Journal of The Scriabin Society of America Journal of The Scriabin Society of America 69

SCRIABIN'S "WHITE MASS"

A Dialogue Between the "Mystic"
and the Octatonic

Cheong Wai-Ling, Department of Music, The Chinese University

of Hong Kong, New Territories, Hong Kong

Sonata No.7 (subtitled the "White Mass") was Scriabin's own favorite; he considered
it his first attainment of "the highest complexity within the highest simplicity."l
Composed in 1911-12 shortly after the completion of Prometheus, Sonata No.7, together
with No.6, is unique among Scriabin's sonata output in its passionate espousal of the
octatonic. 2 But the connection between these Sonatas goes beyond their preoccupation
with the octatonic. They are also strikingly similar in terms of formal and motivic-
thematic design, especially where the second theme and the development are
concerned. The principal melodic idea of the second theme is, in each case, treated
relentlessly in the development and there is the same use of a recurring pentad
(associated with the second theme and thus also the development). Nevertheless, one
critical difference sets them apart. Scriabin has in Sonata No.6 devoted himself much
more whole-heartedly to the exploitation of pure octatonicism. While the recurring
pentad of Sonata No.6 stays modally pure and intervallically intact, that of Sonata No.7
is not so designed (see Ex. 1a and b). Instead, it is made an important agent whereby
the Sonata may move freely between the "mystic" and the octatonic. The single-minded
pursuit of modal purity in Sonata No.6 is here clouded by the insistent presence of a
note borrowed from the mystic chord - a note incorporated into the principal melodic
idea of the second theme and its affiliated pentad (see Ex. 1c and Ex. 2). The mystic
chord, though only sparingly used, is deployed at points of key importance, not least
the end of the Sonata.3 At the expense of modal purity, Scriabin has opened up in

1 Faubion Bowers, The New Scriabin (London: David & Charles, 1974), 180.
2 This attribute of Sonata No.6 is explored in Cheong Wai-Ling, "Scriabin's Octatonic Sonata," Journal of
the Royal Musical Association 121/2 (1996): 206-28.
Sonata No. 7 "White Mass" 3 A well-defined mystic chord also appears at mm. 102, 110, 114, 135-6, 142, 146,237-8 and 241-2. The
mystic chords assume less importance in Sonata No.6, though they show traces of the quartal spacing
that has been associated with this hexad ever since the publication of Leonid Sabaneiev's "Prometheus
von Skrjabin" in 1912. See "Scriabin's Prometheus;' The Blaue Reiter Almanac, ed. Wassily Kandinsky
and Franz Marc, trans. H. Falkenstein (London: Thames and Hudson, 1974),127-40 and mm. 46, 62, 64,
166,250 and 252 of Sonata No.6.
70" Journal of The Scriabin Society of America Journal of The Scriabin Society of America 71

Sonata No.7 a dialogue between the seemingly incompatible mystic chord and the
octatonic collection. Ex. 2. The principal melodic idea (figure Y) of the second theme and its three
different openings. *

Ex. 1. The recurring pentads of Sonatas Nos. 6 and 7 and related structures.
(Filled-in note heads are reserved for non-octatonic notes.)
® L-
137 _________ ~~ ,.....~
~ . d ~ xf "...:H~ t
x 1~2f If eEtrl#OCfCbl':J: I~ I
a)
I~ bu &0 #" ..
f
® ® J
----#~
VllI 11 V Vll
14') --------~

~ ------
I~ ~#)1 fjJ fJ IJj J #J fiJ:J qte~r I I
x+ 1 (recurring pentad X' + 1 recurring pentad of
of Sonata No.7) Sonata No.6 f

b) I ~ ~u &0 6 #,," k.,- q. 6 flu " II ~ &0 6 #" ·8 I o

VllI 11 IV V VII viii #ii iv v Vll 11 IV V VB

mystic chord 'octatonicized' mystic chord

(6-Z49) *Figures Y with these openings are juxtaposed at mm. 137 - 68 exclusively.
c) I~ -e- &0 0
#"
n
&6 -e-q- 0
I ... ,,&0
#ii iv vii viii those lasting three bars or less. Extensive spans of pure octatonicism (ranging from
ii iv v vii viii V
twenty up to twenty-four bars) are divisible into contiguous areas of distinct octatonic
content. If we add up the passages listed here, nearly half of the 343 bars of Sonata No.7
are devoted to pure octatonicism. 4 The first and second themes of the exposition are
referential octatonic collection mainly drawn from collections III and II respectively.5 In the development, collection III
is the least used octatonic collection. The first recapitulation transposes the exposition
d)
I~ -e-.&0 &0 \0 In e "~,, down a whole tone and the parallel between these two sections is preserved right up to
m. 69 and m. 236 respectively. Hence the first recapitulation shows a corresponding
ii iii iv v vi vii viii
shift from collection I to collection III which echoes that of the exposition. An
interpolation of what amounts to a "second recapitulation" postpones the transposition
of the remaining bars of the exposition to m. 276. This interpolation of a second
I recapitulation seems to have stemmed from the fact that the first reprise of the first
theme is in a sense "unstable:' being referable to collection I in contrast to the referential
Before we proceed to examine this dialogue between the "mystic" and the octatonic,
we shall first of all define the extent to which pure octatonicism pervades Sonata No.7. 4 The factor of performing time has not been taken into consideration.
Table l1ists the distribution of all such passages in the "White Mass," leaving out only 5 Collections I, II and III are Pieter van den Toorn's terminology for [1,2,4,5,7,8, 10, 111, [0,2,3,5,6,
8,9,11] and [0, 1,3,4,6,7,9,10] respectively.
.72., Journal of The Scriabin Society of America Journal of The Scriabin Society of America 73

