relationship bet
tonics as a replacement of the conventional tonic/dominant relationship
that Scriabin even offered a term for this phenomenon, "polarity." Dernova
Kholopov both acknowledge the concept of a dissonant stability. The differen
lies in chord function.
Example 16 shows all chordal labels that Kholopov uses in this twelve-
system for the key of C.1 First and foremost it should be noted that the ma
relation between all the different designations is the tritone. Notice that the s
on top connect notes symmetrical around the tritone and the slurs on th
tom connect notes a tritone apart. The main harmonies in the music of Scria
are the tonic, the tonic double, and the minor and major mediant and sub
ant. This corresponds to the root motion by tritone, minor third, and m
third identified by Dernova. The other chords from example 16 are quite
in Scriabin's late music. For example, a chord built on "D\>" in the tonality o
will rarely be the dominant double shown in example 16, but rather the t
tonic double, or perhaps one of the four mediants in a new tonality. For inst
in the key of C, the traditional dominant, G, never happens in late Scriabin,
it stands to reason that its tritone double, Dt, will also not sound. Lastly, not
the traditional Riemannian designations for tonic (T), dominant (D), an
dominant (S), thus enabling conventional tonal analyses.19
l7Ibid., 28—29. The quote by Saiabin toward the end of this quotation is from Sabaneev,
l8Kholopov's discussion of these designations is contained in his PapMOHUR (Harmo
(Moscow: Muzyka, 1988), 418—24.
"The theories of Hugo Riemann have far more currency in Russia than Heinrich Schen
theories, which are largely believed to be nothing more than a simple system of voice le

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EXAMPLE 16. Kholopov's "neotonality," key of C
T # W m M
T " tonic X »
" tonic double
=» dominant
^ =» dominant double
doubleDD»dominant
'dominant
1HJ » major submediant double IM
L\ »
= major
major submediant
submediant
m = minor mediant UI
III = minor submediant
M " major mediant (HI =

« major mediant double
S =*
»subdominant
subdominant$ $=■
=■subdominant
subdominant double
double
According to Kholopov, there are also ten important steps to take in an

lyzing late Scriabin:20
1. Identify the central chord

2. Establish the tonality and the tonic
3. Identify the form
4. Outline the basic bass tones, in Rameau's "fundamental bass" fashion
5. Locate the basic themes and their modulations
6. Find the function of every basic bass tone in the tonality

7. Identify the specific mode, for example, diminished, augmented, whole-tone, or
octatonic
8. Label tonal functions [represented by the designations shown in example 16]

9. Establish the modal basis and the type of symmetrical scale associated with the mode
10. Identify the cadences
20These ten points appear in written correspondence between Kholopov and me. We
always wrote in Russian—all translations into English are mine.

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One final note about Kholopov's views on the octatonic in Scriabin

is in order. I once asked him, before he died, "What role does the o
play in Scriabin's music?" to which he replied:
We cannot ignore what Scriabin himself thought, and how he pre

sented his own music in harmonic analysis. He thought purely chor
dally and purely tonally. Therefore, Scriabin analyses should emanate
from properties of the actual acting system of composition, and not
from somebody's contrived conception, no matter how fruitful it
could be in a different system of composition. We can approach with
certainty the harmony of late Scriabin because, on top of everything
else, the crux of its conception was explained to us by Scriabin himself
... In the score to Prometheus, he himself wrote out its harmonic
analysis, placing it in the "Luce" part. More specifically, he wrote: 1)
root tones of the chords and, 2) root tones of the tonalities. (By the
way, no "scales"!) This and only this method answers the essence of
Scriabin's late harmony, and only this method is absolutely true.21
Dernova, Kholopov, and the Seventh Sonata
In The Harmony of Scriabin, Dernova carries out a detailed analys

Seventh Sonata, parts of which I will include here. Example 17 shows
sis of the first two chords of the sonata. About this measure, Dernova sa
In the right hand part, there immediately appears the initially incom
plete thematic chord B-flat — D-flat - A. In the first moments, the
polarity is still uncertain. The harmonic foundation, E — F-sharp — C,
21Yuri Kholopov, letter to author, September S, 1998. "Somebody's contrived

