''Mysterium'' is an unfinished musical work by composer
Alexander Scriabin
Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin, scientific transliteration: ''Aleksandr Nikolaevič Skrjabin''; also transliterated variously as Skriabin, Skryabin, and (in French) Scriabine. The composer himselused the French spelling "Scriabine" which was a ...
. He started working on the composition in 1903, but left it incomplete when he died in 1915. Scriabin planned that the work would be
synesthetic, exploiting the senses of
smell and
touch
The somatosensory system, or somatic sensory system is a subset of the sensory nervous system. The main functions of the somatosensory system are the perception of external stimuli, the perception of internal stimuli, and the regulation of bo ...
as well as hearing. He wrote that
:"There will not be a single spectator. All will be participants. The work requires special people, special artists and a completely new culture. The cast of performers includes an orchestra, a large mixed choir, an instrument with visual effects, dancers, a procession, incense, and rhythmic textural articulation. The cathedral in which it will take place will not be of one single type of stone but will continually change with the atmosphere and motion of the Mysterium. This will be done with the aid of mists and lights, which will modify the architectural contours."
Scriabin intended the performance to be in the foothills of the
Himalayas
The Himalayas, or Himalaya ( ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. More than list of h ...
in
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
, a week-long event that would be followed by the
end of the world and the transformation of the human race into "nobler beings".
At the time of his death, Scriabin had sketched 72 pages of a
prelude to the ''Mysterium'', entitled ''Prefatory Action''. The Russian composer and musicologist
Alexander Nemtin spent 28 years reforming this sketch into a three-hour-long work, "Preparation for the Final Mystery" in 3 parts: Part 1 "Universe", Part 2 "Mankind", and Part 3 "Transfiguration". Part 1 was recorded in 1973, conducted by
Kiril Kondrashin, released LP 1973; in 1996
Vladimir Ashkenazy
Vladimir Davidovich Ashkenazy (, ''Vladimir Davidovich Ashkenazi''; born 6 July 1937) is a Soviet-born Icelandic pianist, chamber music performer, and conductor. Ashkenazy has collaborated with well-known orchestras and soloists. In addition, ...
recorded all 3 parts with
Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
The Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin (DSO) is a German broadcast orchestra based in Berlin. The orchestra
An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families ...
.
In popular culture
The Hungarian film ''
The Tragedy of Man
''The Tragedy of Man'' () is a play written by the Hungarian author Imre Madách. It was first published in 1861. The play is considered to be one of the major works of Hungarian literature and is one of the most often staged Hungarian plays to ...
'' (1988-2011) uses parts from the "Universe" section in the introduction and creation of the universe by God.
Scriabin's ''Mysterium'' is depicted in Issue 3 of the graphic novel trilogy ''
Suffrajitsu: Mrs. Pankhurst's Amazons'' (2015).
The Black Tapes
''The Black Tapes'' is a mystery- horror pseudo-documentary podcast created by Paul Bae and Terry Miles. Published by Pacific Northwest Stories, it is part of their series of podcasts set in the same fictional universe (such as ''Tanis'' and ''Rabb ...
podcast (2015–2017) uses Scriabin's ''Mysterium'' as a potential example of someone trying to access supernatural forces.
See also
*
Synesthesia in art
References
External links
CD ReviewBiography of Scriabin, including a description of the ''Mysterium''Scriabin in the Himalayas
"Scriabin's ''Mysterium'' and the Birth of Genius" by Emanuel E. Garcia
{{Portalbar, Classical Music
Compositions by Alexander Scriabin
Unfinished musical compositions
Apocalyptic music