“The Divine Poem” ( fr. “Le Divin Poème” ) - the third Symphony for a large orchestra in C minor , Op. 43, in three parts, written by Alexander Nikolaevich Scriabin from 1902 to November 1904 . [one]
Upon completion of the work, the composer sent the score to Leipzig to the publishing house of M.P. Belyaev (MP Belaïeff, Leipzig), where she first appeared in print in 1905 . The premiere of the symphony took place in Paris on May 16 ( 29 ), 1905 , in a symphony concert conducted by Artur Nikish in the hall of the New Theater . In this concert, the popular works of K. M. von Weber ( Overture to the opera The Free Shooter ) and Richard Wagner (Idyll from the opera Siegfried , Introduction and “The Death of Isolde” from the opera “Tristan and Isolde” , as well as the Introduction to the opera “The Nuremberg Masters of Singing ”) [2] .
In Russia, the Third Symphony was first performed in St. Petersburg , in the Russian Symphony Concert in the Hall of the Nobility Assembly on February 23, 1906, conducted by Felix M. Blumenfeld [3] .
This was followed by the premieres in New York and Berlin - March 1 ( 14 ), 1907. The Third Symphony was performed by the Orchestra of the Russian Symphony Society under the direction of Modest Altshuler at Carnegie Hall [4] [5] , and on January 5 ( 18 ). concert of the Berlin Society of Friends of Music, conducted by Oskar Fried . [6] [7] And only on February 21, 1909, the Divine Poem was first performed in Moscow , in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory under the direction of Emil Cooper . [eight]
Content
Structure of the Third Symphony
In its form, “The Divine Poem” is a program symphonic cycle, which is a transitional work for Scriabin’s creativity and, as a result, a synthesis of two genres : symphonies , like a sonata-symphonic cycle , and a symphonic poem .
It should be noted that none of the three symphonies was ever written in the standard four parts - Scriabin intuitively avoided heavy squareness and closure of the four-part cycle. However, in general, both the First and Second Symphony are traditional. They are clearly guessed " Beethoven " influence. The form of the First Symphony (1 + 4 + 1) - with a prologue [comm. 1] and the epilogue , and the second form (1 + 4) - with a detailed introduction. Also, the symphony finals are a kind of "Ode to Joy." The first symphony ends with a solemn final of the oratorio (part VI), which glorifies the transforming power of art “O wondrous image of the Divine, harmonies of pure art!” (The author of the poetic text is Scriabin). Final of the Second Symphony (V part) - solemn march .
In turn, the Third Symphony is partially reduced [comm. 2] and consists of three parts, united, as mentioned above, a philosophical program. The text of the program was written from the words of Scriabin (originally in French) especially for the Paris premiere of “The Divine Poem” by Tatiana Feodorovna Schlozer , the muse and the composer’s second wife. Scriabin later authorized the program text. [9] It is known that the first performance of the poem in Petersburg was not accompanied by an explanatory text. Scriabin was not sure that the name of the symphony and the program for it would be adequately accepted at home and, accordingly, did not send the content of the program to the premiere in Russia.
The names of the parts of the symphony
- I. “Fighting” - Introduction et Luttes: Allegro, mystérieux, tragique-sombre, haletant, précipit
- Ii. Delights - Voluptés: Lento, sublime-vivo, divin essai
- Iii. The Divine Game - Jeu divin: Allegro, avec une joie éclatante
Literary program
Below is the original text of the program, written by T.F. Schlözer.
... The “Divine Poem” represents the development of the human spirit, which, detached from the past, full of beliefs and secrets, overcomes and overthrows this past and, after passing through pantheism , comes to the delightful and joyful affirmation of its freedom and its unity with the universe (divine “I” ).
The first part is the Fighting: “The struggle between man is the slave of a personal God, the sovereign ruler of the world, and a powerful, free man, a man-god. The latter seems to triumph. But so far only the mind rises to the affirmation of the divine "I", whereas the personal will, still too weak, is ready to fall under the temptation of pantheism. "
The second part is Pleasures: “Man surrenders to the joys of the sensual world. Delights intoxicate and lull him; he is consumed by them. His personality is dissolved in nature. And then, from the depths of his Alexander Nikolaevich Scriabin being, the consciousness of the sublime rises, which helps him to overcome the passive state of his human self. ”
The third part is the Divine game: “The Spirit, finally freed from all bonds that connect it with the past, filled with submission to the highest power, the spirit producing the universe only by the power of its creative will and conscious of itself as one with this universe, surrenders to the sublime joy of free activities - "divine game" " [9] .
Band Composition
- Woodwind instruments : piccolo flute , 3 flutes , 3 oboes , English horn , 3 clarinets , bass clarinet , 3 bassoons , kontrafagot .
- Brass wind instruments : 8 horns , 5 trumpets , 3 trombones , tuba .
- Percussion : timpani , glockenspiel .
- String instruments : Violin I and II - 16, 12 altos , 12 cellos , 8 double basses , 2 harps .