collection III of Sonata No.7. The first theme is therefore recapitulated a second time dominant sevenths in different contexts and generalize, for instance, that the :fifth of the
to return it to collection III. As the downwards major-third transposition that is chord is often omitted. Analogously, our perspective of the octatonic collection becomes
associated with the first theme in the first recapitulation is discarded in the second one, much widened if we take into consideration the configurations adopted by Scriabin
virtually all materials are set in collection III, thereby making it the predominant contextually. But this requires first of all that we be able to identify the constituent
collection of the recapitulation and, more importantly, of the "VVbite Mass." members of the octad. In this connection, the orthographic consistency typical of the
octatonic referent comes into play, as it enables us to study the deployment of its pcs in
Table 1. The distribution of pure octatonicism in Sonata No.7. much the same way we trace the note distribution of a conventional tonal chord.
Area of pure octatonicism The concept of octatonic referent, which I first advanced in my 1993 article
Bar no. 6 Octatonic "Orthography in Scriabin's Late Works," originates from a study of Scriabin's spelling
collection 7 practice and, more specifically, the fact that the eight pcs of an octatonic collection are
subject to systematic respellings. 8 This term is coined to denote an octatonic collection
Exposition 1st theme (mm. 1-16) 10-22 (13) III that adheres to a particular spelling pattern, and adds to the symmetric octatonic
transition (mm. 17-28) 23-9 (7) II (7 pcs) collection asymmetric attributes. With this spelling pattern, only one of its four [0,4, 7,
2nd theme (mm. 29-59) 36-9 (4) II 10, l]s is spelt in a conventional fashion. For example, [C, D~, a, E, F#, G, A, B~] contains
transition (mm.60-76) 46-62 (17) II [C, E, G, B~, Db], [a, G, Bb, Db, E], [F), Bb, Db, E, G] and [A, Db, E, G, B~], but only the
Development (mm. 77-168) 115-18 (4) I first of these is spelt as a conventional dominant ninth. This graphic preference,
138-41 (4) II (6 pcs) together with the fact that [C, Db, a, E, F), G, A, Bb] falls closely in line with the scalar
147-52 (6) II (6 pcs) representation of C major-minor, hints at the referential status of C.
153-70 (18) I As shown in Table 2, this pattern converts an octatonic collection into four third-
First recapitulation 1st theme (mm. 169-82) 177-88 (12) I related octatonic referents, if we choose to eliminate other enharmonic possibilities. To
transition (mm. 183-96) 189-97 (9) III facilitate discussion, the eight pcs of each octatonic referent will be denoted as degrees
2nd theme (mm. 197-227) 204-7 (4) III i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii and viii9 and its four interlocking tritones as tritones I, II, III and IV.IO In
transition (mm. 228-36) 214-30 (17) III addition, each octatonic referent will be denoted by specifying degree i. The octatonic
referent [C, Db, a, E, F#, G, A, Bb], for instance, will be referred to as 8-28 on c. n
Second recapitulation 1st theme (mm.237-52) 249-53 (5) III
2nd theme (mm. 253-60) 259-62 (4) III (6 pcs) Table 2. An octatonic collection and its four third-related octatonic referents.
transition (mm. 261-96) 267-77 (11) III
279-85 (7) III Octatonic collection Octatonic referents
Coda (mm. 297-343) 317-21 (5) III [0,1,3,4,6, 7, 1~ 11] [C, Db, Eb, E, F), G, A, B,,]
323-32 (10) III [a, fl, a, G, A, Bb, C, D~]
[FR, G, A, A#, B#, C#, D#, E]
The preceding survey of the extent of pure octatonicism and the distribution of the [A, Bb, C, C#, D#, E, F#, G]
three octatonic collections in Sonata No.7 is deliberately restrictive in scope. It ignores
the issue of modal impurity and also, where pure octatonicism prevails, the question of
note distribution. But how can we possibly trace the configuration of an octatonic
collection and also the disposition of non-octatonic pcs in relation to it?
8 See George Perle, "Scriabin's Self-Analyses," Music Analysis 3/2 (1984): 101-22, for an important
With a conventional tonal chord - a dominant seventh - for instance, we can pioneering study of Scriabin's spelling practice, and Cheong Wai-ling, "Orthography in Scriabin's Late
Works," Music Analysis 12/1 (1993): 47-69, for a discussion of evidences in support of the concept of
differentiate between its four notes and tell right away which of them is used and octatonic referent.
whereabouts in the structure. We may thus compare the use of differently transposed 9This is not unlike the designation of the four notes of a dominant seventh as its root, third, flfth and
seventh.
10 Degrees i and v constitute tritone I, degrees ii and vi span tritone II and so forth.
6 All numbers in parentheses stand for the numbers of bars involved.
11 The ensuing analytical study does not employ pitch-class set theory, though set-names are adopted to
7 Octatonic collections listed here are complete unless stated otherwise. help identify structures which lack more conventional nomenclature.
74, Journal of The Scriabin Society of America Journal of The Scriabin Society of America 75

The octatonic referents listed in Table 2 draw uniformly on the same eight pes and
are transpositionally related only insofar as orthography is concerned. This Ex. 4. Some thematic and accompaniment materials based on X and X+l, the
immediately calls into question the rationale underlying the use of these octatonic recurring pentad
referents. If the octatonic collection is after all the same, why should different octatonic
referents be involved? Can the whole issue be purely a matter of orthography? These 3 131
questions will be addressed as we explore Scriabin's composing-out of the octatonic .A ~ .. ~A
referent by taking into account the issue of note distribution. Before all this, however, -if

rrl~~m
/
rr"'[ I1,!!
an introduction to the motivic-thematic materials of the "White Mass" and a discussion
3
of their relationships to the proposed concept of octatonic referent are in order.

Ex. 3. Polarization ofX/X+l and degree i arranged in sequence (exposition).

avec une sombre majeste

Transition Second theme

'm
First theme
17
11 17 29 36

~
.. . ~#r ~
f~

)~ ',.~
_~~"J!
mYSlericusement sonore

v ..
I H~ I~.
m}Jslcricusemenl sonore
,.ft,
I'):~ W#fdr
f
atr I gSt p;, I
I PI P21 Ipi P21 Ipi P2 lstlsetting

--~ 1+r~rr ~, l ~~ R:'