tion" refers to octatonic theory as it appears, loosely speaking, in American music
writings. "HeJIB3S HTHOpHpOBaTb 0 TO, KaK MBICJI0JI caM CKpaÖHH 0
npeflCTaBJMJi ce6e rapMomraecKHH aHanH3. A mmcjihji oh hhcto aioco
H0CTO TOHajIbHO. EköTOMy aHajI03 0 aOJDKeH 0CXOÄ0TB 03 CBO0CTB
AeßcTBOBaBmeö chctcmm KOMno3H000, a He 03 Hbeß-HHÖyzib KoimeimH
6m njioHOTBopHa hh 6buia OHa b apyroö CHCTeMe KOMno3HipiH . .. Yßepe
MoxceM no^xoHHTB k rapMOHHH no3AHero CKpaÖHHa noTOMy, hto—noMH
nponero—b 5mpe ee KOHHenmm HaM ee oômchhji caM Ckphöhh ... B nap
«IlpoMeTea» oh caM Bnacaji ee rapMOHmecKHH aHajiH3, noMecTHB ero b
Luce. A HMeHHO, oh 3anHcaji: a) ochobhhc tohh aKKopaoB h 6) ochobh
TOHajitHocTeH. (KcraTH, HHKaKHx «raMM»!) 3tot h tojibko stot Meroß oT
cymecTBy rapMOHHH no3^Hero CKpsÔHHa, tojibko 3tot Mero/i BepeH a6co

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EXAMPLE 17. Dernova's reduction of mm. 1-2
J—J—
1^4 J7
kj * ^
'ÏÏWWW
L; *i; L; LL; 1—
3 3 3
333 3
. m
f-f 1—'
li.
^ w«#» 5
^*v -9
3 7
-Iter
Tritonelink: q
(DA) (DB)
appearing gradually in descending arpeggio f

measure, can only indicate a thematic chord
dation is a four-three chord which is enharm
position of the dominant a tritone away. Th
the right hand part, can belong to the domina
a third, a perfect fifth, and tenth, but it c
nant on the root C as a seventh, a minor n
less, the harmonic foundation does indicate th
Sonata, which is determined by the tritone lin
Thus the tritone link is established at the be

occurring above the bass are interpreted as pa
is the general modus operandi for Dernova: id
melodic events with figures above. In her inte
TT shown in example 18, she claims that "th
their unusual 'mysterious' sonority, form the
22Guenther, "A Translation and Critical Commen

"Ibid., 317.

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She notes that the roots can be gleaned from chords by looking at the s
measure, which contains all information required. In the second measure
ple 17) we see that the root of the chord is C2, which is in the bass. The
chord Bi>3-Di>4-A4 (downbeat of m. 1), which is sustained in the second
ure over the C2 in the bass, represents the seventh, minor ninth, and
above that root. In example 18 we see the same chord from measure 1,
the addition of FÖ5. This does not change the root of the chord however, wh
is the same as in measure 2, "C." Therefore, all roots for the four four-
chords in measure 14 (motive Y, example 18) can be gleaned in a similar
ion, and they would be "C-A-Fl-Ek" The linear instantiation of the chord in
TT is also described by its characteristics as part of the overriding F# domin
harmony, as seen in the example.
About the ST, Dernova says:
It would be wrong to think that this melody is not dependent on the

harmony. Just like all the other melodies in Skryabin's work, it is sub
ordinate to the principles of the dual-polar chromatic system based on
the tritone link. Each of its notes has identity as a member of the
dominant. Moreover, its conclusion returns us to the thematic chord,
since the notes F-sharp, A, C-double-sharp, and E-sharp correspond
to the seventh, minor ninth, lowered fifth, and sixth of a dominant on
the root G-sharp. Obviously, the melody of the subordinate section
has a close relationship with the thematic chord.24
EXAMPLE 18. Dernova's understanding of motive Y and the TT
Motive Y TT
r>'^ cS"
-5 -5 -5 -5 7 -9 5 V 7 -9 -D Uv
-9 -9 -9 -9 ■*• ft*
7 7 7 7 fc>« ' jj* ■« '
Roots: C A F(i Eb
1 ■ ' Ft) 5
24Ibid., 321. Guent

misleading, and sho
(area or section).