Creation History
1902
The desire to write a grand, conceptually new large composition led Scriabin to the concept of a new symphony, the Third. The first features of the symphony were mentally identified in the head of the composer by the beginning of 1902. However, the composer, very busy with family and teaching problems and prone to long-term internal nurturing of musical material, did not immediately begin recording his new (large) composition in score sheets. [10] Such a method of careful study of the material in the head quite often interfered with the timely appearance of this or that work. Repeated grinding and rounding of musical thoughts sometimes led to a sad result - as soon as the work was considered by Scriabin to be completely decorated and ready, it immediately went out of the composer’s field of vision, giving way to a new idea and, as a result, risking not being recorded at all. (This was due to the extreme lability of the psyche [11] of the author.) [12]
The first documentary information about the work of Scriabin on the Third Symphony can be found in the composer's personal correspondence. So, in a letter dated May 25, 1902 to his wife, Vera Ivanovna Scriabina (nee Isakovich), Scriabin writes that “Today Nikita came [comm. 3] (N. S. Morozov) [13] , and I played him (the 3rd) symphony - he likes it more than the 1st and 2nd. In general, the topic of allegro is terribly pleasant for everyone, it even upsets me a little! ” [14]
Despite the fact that at the beginning of the work the symphony had all the features of the traditional sonata-symphonic cycle (in the initial plan there were not three, but four parts), Scriabin more and more often thought about going beyond the musical (generally accepted) rules of composing that restrain his creative impulse, and the creation of not another “musical” work, but a kind of materialized Idea, a philosophical concept, albeit through musical signs and sounds [10]
By the beginning of the summer of 1902, the first part of the symphony was completely finished and recorded. The remaining parts were in a light sketch state. [15] Scriabin was hoping to “properly promote” the symphony in the summer months, away from the conservatory and the bustle of the city. However, the hopes placed on fruitful summer work did not come true. Scriabin had to pause his work (and not only on the symphony) in order to seriously deal with his frustrated health. Due to the great creative tension (among other things, the Second Symphony was “finally completed”) and the overwork that had accumulated over the long years (from violent conservative and secular activities), Scriabin plunged into yet another neurotic depression . For a whole summer, the composer rested in Obolensky, indulging in intensified idleness in the hope of a speedy recovery. Quatrain in the style of Japanese haiku to describe his pastime is in Scriabin's letter to O. I. Monighetti [16] :
Divine nature plant power
Gave laziness to my body.
And forget about food, sleep and drink
Forced all the delights of art.
Despite intensified health procedures and a severe restriction of creative activity, Scriabin could not help but think and reflect on the resumption of the interrupted work on a new symphony. Sensing the first signs of a return of power, he was ready to immediately seize the work again, but nevertheless kept himself from an inadmissible waste of power. He spoke directly about this in letters to Mitrofan Petrovich Belyaev:
... At the present time, I am engaged in improving myself, indulging in rest and exercise. I want this to start a new period of its existence. I will begin to study music from September and at the same time I will finish all the compositions I have begun, of which the third symphony is the main thing. One part of it (Allegro) is already finished, the other in sketches. I am terribly attracted to work, but I do not dare to afford it, since I risk completely ruining my health. <...> Now, to my infinite joy, I see that I can acquire great strength and then indulge in art, as I have long dreamed of. <...> For the first time in my life, I am resting in the true sense of the word. Only a month after the exam came the first day of tolerable state of health. Such fatigue is the result of a terrible strain of many years. If I did not dare, finally, to accomplish this, as I call it, the feat of inaction (I sit all day in a hammock), then, probably, after 2-3 years, I no longer became [17] .
A long rest bore fruit: in the fall, the Third Symphony (in its initial version) was completely written in the clavier [18] [19] , and in early December, Scriabin began to instrumental the composition: “... After 2-3 weeks I will begin to instrument the 3rd symphony , which is now exclusively engaged in " [20] .
However, it was still “just” the Third Symphony, without the subtitle “The Divine Poem”, and without the introductory “ Nietzschean ” part of the epigraph . Both the divine name and the impressive epigraph appeared much later, almost three years later - in the new period of Scriabin’s life and work.
1903
1903 - along with inspiring optimistic hopes, he carried with him, as usual, a considerable bit of quite earthly problems. Above Scriabin constantly hung distracting and disorganizing factors of family and everyday, and creative nature. The home environment was least conducive to fruitful and focused work. Intermittent visits of Ivan Khristoforovich [comm. 4] and Ida Yulyevna [comm. 5] , the ever-grumpy and disgruntled "unrequited" behavior of the son-in-law, who is not capable of supporting the family in any respectable manner, reduced all the chances of a successful completion of the symphony (and not only symphonies, it should be noted) almost to zero.
... - I write in the office of the Third Symphony, that is, the “Divine Poem”, and in the next room Ivan Khristoforovich strolls in his dressing gown and slippers on his bare foot, he has nothing to do ... and even nagging himself under his breath: “Well, how to know to know, perhaps some sense will come out of this young man ... ”You understand, because by that time I already had two symphonies performed! And he mumbled loudly enough so that I could hear it, I guess. It used to come up to the door itself and mumbles, a mad man!
Indeed, the contrast between “Divine Poem” and “Pope in Flip-Flops” looked more than visual. ... metal ", and the thieving stinginess of the stifling father-in-law, and you never know what else! Unfortunately, all this was. But the main trouble was in the other. Working at home was getting harder and harder. Everyday life more began to seem like a real overcoming, even partly a war. A bottle of brandy almost never disappeared from the piano - an excellent device for gaining inner freedom. But the sign is far from the best ... [21]
In addition, the composer himself, fascinated in earnest by the idea of a “big orchestral thing” (never written) and a “stale little piano”, put off the deadline for the work on the symphony. [22]
Scriabin was stuck in everyday bustle and did not keep up with the deadline to hand over new compositions. MP Belyaev, who had long learned by heart the character traits of the ever-disorganized and scattered composer, once again applied the method of “financial stimulation” to him, invoking the publishing house four thousand rubles in debt over the previous year and a half. [23]
... - You imagine what a nightmare! - he suddenly whispered, leaning toward me, - I received a letter from Mitrofan on the fourth day and with him a bill for my last year’s “deposits” ... Just horror! Like a head on the head! I thought that Belyaev pays me two hundred rubles not in advances, but simply in support, so that I could leave the conservatory! But it turned out that it was an ordinary loan! Now it turns out that last year I owed him as much as three thousand, and even more than that! Imagine my position, foreign countries are bursting at the seams again, and what incomes I will have is completely unclear ... Besides, over the summer I have to write to cover my debt with at least thirty piano pieces, can you imagine what a joke? - and Scriabin, briefly looking at me with “scary” eyes, again stared at the stage, nervously fingering some inaudible notes [24] .