*' ~ ~ .. j--

III II III II 260

_______ tr- tr_

"
'~-"1t
39
link
* •"'=,,, H_~ L~
47

~
I$§ t -======
pp
hJ @I#:::=-
J IIlg
-===== ~ cresco

) 2nd setting

=-~c. ~
3rd setting

-
'------l'-
11
39 197

Tetrad X) figure Yand the polarized setting I$§~r II#~F 5 5

I
X, the iconic tetrad of Sonata No.7, is none other than a major-minor triad, albeit
spaced and spelt as two minor thirds plus a centrally placed augmented third (Ex. la).
rThe augmented third could obviously be respelt as a perfect fourth, but Scriabin
adheres to this spelling pattern with startling consistency. This consistency is violated
only at a few points, in transitional passages. 12 In passages marked mysterieusement 3 131-2 17-20 260-1 39-40 197-8
sanore, third-related Xs are grouped in exploitation of a complete octatonic collection
(see Ex. 3).13 Octatonicism is overtly engaged and the octatonic basis of X becomes I~ &lhi I Ih~F iii I #i~i- I #"1-1 I i#\lf I!
X X+l X X+l X+l X+l
12 See, for instance, mm. 116-17.
13 However, the fragmentary m. 4, where Scriabin fIrst marks mysterieusement sonore, does not bring with
it a complete octatonic collection.
76, Journal of The Scriabin Society of America
fully disclosed. The relevancy of the proposed concept of octatonic referent is such that
every time X appears~ it lines up degrees viii~ ii, v and vii and gives unambiguous
specification to the octatonic referent involved. The function of this tetrad is manifold.
Not only is it treated as a harmonic unit but it also underlies most of the thematic
materials and accompaniment figures of the ''White Mass" (Ex. 4). The first theme, the
mysterieusement sonore passage, the transition and the second theme are all based on X.
The textural variety and the apparently rich thematic content of Sonata No. 7 owe
much to it.
Figure Y, the principal melodic idea of the second theme, incorporates X as its closing
tetrad (Ex. 2) .14 Although figure Y is most extensively treated in the Sonata, it is never
subjected to any substantial transformation. The only exception is its opening note,
which shows signs of inflection. Figure Y opens with degree ii, degree #ii or a leisurely
paced semitonal inflection that pairs ii with niL I5 The recurrence of figure Y is
nonetheless accompanied by an incessant change of settings. It is as if Scriabin was
trying to compensate for any monotony that might result from the repetitions. Textural
variety is exploited and the figurations that envelop figure Y change constantly.
Nevertheless, X and its derivatives underlie most of these accompaniment figures; the
contrasts attained are mere surface events.
Ex. 5. The strange presence of a similar idea in Sonata No. 1.
rit.
40 ____~3 --,~. tempo
I;~I>I'~ e fj;.I~j j d IS j JI¢1 I polarized framework, the opening phrase (mm. 1-4) splits into two halves (PI and P2).
· ~
f d1m.
Adapted as accompaniment material in almost every single setting of figure Y is the
recurring pentad X+l. Like X, it owes much of its character to the pungent clash of a
major seventh. Closely related to the iconic tetrad of the ''White Mass," X+ 1 can be
interpreted as an expansion from the major-minor triad of X into a dominant seventh
garnished with a minor third, though this is again most peculiarly spaced and spelt. 16 All
of these "odd" spellings, once again, fall perfectly in line with the idea of an octatonic
14 There is a strange presence of what comes close to a figure Y in Sonata No.1, mm. 40-1 (Ex. 5).
15 Figure Y fIrst starts unfolding with this gentle shift of a semitone. This ii-#ii inflection also characterizes
a sizable number of works by Scriabin.
16 Sonata No.6 contains the fIrst use of X+l in Scriabin's works, though it appears but once at the end of
the Sonata. This pentad also appears in other works by Scriabin (for example, the third of his last set of
Preludes, Op. 74), but is by far most profusely used in Sonata No.7.
Journal of The Scriabin Society of America 77
referent. All X+ls of the second theme follow the same spelling and spacing pattern
and can be understood as comprising the viii-ii-iv-v-vii degrees of a conceptual octatonic
referent.!?
Even though the first theme, the mysterieusement sonore passage, the transition and
the second theme already have X as their common basis, their correlation in fact goes
well beyond this. All X-related ideas, notwithstanding the varying contexts, are
supported by degree i of an underlying octatonic referent. 18 This provides a further link
between the thematic materials of the Sonata; all of them are based on fundamentally
the same "background" structure:
X (upper part) + degree i Oower part)
This polarization of X and degree i extends to X+l and X'+1. Two factors -
orthography and spacing - closely relate X'+ 1 to X+ 1; the difference hinges on the use
of either degree ii or degree #ii (see Ex. 1b).19 This correlation between X'+l and X+l,
strengthened by the fact that they appear in similar contexts, parallels that between
degrees #ii and ii on a small scale and that between the "mystic" and the octatonic on a
large scale, of which more later.
While the polarization of X (incomplete) and degree i is set up right at the beginning
of the Sonata, that ofX+1 and degree i first appears at mm. 39-40 of the second theme. 20
It thus coincides with the first appearance of X+1. The polarization of X' +1 and degree i,
however, comes only with the closing mystic chord. 21 These polarized settings account
for an astonishing proportion of the ''White Mass," and much of this persistence is
attributable to what Dahlhaus refers to as a "mechanical rule" of transposition. 22 The
exposition is illustrative of the working of such a "rule" (see Ex. 3). By virtue of the
This division also befits the change of thematic content: the triadic figure spans PI,
while the mysterieusement sonore chord and a closely related accompaniment figure
make up P2. Insofar as the polarized framework is concerned, P2 matches the
downwards major-third transposition of PI. An upwards tritone-transposition of P2, on
the other hand, provides the pitch materials for the ensuing PI. But a tritone
transposition does not alter the pc content of an octatonic collection. The downwards
major-third transposition is the only decisive one in respect to the octatonic content.
17 In Op. 64, the majority ofX+ Is adheres to this pattern. A differently speltX+ 1 (D~-F;-A-B-C#) first appears
at m. 60 right after the second theme.
18 Degree i often forms with degree v a bass tritone. In the mysterieusement sonore passage and other
passages that adopt two or more Xs, the bass tritone often shares with the fIrst X the same octatonic
referent.
19 First appearing at m. 43, X'+l alternates with X+l repeatedly. X'+I, together with its embedded ;ii,
eventually fmds its way into the concluding mystic chord.
20 X+ 1 and degree i combine to give the octatonic hexad 6-Z49 (see Ex. lc).
21 This hexad shares with the concluding 6-Z49 of Sonata No.6 the polarization of degree i and a similar
pentad (X'+1 and X+l respectively).
22 Carl Dahlhaus, "Structure and Expression in the Music of Scriabin," Schoenberg and the New Music,
trans. Derrick Puffett and Alfred Clayton (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987),206.
78., Journal of The Scriabin Society of America Journal of The Scriabin Society of America 79

