The Poem of Ecstasy

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Alexander Scriabin's Symphony No. 4 (opus 54), titled The Poem of Ecstasy (Le Poème de l'extase) was written around 1905. The work was composed during Scriabin's active involvement in the Theosophical Society. The symphony is the only symphony Scriabin wrote in one movement, which lasts about 20 minutes.^[1]

Scriabin wrote vaguely about Poem and described three sections of the work:

• his soul in the orgy of love
• the realization of a fantastic dream
• the glory of his own art.^[2]

He also wrote a long poem to accompany, but not be read with, the music. It ends with, "I am a moment illuminating eternity....I am affirmation...I am ecstasy."^[2]

In 1908, in New York City, Scriabin performed this incredible symphony to the accompaniment of the first colored electric lights, attached to a keyboard; and the members of this 100 piece orchestra dressed in white tuxedos to help reflect this first light-show ever.

There was also specially chosen incense that burned in the auditorium, that also contributed to the performance, in which, as quoted afterwards by an audience member, "My body ceased to exist".

Scriabin professed to evaluate music as being the most highly evolved of all the human arts. He also claimed that the emotion of ecstasy was the most highly evolved of all the human emotions. The Poem of Ecstasy attempts to combine these two aesthetic principals.

[edit] Orchestration

3 flutes, piccolo, 3 oboes, English horn, 3 clarinets, bass clarinet, 3 bassoons, contrabassoon, 8 French horns, 5 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, tam-tam, triangle, bass drum, cymbals, small and large bells, celesta, organ (harmonium if the organ is not available), 2 harps and strings.

[edit] References