The impression of the young Boris Pasternak's Third Symphony being preserved:
... In the spring of 1903, my father rented a cottage in Obolensky near Maloyaroslavets ... Scryabin turned out to be our country neighbor ... Early in the morning we arrived at the dacha ... I ran into the forest. <...> It was penetrated in all directions by the sun ... And just as light and shadow alternated in the forest and flew from branch to branch and birds sang, fragments and fragments of the Third Symphony, or Divine Poem, that were in the piano expressions were composed at a neighboring cottage.
God, what was that music! The symphony continuously collapsed and collapsed like a city under artillery fire, and the whole was built and grew from debris and destruction. It was overwhelmed with content, developed to the point of madness and new ... There was nothing falsely deep or rhetorically respectable in the symphony, "like Beethoven", "like Glinka" ... but the tragic power of what was written solemnly shown to everything decayed and admittedly dull madness <...> Scriabin almost means predecessors updated the feeling of music to the foundations ... Scriabin is not only a composer, but a reason for eternal congratulations, a personified triumph and celebration of Russian culture [25] .
Thus, Scriabin was forced not only to start working, but to immerse himself in the composition completely, and to write more than 30 compositions (for piano) to pay off his debt. [26] The summer of 1903 passed in a tense “debt” work, which resulted in 36 new works for the piano (Op. Or. 30-42), among which were such breakthrough peaks of Scriabin’s work as the Fourth Sonata or. 30, The Tragic Poem, op. 34, The Satanic Poem, op. 36, concert waltz op. 38. [27]
Of course, Scriabin worked this summer on the Third Symphony: in these months, it became so strong and formed that upon arriving at M.P. Belyaev in St. Petersburg, with a report on the work done, he decided for the first time to perform his symphony before the “host of Petersburg composers »On one of the Belyaevsky Fridays evenings. The performance was scheduled for Friday, November 14th. [28] N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov (the “head” of the Belyaevsky Circle ), A. K. Glazunov, and A. K. Lyadov were among the audience at the evening. A new symphony unexpectedly earned a very warm welcome and, to the composer’s great surprise, a favorable reaction from Rimsky-Korsakov, who always treated Scriabin with coolness and some suspiciousness. [29] Glazunov and Lyadov were unanimous in their high marks, they didn’t just like the symphony, it was received with great enthusiasm, and even more so - the question was raised about the performance of the symphony by Arthur Nikish! [28]
Meanwhile, 1903 was coming to an end, and the Third Symphony was again not completed with an essay [comm. 6] : the work on the instrumentation stretched out for more than a year ... This time Scriabin was prevented by the revived plan - the ghost of the unfulfilled super'oper (of Nietzschean content), whose poetry texts and sketches of the libretto spent a lot of mental strength and creative energy.
“… Gradually I finish the instrumentation of the 3rd symphony” [30] - Scriabin wrote to M. P. Belyaev at the end of December 1903. This was the last letter to a great man and friend: Belyaev died on December 28, 1903. With the death of Mitrofan Petrovich, the only friend, protector and father in one person, a new tense period of confrontation and practical overcoming of the “inert life” and human difficulties began in Scriabin’s life.
... The view of the cowering Scriabin was completely killed and lost. <...> For him, Belyaev’s death was a real personal catastrophe. On December 28, a stone wall collapsed, for so many years separating [Alexander Nikolayevich] from life and covering it in particularly difficult moments. Scriabin found himself alone, face to face with a hostile world. Now, until the end of his life, no one could replace him with the “big Mitrofan”. Henceforth and forever, everything was wrong and wrong [31] .
1904
The tragic end of 1903 and the beginning of 1904 did not promise Scriabin anything but vain concerns for the development of independent life. In a difficult moment for the composer, Margarita Kirillovna Morozova played a significant role - a friend of the Scriabin family, a fan of his talent and, in part, a student. [comm. 7] Knowing about the composer’s difficult and destructive life situation, Morozova offered material support in the form of a monthly pension (“fix”, as Scriabin called him) so that the composer could give up teaching, go abroad and be engaged exclusively in writing. Morozov made a financial proposal back in 1903, however Scriabin gratefully accepted her offer only after the death of M. P. Belyaev, forced by difficult circumstances and also with the indispensable condition that it would be “children's” money: for the maintenance of his wife and children. The monthly payments of the Morozov allowance continued until the end of 1908: Scriabin himself refused it after concluding an oral publishing contract with S. A. Kusevitsky .