With three such transpositions in succession, the first theme is brought through exclusively with the first and second settings of figure Y.28 At mm. 35-8 the
collections III, II and I back to the original collection (m. 9) .23 It is crucial that the mysterieusement sonore passage interrupts, and this again activates an octat.onic
transposition process is suspended at this point and gives way to the first extensive collection at its fullest. With the third setting comes the first pure octatonic setting of
treatment of the mysterieusement sonore material (mm. 10-16)24 - concomitantly the first figure Y. Such settings of figure Yare rare; there are only two (mm. 47-59 and 215-27),
presentation of a complete octatonic collection. This sets free a chain of chiming Xs, and both of them are stationed at the end of the second theme in the exposition and first
with degree i tolling in the bass. The polarized setting persists. Following this, X (with recapitulation. The placement of a purely octatonic setting at the end of the second
occasional octave displacements) is arpeggiated to give what Dahlhaus refers to as the theme is liable 10 be read as a resolution brought about through a purge of the
"fanfare motif," being counterpointed by PI and, again, degree i. This motif, together extraneous A#.29 The resolution effect evoked by this setting is made all the more
with a "modulation" from collection III to collection II, characterizes the transition obvious by its insistent repetition of figure Y.
(mm. 17-28). This "modulation" is again attributable to the downwards major-
third transposition. 25 The "mechanical rule" has prevailed thus far, and it takes but one Table 3. Settings of figure Y in the second theme (exposition, first and second
more step - the ensuing upwards tritone transposition - before Scriabin winds it up for recapitulations).3o
the time being.
Exposition Octatonic referent31 Foreign
note
II
First setting of figure Y (mm. 29-35) [G#, A, (B), B#, Cx, D#, E#, F#J Alt
This last step brings in the second theme (mm. 29-59). In keeping with the fact that
Mysterieusement sonore passage (mm. 36-8)
collection II completely dominates this theme,26 the transposition scheme becomes
modified, though the polarized setting remains. Most thematic materials of Sonata Second setting of figure Y (mm. 39-45) [Gft, A, (B), B#, Cx, Dft, E#, FII] Alt
No.7 consist of the polarization of X/X+ l/X'+ 1 and degree i; however, the interaction Link (m. 46) I

between the mystic chord and the octatonic collection is best understood through a
study of the second theme and its principal melodic idea, figure Y. Indeed, the Third setting of figure Y (mm. 47-59) [B, C, (D), D#, E#, H, Gft, A]
[F, a, (Ab), A, B, (C), D, ElJ
correlation between the "mystic" and the octatonic cannot possibly be separated from a
consideration of figure Y, as most occurrences of the mystic chord (except the two First Recapitulation
located at the outset of the second recapitulation) are associated with this melodic idea.
Our study, though, focuses not so much on figure Y itself as on its many different First setting of figure Y (mm. 197-203) [H, G, (A), Alt, Bft, Cft, Dft, E) G#
settings. A comparison of the octatonic settings of Y, as opposed to those which Mysterieusement sonore passage (mm. 204-6)
articulate a well-defined mystic chord, sheds light on this correlation.
Second setting of figure Y (mm. 207-13) [H, G, (A), Alt, B#, C#, D#, E) G#
The first settings of Y and mm. 60-2 Link (m.214)
As shown in Table 3, figure Y receives three different settings in the second theme Third setting of figure Y (mm. 215-27) [A, Bft, (C), C#, D#, E, FII, G)
of the exposition.27 A complete octatonic collection is involved, albeit with the presence [El, fl, (a), G, A, (Bb) , c, DbJ
of the non-octatonic degree #ii. The latter always pairs with degree ii and is associated
Second Recapitulation

First setting of figure Y (mm. 253-6) rH, G, (A), Alt, Bft, Cft, Dft, EJ G#
23 Poeme-Nocturne, Op. 61, opens with a quick circulation of the three octatonic collections brought about
through a similar transposition scheme. Second setting of figure Y (mm. 257-60) [H, G, (A), Alt, Bn, Cft, D#, EJ G#
24 TIle mysterieusement sonore material has so far been cut short by the dominating Pl.
25 The closing bars of the transition recall the mysterieusement sonore material and the note G# is given
special prominence. G# not only leads smoothly into the second theme, it will also be the closing note of 28 Both settings are based on the i, ii, iv, v, vi, vii and viii degrees of an octatonic referent plus Ajj, which lies
a semitone above degree ii. The A# of m. 30 marks the first use of degree ~ii, a non-octatonic element
Sonata No.7. which is most persistently used throughout Sonata No.7.
26 Most of the second theme of Sonata No.6 is also based on one octatonic collection. 29 The first theme likewise ends with a purely octatonic passage (mm. 10-16).
27 The three settings that come up in the second theme of the first recapitulation are, in essence,
transposed restatements of these. The second recapitulation brings along two other set6ngs of figure Y. 30 All other settings of figure Yare listed in the Appendix.
Relatively thin texture takes over and a sense of dominant underpinning is heightened. 31 Pcs left out from these octatonic referents are in parentheses.
80 . Journal of The Scriabin Society of America
Ex. 6 reproduces the third setting of figure y'32 This passage involves a complete
octatonic collection [0, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11]. The exclusive use of collection II is
nonetheless accompanied by respellings of F# as G!" D# as E!, and, most strikingly, the
constant respelling of the bass tritone as either E#-B or F-B. These re spellings , as
insistent as they are abrupt, build into this passage a series of conceptual breaks and
divide it into blocks with distinct emphasis on flats and sharps respectively. Figure Y
cuts across this alternation of blocks; the inherent continuity of this melodic idea is
however much "disturbed" by these respellings. These blocks are tritone
transpositions of one another insofar as X+ 1 and the sustained notes are concerned. It
could not be argued convincingly that the respelling of figure Y and the bass tritone,
which remains registrally fixed, is a consequence of transposition.
Ex. 6. The third setting of figure Y in the exposition.
---
j
r [Qt, A, B, Bn, ex, Dn, En, F#]
t!-~d
j y --=--,,:
i i
I
~
~-F ~
Octatonic referents
[B, e, (D), Dn, E#, Fn, Qt, A]
[F, a, (Ab), A, B, (e), D, B]
Nevertheless, all these details can be interpreted as corollaries of an interchange
between octatonic referents that are, orthographically speaking, related by a tritone.
Neither of these blocks makes full use of an octatonic referent. The sharp-based block
(7-31B)33 is deprived of degree iii while the flat-based block (6-Z49) activates all except
degrees iii and vi. Degree vi of the sharp-based block is, however, used only once. With
this reading, Scriabin's weird respellings bring forth order: degrees i and v of both
octatonic referents appear as a bass tritone and degrees vii, v, iv, ii and viii articulate
32 Only an excerpt of this highly repetitive setting of figure Y is reproduced here.
3:1 "7-31B" refers to [0,2,3,5,6,8,9] but not its inversion ally related "7-31" [0,1,3,4,6,7,9]. See Larry
Solomon, 'The List of Chords, their Properties and Use in Analysis;' Inter/ace 2 (1982): 61-107.
Journal of The Scriabin Society of America 81
X+ 1. The respellings help maintain the intervallic relationships between X+ 1 and the
bass tritone. This passage could be rewritten by adhering to only one octatonic referent,
or indeed to none, without affecting its sonic effects to any significant extent, but
respelling would completely obscure Scriabin's idiosyncratic approach to octatonicism.
Ex. 7. The first appearance of a complete octatonic referent.
anime, aile
60
mf
Octatonic referent
#
The argument that 8-28 on F and 8-28 on B are involved in the third setting of figure
Y is based on the assumption that 6-Z49 and 7-31B are incomplete forms of the octatonic
referents concerned. This assumption receives strong support from aconsideration of
mm. 60-2, at which point Sonata No.7 first invokes a complete octatonic referent - all
eight pcs of 8-28 on G# are activated here while the polarized setting persists (Ex. 7).34
In the upper register, degrees vii, v, iv, ii and viii of 8-28 on G# again articulate the X+ 1
pentad. 35 Degree i, no longer accompanied by degree v in the bass, appears now as the
"root" of a dominant-like [0,4,10] structure. This passage adds a new dimension to our
reading of 6-Z49 and 7-31B as incomplete forms of an octatonic referent. Since X+ 1 and
degree i are polarized in 6-Z49 , 7-31B and 8-28 alike, not only are they related to one
another as subsets and supersets on a purely theoretical level, but they also engage the
same degrees of an octatonic referent in the same capacities. 36
34 In Sonata No.7, a complete octatonic referent is involved on only two occasions (mm. 60-2 and mm. 228-
30). These two passages are transposition ally related and located at the corresponding points of the
exposition and the first recapitulation.
35 Another five-note figure (D~-FlI-A-B-C#), which shares with X+ 1 the same intervallic structure, appears in
m. 60. Oddly enough, the transpositional relationship between X+l and this figure is not reflected in their
spellings. They are nonetheless derivable from the same octatonic referent. These X+ Is combine to give
a heptad; the only note missing is degree i of the octatonic referent. In line with the argument that
degree i is centric to the octad, it appears as the "root" of an [0, 4, 10] bass trichord.
36 The argument that 6-249 is de/acto a subset of a governing octatonic referent rather than an autonomo~s
hexad can be strengthened further by adducing Sonata No.6. The prolonged use of the octatomc
referent 8-28 on G in its closing mm. 365-86 comes to end with a 6-249 (mm. 383-6) which likewise
superimposes X+l on degree i.
82 . Journal of The Scriabin Society of America Journal of The Scriabin Society of America 83