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Dernova's system is based solely on harmonic considerations: all horizont

facets of the music are subordinate to the vertical and are explained purely
those vertical terms. That said, she does not really go beyond the notes on t
page in order to offer a system of organic coherence in Scriabin's late mus
Dernova speaks about a tonal framework, yet for her the tonic sounds only
the imagination in the late music. Her output is remarkable in that it was t
first in-depth look into this repertory.
Kholopov bases much of his late-Scriabin analyses on a single "fundament
chord" from which much of the structure emanates.25 In an in-depth analysis o
the Ninth Piano Sonata, he begins by displaying the fundamental chord from th
sonata. Because a similar chord exists in the Seventh Sonata, I have shown th
both in example 19. Both chords feature a root tone with a major third an
minor seventh above. The fact that the fundamental chord for the Ninth Sonat
is purely whole tone is subordinate to the dominant structure of the chord

Regarding this chord, Kholopov says:
This chord is in essence the tonic, in 3tot axicopfl no cymecTBy HBjmeTc

the sense that we understand tonic monuKOÜ, Tax xax mbi noHHMaeM no/
to imply the central element of a tonal tohhkoh ijeHmpanbHbiü OJieMeum
system. In this fashion, the establish- moHCuibHOÜ cucmeMbi. TaKHM
ment of the "fundamental chord" as oöpa30M, ycTaHOBJiemie «ochoboto
the base in the harmony of late aKKOpfla» b KanecTBe 6a3M b
Scriabin is the establishment of a new no3HecKpaÖHHCKOH rapMOHHH ecTB
tonic, and therefore, of a new modal- ycmanoeneHue noeou monuKU, a TeM
tonality. caMBiM—hoboh jiaôTOHanBHocTH.
EXAMPLE 19. Fundamental chords for a) Ninth Sonata and b) Seventh Son
"An analysis of the Seventh Sonata based on his ideas would be remarkably si
Dernova's, with the exception of his harmonic designations. I will therefore not off
analysis, but rather a discussion of what sets him apart.

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Thefiinction of one or another sonor- @yHKifW moso wiu unoeo C036ym

ity dfines itself not through its intervallic onpedennemcsi ne ezo mmepecui
structure, nor through what it was cmpoenueM H He TeM, ieM oho
before or what it is in different aBjiaiiocb b npoinjiOM hjih »BJiae
compositions, but rather through Äpyrnx cohhhchhsx, a TeM, Kaxyto
what role itßilfills in a given harmonic po/ib oho ebinonmem e damoü
structure. If a sonority is the basis of zapMOHunecKOÜ cmpyxmype. Ecj
the harmony and the central ele- C03ByHHe—6a3a rapMOHHH,
ment of the system, that means that iteHTpaJibHbra ojieMeHT chctcmh
it is the tonic, independent from its 3HauHT, oho TOHHKa, He3aeucuMO
internal structure. ero BHyrpeHHen CTpyKTypbi.
The specific properties of the CneitH^HHecKHe CBOHCTBa
tonic in the Ninth Sonata are predi- tohhkh 9-h C0Han>i obycJiOBJieHH
cated on the "dominant" fundamental «ßOMHHaHTOBBiM» (jjyimaMeHTOM
of the chord: at its base lies a stable aiocopâ: b ocHOBe ero jiokht
minor-major seventh chord [root, ycmoÜHueuü Mcmuü MaœopHbifi
major third, and minor seventh]. cenTaKKopjt. CaMoe Baaoioe 3êcb—
What is most important here is the ycTOHHHBOCTb TpHTOHa. 3to
stable tritone. This situation mark- nojioaceHHe pe3K0 npoTHBopeHHT
edly contradicts the normal role of oöbiHHOH pojm TpHTOHa; OTcroâ h
the tritone; from here we can see the KOHKpeTHbie cneitH<j>HHecKHe
concrete differences in the proper- pa3JiHHHH b cbohctbox
ties of the harmonic material.26 rapMOHHHecKoro MaTepHaaa.
From the above quotation it is clear how Kholopov views the main chord in the
Ninth Sonata. By identifying the chord and tracing its activity, Kholopov postulates
that the pitch material for the whole sonata can be gleaned from it. Moreover, he
states that chords whose roots are in a minor-third relationship are part of the same
"mono-functional sphere" (MOHO([)yHKIIHOHaJIbHaa C(|)epy).27 The sphere shown
in example 20 for the Ninth Sonata is also the main sphere for the Seventh Sonata.
The four chords of the mono-functional sphere are in a tonic/tonic-double
and minor-mediant/minor-submediant relationship, depending on which of the
four nodes represents the tonic. Notice how each of the four chords contains
the minimum elements of Scriabin's late harmony: a root, major third, and minor
seventh. In the example I have added Kholopov's neotonal chord designations
26Kholopov, "Classical Structures in Contemporary Harmony," 98.

"Ibid., 99.