On February 19, 1904, Scriabin finally left for Switzerland [32] , and ten days later, V. I. Scriabin and his children set off after him. [33] However, outside affairs that had accumulated for a prolonged lack of attention were again hampered by the work: endless editing of the proofs of the “debt” piano compositions (op. 30–42) [34] , clarifying the relationship with the Council of Trustees; M.P. Belyaev "), which took away a lot of spiritual forces. [35]
Only at the end of April, Scriabin began the regular reworking of his great Third Symphony. The composer was helped by his wife, Vera Ivanovna, who completely rewritten only the score sheets that had come out of the pen. [36] The work was going on slowly and hard, - a long break and emotional turmoil associated with departure, family scandals and the death of M. P. Belyaev affected. In addition, over the last two years, Scriabin’s worldview has grown and changed a lot. As a consequence, the former version of the symphony did not suit the composer enough, because it did not have that ideological and philosophical basis, which, for example, was already clearly present in the first part of the poetic libretto to the unfulfilled “super opera.” Scriabin was late again, lagging behind himself - still new yesterday, it became impossible to become obsolete today. The rapid internal growth, approaching the goal of its internal doctrine, set new limits in the realization of creative ideas - it was necessary to work continuously and concentrated. However, this was still far away ...
In these transitional (for creative) years, Scriabin actively studies philosophical works, communicates a lot with the Schlötser family: Fedor Yul'evich and Boris Fedorovich (father and brother T.F. Schlötser), who played a significant role in the systematic study of philosophy and natural science . It is enough to cite the names of Kuno Fischer , Friedrich Nietzsche , Immanuel Kant , Johann Fichte , Friedrich Schelling , Georg Hegel , E. P. Blavatsky , Henri Bergson , etc., to present the scope of Scriabin's creative thought. Therefore, once again returning to the symphony, the composer saw before him already a “past” for himself an essay that hardly matched with new thoughts and ideas — and had to make changes again, correct something, improve it, round it off.
However, in this case, oddly enough, thanks to the absent-mindedness and slowness, the Third Symphony transformed from a regular symphony with its usual private number into the program Divine Poem, each part of which represented the next, new stage of liberation of the Demiurge Artist’s spirit: "Fighting", "Delight" and "Divine Game". It can be said that the ideas of the “great Nietzschean” opera were thus transformed and partly “moved” to the “Divine Poem”.
... Of course, the work therefore moved much slower, but the symphony itself, as it were, instead of the abolished opera, more and more filled with its ideas and became “philosophical”. From the “theory of creativity as a model of the divine game” created by Scriabin, the musical explanation of this theory itself became increasingly vivid. Creation, the creation of the world is a pure act of freedom, a trace of the invisible flight of the divine spirit. And only open, liberating creativity, creating the whole world anew, can be like God.
The third symphony, of course, once again did not have time for publishing, but thanks to this very circumstance, it gradually turned into a “new Gospel”. Instead of the ordinary, “everyday” name with a serial number, it acquired the subtitle “Divine Poem”, and its three parts turned into stages of human liberation, or rather, Scriabin’s spirit: “Struggle” (I understand that it’s not “Struggle” , and “Overcoming”), then “Delight” and, finally, “Divine play”. By the third symphony <...> Scriabin announced the world about the successful completion of his long and unfortunate "assault" of the heavens. The long-awaited freedom was finally achieved, and now it was possible to begin the present Creation, the game of life [37] .
The summer and autumn of 1904 were spent in hard work. In a letter to N. S. Morozov, Scriabin writes that, despite the terrible heat, she practices every day, and that the symphony score has moved very well - only 40 pages are left to instrument. [38] About this summertime, Scriabin, inspired by the insight of the further creative path, was vividly impressed by Yuli Dmitrievich Engel . An accidental meeting of people completely dissimilar in spirit, left a documentary recollection of a new Scriabin - Scriabin- doctrinaire .
... Let's go on the boat. The sun was shining <...> It was joyful, festive <...> He spoke to me especially intimate, as if trusting his sincere dreams and hopes. He spoke about the Third Symphony, which he wrote then (“there was no such music”), about the “divine play” as the basis of peacemaking and artistic creativity, about the essence of art, about socialism, about religion, in short, everything. “It is necessary to merge all the arts,” he said, “but not as theatrical as that of Wagner; art must be combined with philosophy and religion into something inseparably single ... I have a dream to create such a mystery. For her, you need to build a special temple - maybe here ... or maybe far from here, in India. But humanity is not yet ready for this. We must preach to him, we must lead him along new paths. I preach. Once even from the boat - like Christ. I have here a circle of people who understand me perfectly and will follow me. Especially one is a fisherman. ”
- Yu. D. Engel. July 13/26, 1904, Geneva . [39] [38]
Despite the hard work on the symphony's instrumentation, Scriabin continues to study philosophy with great care. It is known that the composer participated in the Second International Congress of Philosophy , held in Geneva from September 4 to 8, as a full participant. [40] Attending the speeches of the congress rapporteurs, Scriabin especially diligently worked through those lectures in which the essence of panpsychism was revealed — for example, V. M. Kozlovsky’s “Consciousness and Energy” and A. Bergson’s “On Psychophysiological Paralogism ”. [41] [42]
At the beginning of November 1904, Scriabin finally completed a landmark work - already not only the Third Symphony, but also the “Divine Poem”. He briefly reports about this event in a letter to Vera Ivanovna of November 6: “... today he finally graduated from the symphony, it seems quite; I'm afraid to say, I was sitting all day. ” [43]
Almost immediately after the work was finished - on November 22 - the composer sent the manuscript of the score for engraving to the publishing house of M. P. Belyaev in Leipzig [41] , without sending it to Leo Konus to view Moscow, as he had assumed earlier. - Scriabin intended to entrust the Conus with not only checking the score of the Third Symphony, but also arranging for piano in 4 hands. However, in order not to delay the publication of the symphony, Scriabin sent the score straight from Switzerland to Leipzig. [44] Four days later, on November 26, Franz Scheffer, managing director of the Leipzig branch of the publishing house, M. P. Belyaev, sent the composer a notice of the successful receipt of the score of the Third Symphony and its engraving. [45]
In early December, Scriabin introduced the Parisian musicians to his “Divine Poem”. At the evening in the salon of the Belon music store, among the audience was a Swiss composer and conductor Gustave Doret - a long-time enthusiastic admirer of Scriabin's work. [46] [47] Dore’s memorable letter to Scriabin [48] was written, written shortly after the premiere performance of The Divine Poem on May 16 ( 29 ), 1905 in Paris. In this letter, he brings Scriabin the warmest and most sincere congratulations on the successful performance of the symphony, and expresses deep appreciation and even more entrenched admiration for the composer's work.