Ex. 8. The second setting of figure Y in the exposition. Ex. 9. The mystic chord takes over when degree #ii replaces ii and the return of
degree ii brings back 6-249.

CD ® CD
39 ® @])
vol joyezlX mystic chord
.----"~
~I
145 PP(1j
., ,iy
#J xJq.J'j .,., jf~ xi ~J J ~J
~
II • i i /if.!...II..1 I ~ 1 i j
tT

l
~ y- V "I "I
P
.....:=::::::-
ill]) to.. L!#e
..
l"a~ II
PP

42
@ CD -------. ® ~ ~

---------- ------ 147

II /:;'1
~
i i~" j i
,j)~EI~ xl Jj ., i {f1?xJ #1 J j ., ., ~

(I" 'r "YT- L ! T\ -

lll .. ~ II]) .J.. k#e
-lfD- .,j , X,.J
~" #17 II

Octatonic referent Foreign note

Octatonic referent Foreign note
[Q, A, (B), B#, ex, D#, E~, 1)] All
Unlike the third setting of figure Y, the first and second settings are completely free
from respe11ings of any kind. They are attributable to only one octatonic referent,
though with the addition of the non-octatonic N, which pairs perpetually with A to
colour the underlying 7-31B.37 The first and second settings ofY are in many ways two
sides of the same coin. If the latter strikes us as considerably more complex in makeup,
that is due primarily to the inclusion of X+ 1 as accompaniment material (Ex. 8). The
polarization of X/X+ 1 and degree i affiliates these settings of figure Y with the
composed-out octatonic referent of mm. 60-2 and attests to their octatonic basis. But the
insistent recurrence of the non-octatonic degree #ii throws this 8-28 reading into doubt.
37 The note extraneous to its embedding 6-Z49 is again sparingly used, appearing as the ftfth of an [0,4,7,
10] "rooted" on degree i.
[G#, A, (B), Bn, ex, (DO, En, H] All
Indeed, degree #ii involves itself with motivic-thematic material on such a regular basis
as to render any reading of it as a mere "non-harmonic" note inappropriate. Should we
interpret degree #ii as a "harmonic" note and the overriding source chord as 9-10? The
structural role of degree #ii remains unclear at this point but is subsequently clarified by
settings of figure Y which map this non-octatonic #ii to a well-defined mystic chord.
Mm. 145-8 and the concluding mystic chord
There are a handful of such settings (see Appendix), but only mm. 145-8 share the
same pitch level with the previously discussed first and second settings in the
exposition (Ex. 9). This passage is referable to 8-28 on Q. Insofar as figure Y is
concerned, there is a note-to-note correspondence, slight rhythmic modifications
notwithstanding. The opening semitone of figure Y pairs degrees ii and #ii while X+ 1
84 . Journal of The Scriabin Society of America Journal of The Scriabin Society of America 85

and degree i remain polarized. Degree i has been turned into the "root" of a [0,4, 10]
trichord set in alternation with a [0,4, 10] "rooted" on degree V. 38 These trichords are Ex. 10. The last setting of figure Y and the concluding mystic chord.
associated with distinct five-note figures. Between X+l and another pentad [G#, E#, Cx,
B#, A] that appears they contain all the pcs in 6-Z49.
With this setting, the opening ii-#ii inflection of figure Y directly relates to a shift from CD) @
6-Z49 to the mystic chord. These hexads have five notes in common, they use the same
spellings and, most significantly, they play essentially the same structural role. Since
the mystic chord takes over when degree #ii replaces ii, and the return of degree ii
brings back 6-Z49, the choice between the mystic chord and the octatonic hexad
332
T

tJ
"i
bt,.~ ,

<T1~
-- V!
-

v
'--3--1
'I
-- -

VI" I
...

i.
depends on which form of degree ii is used. The two preceding settings of figure Y W p - l-.3---.--:.J

confirm this point. There is the same reference to 8-28 on G# and the typical polarization
ofX+1 and degree i. 6-Z49 underlies the first of these (mm. 137-41) - a setting of figure
) Ito- I I I

Y that involves degree ii but not #ii. In mm. 142-5, as figure Y is altered to begin with
degree ~ii rather than ii, however, a mystic chord is set in sharp relief. Degree #ii is again
most unambiguously associated with this hexad.
f
l>,!'

