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The ninth piano sonata (opus 68) written by Scriabin in 1912-1913 is often known by the nickname "Black Mass". Although the nickname was not invented by Scriabin, he personally approved of it. The piece is highly chromatic and atonal like Scriabin's other late works. The Black Mass Sonata is particularly dissonant because many of its themes are based around an interval of a minor ninth, one of the most unstable sounds. Like Scriabin's other sonatas, it is both technically and musically highly demanding for the pianist. A typical performance is about 8-10 minutes.