Press Reviews
May 29, 1905 in the Paris Theater Chatelet premiere "Divine Poem". The new symphony of Scriabin was enthusiastically accepted by the Parisian public and, above all, caused a violent reaction - both ardent opponents and ardent admirers of Scriabin's creativity instantly appeared. In a concise article [49] , published in the magazine “The Musical Courier” immediately after the premiere of the Third Symphony, the reviewer reported:
... The novelty of the evening was a new symphony number 3, C-dur, op. 43 A. Scriabin, a young original Russian composer. <...> This symphony, called the Divine Poem, describes the evolution of the human spirit; it, with continuous performance, lasts about fifty minutes and consists of four parts (Entry - Fight, Pleasure, Divine Play). Scriabin is a composer who has something to say <...> about his ideas, theory of life and philosophy; he has bold, free and massive orchestral combinations; he is capable, young and full of enthusiasm; his music is extremely interesting and original. The success of the execution of Scriabin contributed to Arthur Nikish, who conducted with remarkable clarity and clarity. At the end of the symphony, the author’s loud calls were heard from all sides; when the composer appeared on the stage, the audience was divided into applause and whistling - evidence is rather good.
- “The Musical Courier”, 1905 - No. 26, p. 7
... Complex texture, sophistication of harmony, remarkable thematic richness and artistic consistency in the design distinguish this symphony, [...] it is felt that the author immediately thought in orchestral colors, fluently owning the orchestra. [50] .
February 23, 1906 The Third Symphony of Scriabin was first performed in Russia - in St. Petersburg, in the Russian Symphony Concert under the direction of F. M. Blumenfeld. The concert program [51] consisted of two large sections: Scriabin's Divine Poem sounded in the first, and Scriabin's compositions in the second were written by S. M. Lyapunov (Polsky), N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov (Tale) and M. P Mussorgsky (Suite from the opera “ Khovanshchina ”). The premiere of the Third Symphony in Russia (as, indeed, most of the composer's other works) caused loud disagreements in the musical community and among music critics, and left a wide variety of responses both in the press and in personal correspondence with Scriabin.
Scriabin is undoubtedly a great talent, in many ways peculiar, but not yet established. He is still looking for a way out, looking for new forms, seeking to enrich the means of expression, longing for novelty, refinement, sharpness and variety of impressions. That is why in all his works something unsaid is felt. He gives a lot to some questions, doubts ... It was not possible for A. Scriabin to say a new, clear word in the field of music and his third symphony [52] .
In particular, the letter of V. V. Stasov to Scriabin is preserved - evidence of Scriabin’s recognition as a “serious” composer-symphonist [53] :
The most dear, dear Alexander Nikolaevich, with great admiration I attended the celebration of your 3rd symphony “La divin Poeme”. Even at the big rehearsal, in the Noble Assembly Hall, Wednesday, February 22, she aroused the sympathy and admiration of all the few, but who understand something in the new music, who were present there; on the very next day, on Thursday the 23rd, she aroused both surprise and deep sympathy of a large public. The Noble Assembly Hall was full-fledged, and I think from this evening you have added many hundreds of admirers and admirers! And it could not and should not have been otherwise. With this symphony you have grown a lot! You have become quite a big musician. In this way, the stock, the form, the form and the content, how this symphony was created, no one has written with us yet! Of course, there is still a lot of Richard Wagner , but also there are already many here, a great deal of Alexander Skryabin himself. What a challenge! What a plan! What a power and what a warehouse! How much passion and poetry in the second part (Voluptés)! But the orchestra is so wonderful, powerful, strong, sometimes gentle and charming, sometimes brilliant! Yes, you now have, among the Russians, already many supporters and admirers. Immediately after this Belyaevsky concert on February 23, a string of newspaper articles began. I am sending you three of them here, in a letter: 1) In The Country, on February 25, Nikolay Bernstein; 2) In Rech, February 25, signed: ASh (the real name is Schmuler, a recent student of the conservatory); 3) In Our Life, February 28, signed: M.N. (Nesterov). Do not think that I am sending you these articles on any choice. Not at all - they just came across to me by chance, these days, in some of the newspapers I receive daily. - I must admit that we now do not have at all wonderful and talented music critics. All mediocrity or nonentities. Only a few rise to the degree of something fair. Well, what can you do! But even the majority between them understand that you need to appreciate that you are already occupying a place - significant. I wish you every success, and prosperity, and artistic growth, and I myself with admiration and sympathy remember our conversations with you at our dear, so early, unfortunately, deceased Mitrofan Petrovich Belyaev, when you played the Sonata for me, etudu dis-moll and others many wonderful things; and still remember our conversations about the philosophy of history - sitting and riding in a cab, along Nevsky. Yours V.S. [54]
A remarkable commentary on the premiere performance of the Divine Poem in St. Petersburg is contained in a letter from Yury Nikolaevich Pomerantsev [55] [comm. 8] to S. I. Taneyev:
Yesterday I went to a Russian symphony concert and listened to an extremely mediocre performance (conducted by Blumenfeld) the Scriabin symphony No. 3 “Poeme Divin”. This is an “extraordinary” essay! Such a wealth of true music - with a mood, with ascents, with richest melodies and contrapuntal work, that even I, who Scriabin considered a great master of his work, was amazed. What he does incredible steps. What is the luxury of music. I imagine what it was when Nikish gave it in Paris. Happy Volodya Mettsl, who heard it. [56]