--
'~ '·~r '~ ..of

~
'~

These settings of figure Y clearly affirm the correlation between degree #ii and the
@ mystic chord
mystic chord. 39 In the context of the whole Sonata, however, degree #ii is usually
embedded in a larger octatonic context and brings forth a well-defined mystic chord aceel. -----' tr:
~ #t:
335 ,--:=3 _ tr:
only infrequently. The most decisive affirmation of this correlation comes only with the "
concluding mystic chord at the end of the ''White Mass" (Ex. 10). At mm. 332-5, figure ~
Y, together with its iHii inflection, which has pervaded so much of the Sonata, recurs for
tJ
#l~ I L----;==== dim. ----_.

)
f..-.-pp
the last time. Following the most emphatic use of X+l - at m. 331 the arpeggiation of II 1I. ~1'- t I#~
X+l (fortissimo) covers nearly five octaves - only X remains. As its degree ii comes to

~
-v~~
be sharpened, the semitonal inflection of figure Y takes shape. A sudden drop in ~3~
L--3....----l
dynamics brings in this figure, which is at once augmented and curtailed. 40 The
augmentation gives its opening ii-#ii inflection, now appearing for the last time, ample
time to express itself. The curtailment eliminates degree ii, which would otherwise
come with the latter half of figure Y. This elimination proves crucial, for the ensuing
establishment of the mystic chord as the ultimate tonal goal of Sonata No.7 also adopts 339 ---
8°O---------~- --- -- - ------------ ----------------------~

,
degree #ii to the exclusion of degree ii.
~ #f:- .~- .~ -t:
"
38 This change of bass trichords is a well-documented trait of Scriabin's late style. See, for example, Jim -;J ~3- smorz.
Samson's Music in Transition: A Study a/Tonal Expansion and Atonality, 1900-1920 (London: J.M. Dent ------------
----H~ ~--~-~ ~---~
& Sons, 1977), 81ff.
39 The mapping of a mystic chord to the octatonic referent most closely related to it a1so singles out its only
non-octatonic pc as degree #ii. This reading of the mystic chord as comprising degrees i. iv, v, vii and viii
),1 " ~ #~ ~:-#~ #r: ~
of an octatonic referent plus the non-octatonic degree #ii is informed by three factors: pc content, -;J ~''; L-- -~

orthography and note arrangement. On the sole basis of pc content, a mystic chord is referable to four L----3~
different octatonic referents. If we take into consideration the factor of orthography, however, only two
octatonic referents remain on the list. The mystic chord rC, D, E, F#, A, B~l, for example, contains in it
the octatonic pentad [C, E, H, A, B~] which is at once referable to [C, D~, a, E, F:~, G, A, B~] and [A, B~,
C, C~, D#, E, F#, G). (The spelling of this mystic chord follows Sabaneiev's model, as is edvinced by the Octatonic referents Foreign note
multitude of mystic chords spelt out in Prometheus, among others.) The extent to which these octads [E!" R, (a), (G), A, B~, c, D~J F
relate to this mystic chord does not differ until we add in the factor of note arrangement. This mystic
chord is more closely affiliated to 8-28 on C, as they both set up C as a referential pc. [Fl!, (G), (A), All, B#, (CO, D~, EJ G#
40 Figure Y is arguably modified rather than curtailed, as its truncated ending - an arpeggiation of X - is
replaced by X'+l at a different pitch level, being referential to 8-28 on H rather than E~.
86 Journal of The Scriabin Society of America Journal of The Scriabin Society of America 87

On the downbeat of m. 335 B# appears in place of the expected C. Orthographic

details go hand in hand with note arrangement in suggesting that third-related octatonic Ex. 11. The juxtaposition of mystic chords and octatonic collections at the outset
referents, each with its own degree #ii, are involved. To put it differently, if we read into of the second recapitulation.
this passage a change of octatonic referents, the polarized framework stays unchanged:
X (mm. 332-4), X' +1 (mm. 335-43) and tritone I appear in the upper and lower registers 239·40 24]·2 243-4
237·8
respectively.41 In a sense, the iHii inflection, much dwelled on through augmentation,
mediates between the emphatic articulation of X+1 and the X'+l of the concluding
'"
li.l~ L~' J L~ -~ J ~J, ~J
mystic chord:
~
~:; ~.. #:;!t 1" -. . . . . . . . . . . . \ V·
m.331 mm.332-4 mm.335-6 d~ ('... .0.
-Eo (bR.
:
viii-ii-iv-v-vii (X+ 1) ii-#ii viii-#ii-iv-v-vii (X' +1) jI]It