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EXAMPLE 20. Kholopov's mono-functional sphere
If— II3-—■ »°
y ^
Fj}dira:
Fjf : ui iu 1 m T
for the key of Fit in the diminished mode. Thus, the f

sphere as the tonic Ftt are tonic double (built on "C"), t
on "A"), and the minor submediant (built on "Et"). M
these chords represent the same tonality, built on FÜ.
In [Scriabin's late] tonic the tritone B...AJIH tohhk

is so important as a constituent ele- KaK cocTaBHaa
ment that the sonority whose root is co3Bynne tp
a tritone away from the tonic root is tojibko He yzj
not only not far removed from the MoaceT 6bm> B
tonic, but it can actually be a differ- (JjopMOH toto
ent form of the same tonic sonority, npocTbiM nep
or even a simple displacement (con- (oôpameHHeM
version) of the pitch classes of one aKKop.ua, He J
and the same tonic sonority, not HOBoro 3ByK
yielding one new pitch class. ... If tphtoh, TpaHc
the interval of a tritone transposed tphtoh, flaeT
at the tritone yields complete pitch- caMbie 3ByKH
class invariance, then between all TpaHcno3Hu;HHX
other intervallic transpositions sharp HHTepBajxoB
dissonances arise, more or less, with MeHee pe3KHe
the exception of transposition at the HCKjHoueHHeM
minor third, during which no sec- Mariyio TepuHi
8Ibid., 98.

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onds or sevenths are formed [with o6pa3yiOTCx hh cexyHAbi, hh

the original tritone], Thus it turns cenTHMbi... TaKHM o6pa30M,
out that transposition at the minor TpaHcno3HUHfl Ha Manyio Te
third is a closely related and, at the OKa3biBaeTCfl 6jih3K0 poflCTB
same time, not a contrasting ele- npHTOM He KOHTpacTnpyiom
ment [to a tritone transposition].28 ajieMeHTOM.
The mono-fimctional sphere is of paramount importance in trying

stand Scriabin's late music. Example 20 represents an entire octato
Kholopov never mentions this fact in his discussion. He is clearly
cerned with vertical considerations. With this sphere in our inner ear,
ally quite easy to hear when Scriabin changes from one sphere to anoth
late music. Building on the theories of Dernova, Kholopov did much
our understanding of Scriabin's late music. An examination of his
leaves the impression of an intimate knowledge of the music at ha
belief that these analyses get to the crux of Scriabin's late thinking.
Conclusion
In this article I have shown the three most promising analytical approaches
to Scriabin's late music in general, and to the Seventh Sonata in specific: octa
tonicism, the dominant harmony, and the theories of Barbara Dernova and Yuri
Kholopov. All have something to offer, though there are certain problems asso
ciated with each—none is absolutely foolproof.
Seeing and hearing large chunks of octatonic music in the late music of Scriabin
is helpful in that it offers an explanation of how this music is held together beyond
the foreground level. One can speak of a large-scale organic coherence in this music
based on the eight-note world. Nevertheless, what may seem to be analytically
expedient at first is, upon further inspection, academically irresponsible. The octatonic
in the music of Scriabin is a purely a posteriori phenomenon. In his "Stravinsky and
the Octatonic: A Reconsideration," Dmitri Tymoczko makes the compelling and
cogent argument that Stravinsky's use of the octatonic is often overstated in the
literature.29 The same claim can be made about the music of Scriabin.30 Further,
2,Dmitri Tymoczko, "Stravinsky and the Octatonic: A Reconsideration," Music Theory

Spectrum 24, no. 1 (spring 2002): 68—102.
30For such literature on Scriabin and the octatonic see, among others, Taruskin "Chemomor to
Kashchei"; George Perle, "Scriabin's Self-Analyses," Musk Analysis 3 (1984): 101-22; and Jay Reise,
"Late Skriabin: Some Principles Behind the Style," Nineteenth-Century Music 6 (1983): 220-31.

134.95.7.150 on Sun, 14 Jan 2024 23:56:24 +00:00
Tymoczko claims that octatonicism in Stravinsky's music is, in fact, usually one
of two things: "modal use of non-diatonic minor scales, and superimposition o
elements belonging to different scales [a euphemism, no doubt, for the of
contested analytical term 'bitonality']."31 The same claim cannot be made abou
Scriabin's music.
Scriabin's octatonic, which, as Tarusldn mentions above, can go on for sev