The Moscow premiere of the Third Symphony was held on February 21, 1909 in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory under the direction of Emile Cooper [comm. 9] . The program of the concert, organized by the Moscow branch of the Russian Music Society, this time consisted solely of Scriabin's works - “The Divine Poem”, “The Poems of Ecstasy ”, the Fifth Sonata and several piano miniatures performed by the author. Also, a thematic analysis of The Poem of Ecstasy and a summary of the Third Symphony were placed in the program of the concert. [57] N. D. Kashkin , a well-known music critic and writer of the late XIX - early XX century, wrote about these "explanatory" texts:
G. Scriabin as a composer is a very large talent, one of the most prominent at present, but something tangible appeared in this talent that threatens to damage both the understanding of his works and his further composing activity. This harmful alluvial element, in our opinion, lies in those wordy, though not particularly coherent programs with which he accompanied the performance of his symphonic works. <...> Both in his large symphonies and in small piano plays, Mr. Scriabin very clearly conveys his personal experiences, and can be called one of the most subjective composers of our time. The highest point, which reached his work, for us is the Third Symphony, which is called the "Divine Poem". This music speaks for itself, representing a living artistic organism, but its overall content is completely determined by the many sub-titles scattered in the score, such as: “Fight”, “Pleasure” and so on. But it seemed to the composer that it was not enough, and he added another rather long program, representing some kind of dead, abstract scheme, not particularly coherently stated. It seems to us undoubted that not music was composed for this program, but, on the contrary, the program was composed for completely finished music, which the latter did not need at all. <...> Can these scraps and phrases that hint at the well-known philosophical doctrine can serve as some kind of explanation for lively and unusually strong expressive music? <...> The music of Mr. Scriabin is a thousand times richer in content, thought and poetry than all similar programs, and it would be better if he continued to rely on his really strong talent in future work and would not place any hope on the dead, supposedly philosophical schemes [58] .
Interesting Facts
There is a curious incident that occurred with Scriabin at the Breitkopf music shop in Brussels [59] . Having ordered several copies of the score of the Divine Poem in Leipzig (in the main department of the MP Belaieff, Leipzig) for performance in Amsterdam and Brussels, Scriabin returned for them, being in full confidence in their safe delivery. What was the composer's astonishment to hear from the seller the news from Leipzig about the absence of such notes on sale. An emotional letter from Skryabin to Lyadov has been preserved, in which he asks to clarify and resolve the misunderstanding that has arisen with the symphony scores.
Dear Anatoly Konstantinovich
I am very excited and preoccupied. I had just been at the Breitkopf store to find out whether, finally, the scores of the 3rd symphony that I wrote out in Amsterdam and Brussels, which I wrote out a week ago from Leipzig, came; To my amazement, they replied that they had told me from Leipzig that this symphony was not on sale. What does this mean? I beg you, my dear Anatoly Konstantinovich, to help me find out this misunderstanding and make an order to send me the scores that are so necessary for me as soon as possible. You know how important this is. By the way, why haven’t they sent me so far 5 copies of the arrangement made by Konus? Almost a year has passed since I answered in the affirmative to the question of whether I assume the costs of the arrangement. Conus also wrote to you about it. Is it still not published. Be so cute, write to me as soon as possible about all this. Forgive, please, for your concern and accept the best wishes from A. Skryabin, who sincerely loves you.
PS Did you receive my letter from Amsterdam? November 8th (new style) is my concert here in Brussels. Can I give Pierné , Ysaye , Stavenhagen and Weingartner a score to watch? Everyone turns to me, and I cannot afford such expenses. Once again, I beg you to excuse me and hug me tightly. I hurry to the concert.
- Letter No. 486. A.N. Scriabin - A.K. Lyadov (Oct. 1906, Bruxelles, 45)
Along with this unpleasant incident, Scriabin is also interested in Lyadov about the four-handed transcription of his Third Symphony, which L. Konius completed almost a year ago (January 16, 1906). Scriabin knew that Conus had sent his work to Petersburg immediately upon completion. However, it was only in November 1906 that F. I. Grus (an employee of Belyaev’s publishing house in Leipzig) informed Skryabin that the arrangement sent by him from the St. Petersburg office of the publishing house was lost along the way, and that the publishing house asked L. Konus again. As a result, the second transcription was only published at the end of 1907. The misunderstanding with scores was soon also clarified: Franz Scheffer (manager of the Leipzig branch of the MP Belaieff publishing house, Leipzig) explained this incident by the lack of information of a young seller.
At the end of 1906, the Board of Trustees [comm. 10] not only paid Scriabin a fee for four piano pieces of op. 51, but also offered to receive the Glinka Prize for the Third Symphony ahead of time. This charitable gesture was made in violation of the statute adopted, and therefore the Council asked Scriabin to keep the award in secret secretly. [60]
Notes
Comments
- ↑ Prologue (from the Greek. Πρόλογος - preface) - introductory part, introduction, introduction to the composition, especially dramatic. In the Greek tragedy under this name, the part of the play that preceded the first song of the choir was understood.
- ↑ Reduction (from it. Reduzieren ) - reduce, reduce.