This mediation is nonetheless a conceptual one, as degree #ii of the semitonal shift
and that of the mystic chord belong to third-related octatonic referents. Should degree
#ii of the final hexad be replaced by degree ii, X' +1 would be converted into X+ 1 and the
mystic chord be replaced by 6-Z49. 42 In short, Sonata No.7 would have shared with
Sonata No.6 the same concluding hexad. The emergence of a mystic chord as the
closing sonority of the "White Mass" does not coincide with the ii-#ii inflection of figure
Y, but degree #ii, appearing as an integral part of X'+1, is again instrumental in the
making of this hexad.
III
W'hen degree #ii first appears in the second theme of the "White Mass," it partakes of
the ii-#ii inflection that colours the first unfolding of figure Y. At this point, the correlation
between degree #ii and the mystic chord is kept in suspense, as degree #ii brings forth a
mystic chord of obscure identity. It is not until the development that degree #ii of figure
Y coincides with the articulation of a well-defined mystic chord. Here the ii-#ii inflection
of figure Y also corresponds to a shift between 6-249 and the mystic chord.
On the basis of this affiliation between degree ii and the octatonic hexad and that
between degree #ii and the mystic chord, the ii-#ii inflection may be taken to mirror the
pairing of these structures on the smallest scale possible. To take it a step further, we
may infer that the mystic chord, represented by #ii, permeates Sonata No.7, disrupting
what would otherwise be a much more purely octatonic context, before it emerges as
its concluding sonority:. This interaction between the mystic chord and the octatonic
collection - an important element of design in Sonata No.7 - is most forcefully
expressed at the outset of the second recapitulation, where a mystic chord (mm. 237-
44) is overtly juxtaposed with an octatonic collection to underline a reprise of the first
theme (Ex. 11).43 All previous settings of the first theme have been based upon the
mystic chord collection ill mystic chord collection In
octatonic hexad 6-249. W'hat amounts to a reharmonization of the first theme, here at a
critical moment in the Sonata, replaces it with the mystic chord. 44 This establishes a
cross-reference between the pair of hexads that has assumed utmost importance in the
Sonata. In concluding with degree #ii, Sonata No.7 comes to end with the mystic chord,
which again cross-references the octatonic hexad 6-249 deployed at its outset.
The persistent recurrence of degree #ii in Sonata No.7 has prompted many analysts
to question if pc set 9-10 is in use. Insofar as the late Scriabin is concerned, Perle has
warmly embraced this idea of a nine-note source chord:
Faubion Bowers reports that on 27 June 1910 "the newspapers carried an
announcement that the Mysterium will soon be finished and as'Prometheus
was built from six tones like the Pleiades, the Mysterium will be hitched to
a constellation of nine." Surely what Scriabin had in mind was the octatonic
scale plus the raised scale degree that converts a five-note segment of that
scale into a whole-tone collection. This "constellation of nine" gives us the
"mystic chord" of Prometheus plus the normal octatonic collection. 45
But this "constellation of nine" could well be 9-12 ("mode 3" in Messiaen's "modes of
limited transpositions"), the characterizing source chord of Sonata No. 10. '\Vhile 9-10
splits readily into 8-28 plus any of the four outstanding pcs, 9-12 does not contain in it
this octad. Twelve-tone chords found among Scriabin's sketches for the Prefatory
Action (1914-15)46 have seemingly triggered a tendency to read into Scriabin's late
works a gradual expansion in the size of the source chord - interpreted as a sign of his
move towards total chromaticism. Manfred Kelkel's effort to trace an orderly note-by-
note increase in the size of the source chord, starting from the initial use of hexads

4 J This framework relates this passage to previous settings of figure Y based on the octatonic subsets 6-249
and 7-31B.
42 Mrn. 261-2 have already adopted this alternative arrangement.
43 The much curtailed mysterieusement sonore material of In. 4 is t.urned into a full-fledged passage
involving a complete octatonic collection.
44 This mystic chord is spaced in the same way as the opening mystic chords of Prometheus.
45 Perle, "Scriabin's Self-Analyses," 117-18. Taruskin shares Perle's view. See Review of James M. Baker's
The Music 0/ Alexander Scriabin (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1986), Music Theory Spectrum 10
(1988): 164.
46A preparatory work for the projected Mysterium.
81) . Journal of The Scriabin Society of America Journal of The Scriabin Society of America
.~t"..:
89