enty measures at a stretch, is only a veneer of what is fundamentally a harmoni
and chordal way of thinking. Realizing that the dominant seventh with a tS
French-sixth sonority) was one of Scriabin's hallmarks, one need only think o
two such sonorities whose roots lie a minor third apart to understand that they
represent a complete octatonic scale. The octatonic as a nexus of Scriabin's cho
dal thinking is indisputable; the octatonic as a point of departure for Scriabin's
compositional thinking (as Reise posits) is highly disputable. It is Scriabin's us
of modified dominants, appearing on scale degrees other than 5, that is at th
core of this style. To say that the octatonic is at its core is incorrect.
Though one can best understand the chordal structure in his last period
through an intense study of earlier dominant harmonies, an analytical approach
based entirely on such a study will not reveal the more revolutionary ideas o
late Scriabin. In many ways, the ideas of dominant derivation are similar to those
of Dernova—she simply found a method by which to tie the late dominant
harmonies together. Furthermore, her assessment of the relationship betwee
dominants is more sophisticated than a modified tonal view of his music. Essen
tially, labeling harmonies from his final period as dominants is inaccurate, inso
far as they simply do not function as such. To say, as Dernova does, that thes
sonorities are dominants that resolve "in the imagination" is a bit of a stretch
Taking into account what Scriabin himself said about these late harmonies, ca
ing them dominants seems to be all the more suspect. Ultimately, the tools o
traditional tonal analysis fall short in accounting for all of the problems wit
harmonic organization in late Scriabin. That said, a rigorous study of his dom
nant usage sheds enormous light on how he was thinking in his later years; one
should not understate the importance of such a study.
I feel that Yuri Kholopov's methods are best at dealing with Scriabin's enig
matic late oeuvre. He corrects Dernova's signal error of naming the main har
monies dominants. The forte of Dernova and Kholopov lies in their methodology:
it seems that all the relevant concepts emanate from the music itself. One gets
the sense that, after reading a Kholopov analysis, this is remarkably close to the
"Tymoczko, "Stravinsky and the Octatonic: A Reconsideration," 68.

134.95.7.150 on Sun, 14 Jan 2024 23:56:24 +00:00
way the composer was thinking. The mono-functional sphere best capture
essence of late Scriabin. To be sure, his methods are conservative. Indeed
one criticism is that he seems unwilling to conjecture beyond the notes o
page as to how the music is held together. The fact that his Russian-lang
writings, so rich in detail and ingenuity, are inaccessible to the English-langu
audience is extremely unfortunate. It is my hope that this article will, to som
degree, inspire inquisitive readers to undertake a study of Russian, so that th
might open up the world of the great theorist Yuri Kholopov and the rich
Russian music theory.

134.95.7.150 on Sun, 14 Jan 2024 23:56:24 +00:00

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Scriabin's Seventh Piano Sonata: Three Analytical Approaches

Author(s): Philip Ewell

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/24046537

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Three Analytical Approaches

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The Seventh Sonata

The Seventh Sonata is in a one-movement sonata-allegro form. Example 1

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EXAMPLE 1. Piano Sonata no. 7, exposition

Main Theme Area ► (to bar 17)

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Secondary Theme Area ►(to bar 60)

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EXAMPLE 2. Primary themes for the Seventh Sonata

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b) TT sv r i*w -#J 0—fc

c) ST £ ft > * J 4(4—4- — I ■ "Jj

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It was Scriabin who, with magnificent resourcefulness, handled the

EXAMPLE 3. Motives W, X, Y, and Z

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2Richard Taruskin, "Chernomor to Kashchei: Harmonic Sorcery; or, Stra

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Octatonicism and the Seventh Sonata

'George Perle, "Scriabin's Self-Analyses," Music Analysis 3, no. 2 (1984): 116.

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EXAMPLE 4. Main theme area of Piano Sonata no. 7

Repetition: p q r s p' q' r' q" r" s* t s" u v u' v'

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The TT beginning in measure 17 falls entirely within CIII until it moves

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The Dominant Harmony

Speaking of the larger realm of the dominant harmony in the analys

This theory depends primarily on two factors: the traditional tonal

sRoy Guenther, "Varvara Dernova's System of Analysis of the Music of Skry

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EXAMPLE 6. Op. 45, no. 2, Fantastic Poem

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EXAMPLE 7. Op. 57, no. 1, Desire

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(in bass only)

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EXAMPLE 8. Op. S7, no. 2, Danced Caress

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in Odessa, Ukraine, Scriabin

^Margarita Priashnikova and Ol

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The Dominant Harmony and the Seventh Sonata

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that it is immediately preceded by its third in the same register, lends c

Example 9. Op. 63, no. 1, Mask

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