- ↑ Nikita Semenovich Morozov (1864, Novocherkassk - 1925, Moscow) - musicologist. He graduated in 1887 from the Faculty of Mathematics of Moscow University ; in 1891, the Moscow Conservatory was in the piano class and in the composition class by A. S. Arensky (a year later, in 1892). He took composition lessons from S. I. Taneyev . In 1893-1924 Professor of the Moscow Conservatory in music theory . Author of theoretical works on musical form, rhythm, melody, harmony, as well as a number of musical compositions: including the opera Aleko (after A. Pushkin , 1892), piano plays, romances . He translated into Russian the book of Hugo Riemann , The Catechism of the History of Music, part 1-2 (Moscow, 1895-1896).
- ↑ Isakovich, Ivan Khristoforovich (1843–1916) - a lawyer, a member of the Directorate of the Nizhny Novgorod branch of the RMS Vera Ivanovna Scriabina's father
- ↑ Schlötser, Ida Yulievna (? —1912) is the sister of Pavel Yulievich Schlötser (1848-1898), pianist, composer and professor of the Moscow Conservatory. Vera Ivanovna Isakovich (the first wife of Scriabin) lived in the years of study at the Moscow Conservatory in the house of Pavel Yulievich.
- ↑ “... at the price of the successful Satanic Poem and the rest of the pieces was - the unfinished score of the Third Symphony, by the way, is still not yet Divine.” More precisely, the music itself was written completely, but the instrumentation did not progress further than the first part. ” - Yuri Hanon. “Scriabin as a face” - SPb. - Center for Middle Music & Faces of Russia, 1995, p. 485
- ↑ For a while, M. K. Morozov, on the recommendation of a friend of both families, Vasily Ilyich Safonov , took piano lessons from Scriabin. However, due to the disease of the hands that began with Margarita Kirillovna (due to the tension of her wrists during the classes), the lessons had to be suspended.
- ↑ Yuri Nikolaevich Pomerantsev (September 5 (17), 1878, Siedlce, now Siedlce, Poland - May 28, 1933, Paris) - Russian composer and conductor. From 1892 he was engaged in composition under the direction of S. I. Taneyev. In 1902 he graduated from the Moscow Conservatory in the piano class with A. N. Scriabin. In 1903-1905 he studied conducting with A. Nikish in Leipzig. He was secretary of the Directorate of the Moscow Branch of the Russian Musical Academy (until 1914). He is the author of the opera “The Cover Beatrice”, the ballet “Magic Dreams”, pieces for piano, songs for words by A. A. Fet, A. K. Tolstoy.
- ↑ In the summer of 1908, about six months before the premiere, Emil Cooper came to Scriabin in Lausanne to go with the author and the Third Symphony, and the “Poem of Ecstasy”, which he was to conduct in the spring in Moscow.
- ↑ After the death of M. P. Belyaev, all affairs of publishing and concert-organizational activity passed into the hands of the Board of Trustees in the person of Rimsky-Korsakov, Glazunov and Lyadov. More information can be found in the article Belyaevsky circle .
Footnotes
- ↑ Letter No. 339. V. I. Scriabina (November 11/24, 1904, Paris // A. N. Scriabin. Letters. Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperova. - M .: Muzyka, 2003. - p. 317.
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 419. M. K. Morozova (May 24 / June 6, 1905, Paris, 5, rue de la Neva), p. 371
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 470. To V. V. Stasov (March 7/20, 1906. Geneve, 2, Chemin de la Fontaine, Servette), p. 414
- ↑ Yuri Hanon,. " Scriabin like a face ." - SPb. : Center for Middle Music & Faces of Russia, 1995. - p. 567.
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 516. T.F. Schlozer-Scriabina (until February 19 / March 14, 1907, Chicago), p. 464
- ↑ Yuri Hanon ,. "Scriabin like a face." - SPb. : Center for Middle Music & Faces of Russia, 1995. - P. 619.
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 581. M. N. Meichiku (December 28, 1908 / January 10, 1909, Berlin), p. 521
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 587. Z. I. Monighetti (until March 12/25, 1909, Moscow), Pp. 525
- ↑ 1 2 A.K. Koenigsberg, L.V. Mikheeva. 111 symphonies. - SPb .: “Kult-inform-press”, 2000.
- ↑ 1 2 Yuri Hanon ,. "Scriabin like a face." - SPb. : Center for Middle Music & Faces of Russia, 1995. - P. 461.
- ↑ Hanon Y. Conversation with a psychiatrist in the presence of an enlarged image of Scriabin (a naturally spoken mystery in one act) // Place of print (regular art journal). - M .: Obscuri Viri, 1993. - № 4 . - p . 189-191 . - ISBN 5-87852-007-9 .
- ↑ Yuri Hanon. Scriabin like a face. - SPb. : Center for Middle Music, second edition, revised, 2009. - p. 462.
- ↑ Great biographical encyclopedia. - 2009. - Morozov, Nikita Semenovich
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 266. V. I. Skryabina (May 25 / June 7, 1902, Moscow), Pp. 263
- ↑ Yuri Hanon. Scriabin like a face. - SPb. : Center for Middle Music & Faces of Russia, 1995. - P. 475.
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 419. O. I. Monighetti (June 22 / July 5, 1902, Obolensky), p. 264
- ↑ Letter No. 268. M.P. Belyaev (July 17/30, 1902, Obolensky) // A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 268. To M. P. Belyaev (July 17/30, 1902, Obolensky), p. 265
- ↑ Yuri Hanon. Scriabin like a face. - SPb. : Center for Middle Music & Faces of Russia, 1995. - P. 476.
- ↑ Chronicle of the life and work of A. N. Scriabin. - Comp. M. Pryanishnikov and O. Tompakov. - Music, 1986 - Стр. 121
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 286. To M. P. Belyaev (until November 22 / December 5, 1902, Moscow), Pp. 280
- ↑ Yuri Hanon ,. "Scriabin like a face." - SPb. : Center for Middle Music, second edition, revised, 2009. - p. 490.
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 299. To M. P. Belyaev (February 25 / March 10, 1903, Moscow), Pp. 284
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 299. Z. I. Monighetti (August 6/19, 1903, Obolensky), Pp. 289
- ↑ Yuri Hanon. Scriabin like a face. - SPb. : Center for Middle Music & Faces of Russia, 1995. - P. 479.
- Б. Pasternak B. L. “People and Positions.” - New World, 1967, No. 1, P. 209, 212
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 297. B.F. Schlözer (July 21 / August 3, 1903, Obolensky), p. 286
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 302. To M. P. Belyaev (August 27 / September 9, 1903, Obolensky), p. 290
- ↑ 1 2 A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 307. V.I. Skryabina (November 15/28, 1903, Petersburg), Pp. 293–294
- ↑ Yuri Hanon. Scriabin like a face. - SPb. : Center for Middle Music & Faces of Russia, 1995. - P. 485.
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 311. To M. P. Belyaev (December 15-18 / 28-31, 1903, Moscow), p. 297
- ↑ Yuri Hanon. Scriabin like a face. - SPb. : Center for Middle Music & Faces of Russia, 1995. - P. 495.
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 316. to A. K. Lyadov (February 15/28, 1904, Moscow), Pp. 301
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 319. MK Morozova (March 8/21, 1904, Vezenaz), p. 305
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 320. T.F. Schlözer (March 15/28, 1904, Vezna), p. 306
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 315. To the Board of Detractors MP Belyaev (February 15/28, 1904, Moscow), Pp. 300
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 325. M. A. Belyaeva (after April 18 / May 1, 1904, Vezna), p. 309
- ↑ Yuri Hanon. Scriabin like a face. - SPb. : Center for Middle Music, second edition, revised, 2009. - p. 518.
- ↑ 1 2 A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 330. To N. S. Morozov (July 14/27, 1904, Vezenaz), p. 311
- ↑ Chronicle of the life and work of A.N. Scriabin. - Comp. M. Pryanishnikov and O. Tompakov. - Music, 1986 - pp. 131
- ↑ Great biographical encyclopedia, 2009
- ↑ 1 2 The Chronicle of the Life and Works of A. N. Scriabin. - Comp. M. Pryanishnikov and O. Tompakov. - Music, 1986 - Стр. 132
- ↑ Minutes of the congress. - HMS, A. Scriabin's personal library
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 337. V.I. Skryabina (October 24 / November 6, 1904, Vezna), p. 315
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 295. To M. P. Belyaev (June 30 / July 13, 1903, Obolensky), p. 285
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 340. V. I. Scriabina (November 13/26, 1904, Paris), Pp. 318
- ↑ Chronicle of the life and work of A. N. Scriabin. - Comp. M. Pryanishnikov and O. Tompakov. - Music, 1986 - Стр. 133
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - Letter No. 358. T.F. Schlözer (November 30 / December 13, 1904, Paris), Pp. 330
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003, No. 419. M. K. Morozova (May 24 / June 6, 1905, Paris, 5, rue de la Neva), Pp. 372 (note 2)
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003, No. 419. M. K. Morozova (May 24 / June 6, 1905, Paris, 5, rue de la Neva), Pp. 372 (note 1)
- ↑ A. Schmuller. "Theater and Art", 1906, No. 11, p. 171
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - No. 470. V. V. Stasov (March 7/20, 1906. Geneve, 2, Chemin de la Fontaine, Servette), p. 415 (note 1)
- ↑ M. Nesterov. "Our Life", 1906, February 28
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - No. 470. V. V. Stasov (March 7/20, 1906. Geneve, 2, Chemin de la Fontaine, Servette), p. 415 (note 2)
- ↑ “A. N. Scriabin ", M.-L., 1940, p. 231
- ↑ Musical encyclopedia. - M .: Soviet encyclopedia, Soviet composer. Ed. Yu. V. Keldysh. 1973-1982.
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - No. 471. F. M. Blumenfeld (until March 15/28, 1906. Geneve, 2, Chemin de la Fontaine, Servette), p. 417
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - No. 575. M. K. Morozova (until October 19 / November 1, 1908., Bruxelles, 45, rue de la Reforme, Belgique), p. 515-517 (note 3)
- ↑ Russian Word, 1909, No. 60, p. 6
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003, No. 486. A. K. Lyadov (October 1906, Bruxelles, 45, rue de la Longue Haie, Pension Weeckers), p. 434
- ↑ A. N. Scriabin. Letters Compiled and edited by A. V. Kashperov. Muzyka Publishing House, Moscow, 2003 - No. 488. To the Board of Trustees (October 28 / November 10, 1906, Brussels), p. 436
Links
- Alexander Scriabin. "Le Divin Poème". (Symphony № 3 in C minor Op. 43) - I. Introduction - 01:08
- Alexander Scriabin. "Le Divin Poème". (Symphony № 3 in C minor Op. 43) - I. Luttes - 23:55
- Alexander Scriabin. "Le Divin Poème". (Symphony № 3 in C minor Op. 43) - II. Voluptés - 13:15
- Alexander Scriabin. "Le Divin Poème". (Symphony № 3 in C minor Op. 43) - III. Jeu Divin - 11:03