around 1910 to the ultimate use of twelve-note material in the sketches, is exemplary.47
But the octatonic referent, when used in collaboration with a closely related mystic Ex. 12. Scriabin's sketches for the Prefatory Action, p. 47.
chord, can easily be mistaken for 9-10. The distinction between an autonomous nine-
note source chord and a pairing of the "mystic" and the octatonic can be made only if
our analytical concern is widened to cover not only the abstract presence but also the
!n~v~ cp_ 9- HI!
actual shaping of these structures.
In this connection, 6-Z49 assumes primary importance. Indeed 6-249 distinguishes I a b~iJoJiij
.. ~ J bE J uJ .. & I j d lid d q3 1m? I j bJ d DJ ~J j j? I TIJ &tJ4¥=
itself as one of the most predominant among the octatonic subsets used in Sonata
No.7. The full use of an octatonic collection in Sonata No.7 rarely calls up one complete
octatonic referent. More often it involves the "superfluous" use of two or more
incompletely represented octatonic referents, where 6-Z49 looms large. TIlis preference
for 6-Z49 has seemingly led Dahlhaus to read it as the source chord of Sonata No. 7. 48 If
Dahlhaus's reading owes much to the prominence of this hexad established at the outset
Fa d ~J lid J d I J d ~J"3 J ~r I ~ lid : bJ J J I j bJ J1IJdiJ4 I
of the Sonata, it evidently underrates the rnysterieusernent sonore passages, where third-
related octatonic referents join hands in the making of a complete octatonic collection. ~d2LJlJJbJ I JJ J&kJ I J JJffJ n-- jlJ J!~-: Jdl1f2
The structural role of the octatonic collection is by no means negligible. Yet the
importance of 6-Z49 should not be rejected out of hand either. If perhaps not taken at
~~"·~---i+'H""'-----------------
face value, this hexad nevertheless is influential in the idea of an octatonic referent.
Most 6-249s of Sonata No.7 comprise the i, ii, iv, v, vii and viii degrees of a conceptual
octatonic referent This hexad has been referred to as a modified (octatonicized?)
mystic chord~9 and is listed on p. 47 of Scriabin's sketches for the Prefatory Action under approach: in works focusing on the octatonic, his reliance on the mystic chord has come
8-28 on C (Ex. 12). In order to distinguish this octatonic hexad from three other 6-Z49s to be replaced by reliance on an octatonic hexad.
derivable from an octatonic referent, it will be denoted as 6-Z49 on i. -while 6-Z49 refers
But why should it be 6-Z49 on i rather than any other octatonic hexad? Of all octatonic
to an abstract intervallic structure, 6-Z49 on 1. specifies that the hexad involves none
hexads, only two relate to a mystic chord by the shortest route - the shift of a semitone.
other than the i, ii, iv, v, vii and viii degrees of an octatonic referent. 6-Z49 on i is thus
Depending on whether its only non-octatonic degree #ii is flattened or sharpened -
orthographically frozen. 5o
replaced by degree ii or iii - a mystic chord can be converted into either 6-Z49 on i or
The predominance of 6-249 on i goes hand in hand with an equally single-minded 6-30. From another perspective, a pairing of degrees ~ii and ii comes only with that of
preference for the non-octatonic degree lIii over its third-related counterparts. This near the mystic chord and 6-249 on i; 6-30 and indeed all other 6-249s fail to establish such
monopoly of 6-249 on i and degree #ii extends to Scriabin's other works, most notably an intricate tie with the mystic chord. The importance of this #ii-ii pair has been
Sonata No.6, where purely odatonic passages add up to more than half of its time overlooked. Reminiscent of the 9-~9 inflection associated with Scriabin's previous use
span.51 All these preferences could be perplexing, especially when considered outside of dominants and dominant-like structures, this semitone also displaces degree i of the
the context of his oeuvre. In the light of Prometheus and miniatures composed around paired hexads with a major and a minor ninth. Both 6-30 and 6-249 on i are convertible
1910, however, they can be taken to signify a retention of former compositional into a mystic chord through the shift of a semitone, but only 6-Z49 on i manages to
retain this heritage of a 9-~9 inflection. The octatonic hexad 6-30 would bring about
47 Kelkel's view is summarized in his 'Tableau des transformations successives de l'echelle scriabinienne a 9-~10 shift instead. 52
(depuis Promethee):' See Kelkel, Alexandre Scriabine: Sa vie, l'esoterisme et Ie langage musical dans son
oeuvre (Paris, Honore Champion, 1978), Vo1. III, 33. But a direct correspondence between this iHii inflection and a shift from 6-249 on i to
48 Dahlhaus, "Structure and Expression in the Music of Scriabin," 205-6. the mystic chord is not always in play. If this inflection had much to do with a pairing
49 Gottfried Eberle, Zwischen Tonlitiit und Atonalitiit: Studien zur Harmonik Alexander Skrjabins of 6-Z49 on i and the mystic chord, it seems to have gradually outgrown it. As the
(Munchen: Musikverlag Emil Katzbichler, 1978),99. hexachordal framework dissolves, the semitone can be buried in a wider octatonic
50 Simiarly, the octatonic heptad 7-31B on i employs the i, ii, iv, v, vi, vii and viii degrees of an octatonic
referent and this designation helps to distinguish it from three other 7-31Bs derivable from the same
octatonic referent. 52 In a similar vein, a mystic chord can be converted into a whole-tone hexad by inflecting its only non-
whole-tone component, i.e. degree vii; the vii-bvii inflection also recalls the 6-~6 inflection much used in
51 The recurring pentads of Sonatas Nos. 6 and 7 have 6-Z49 on i as their common source chord (see Ex. 1). his tonal works.
90 _ Journal of The Scriabin Society of America
context without setting the hexads in sharp re1ief. 53 ll1e iHlii inflection that colours the
second theme of the "White Mass," for instance, does not coincide with an interchange
between 6-Z49 on i and a mystic chord. Following the same line of thought, the
ubiquitous use of this inflection in Sonata No.7 can be taken to suggest a mix of the
octatonic and the "mystic," though a well-defined mystic chord is not always involved.
Sabaneiev's analysis of Prometheus as solely based on the mystic chord 54 - a matrix
from which both harmonic and melodic materials are derived - has inspired readings of
Scriabin's late works along the same line. Nonetheless, this hypothetical model, which
views a musical composition as comprising, in essence, restatements of the same
source chord, differently transposed, remains rather loosely defined, embodying
assumptions which are never made explicit. A reading of Prometheus as a series of
differently transposed mystic chords, for example, cannot be sustained without allowing
for the occasional presence of foreign notes. Thus James M. Baker finds Sabaneiev's
view incompatible with his own analysis despite the fact that he has expanded the
conventional definition of the mystic chord by interpreting [C, H, Bb, E, A, D] and its
inversion ally related counterpart as equivalent. 55 His segmentation of the music
precludes a priori any use of foreign notes. In stark contrast, Jay Reise posits that
Scriabin draws upon the source chord as a matrix of "consonances" - notes foreign to
the governing hexad act as "dissonances" which await resolution. 56 This is a major step
forward. Nevertheless, such a hierarchical view would read a dissonance-consonance
resolution into the recurring ii-#ii inflection of Sonata No.7. One of the paired notes and,
by extension, one of the hexads, would be assigned a "non-harmonic" role, ruling out
cases where the hexads join forces rather than displacing one another. In Scriabin's
oeuvre, there are extended passages and even whole works where the source chord
lends itself to chromatic modifications reminiscent of the major-minor borrowings of
former times. 57 In cases as such, foreign notes added to colour the source chord should
be distinguished from those serving a mere voice-leading function. Perle's description
of these inflections as "modal variants" seems more percipient, though he did not
specify the structures involved. 58
With selected settings of figure Y in Sonata No.7, 6-249 on i has shared with 7-31B
on i and the octatonic referent the same polarization of X+l and degree i,59 The
underlying connections between these structures, together with the intricate tie
between 6-Z49 on i and the mystic chord, grants this octatonic hexad special import.
Scriabin's experiment with the octatonic idiom may have taken 6-Z49 on i as an
53 The fIrst of his Op. 67 Preludes is illustrative of this approach.
54 Sabaneiev, "Prometheus von Skrjabin;' 127-40.
55 James M. Baker, The Music 0/ Alexander Scriabin, 235-9.
56 Jay Reise, "Late Skriabin: Some Principles Behind the Style;' 19th Century Music 6/3 (1983): 220-31.
57 For example, Poeme, Op. 59, No.1 and Feuillet d'album, Op. 58
58 Perle, Serial Composition and Atonality: An Introduction to the Music 0/ Schoenberg, Berg and Webem
(London: University of California Press, fIfth revised edition, 1981),41.
59 The "added" notes (degrees iii and vi respectively) of these heptad and octad assume relatively
peripheral structural roles.
Journal of The Scriabin Society of America 91
important point of reference. From this pivot-like hexad, Scriabin could move on
to explore the octatonic at its fullest or, conversely, withdraw into the more familiar
world of mystic chords. In short, the octatonic referent can be understood as an
expanded mystic chord and it may have evolved from his former engagement with the
mystic chord:
mystic chord ~ 6-Z49 on i -7 7-31B on i -7 octatonic referent
This hypothesis, though proposed in the present context with exclusive reference to
Sonata No.7, has important bearing on Scriabin's "redundant" use of twelve octatonic
referents in place of the three octatonic collections - an issue raised earlier in this paper.
If Scriabin had conceived an octatonic referent as an expanded derivative of a mystic
chord, twelve octatonic referents would have been created in place of the three
octatonic collections. While the incompatibility of the octatonic collection and the
mystic chord is primarily that of intervallic symmetry and asymmetry, the octatonic
collection, when composed out through the octatonic referent, takes on asymmetric
features characteristic of the mystic chord. The asymmetric spelling pattern of the
octatonic referent, which has much in common with the scalar representation of major-
minor tonality, is not pure mannerism, for the octad is articulated as an asymmetric
structure quite regardless of its inherent symmetry.60 In the foregoing study, we have
noted how third-related octatonic referents are distinct not only regarding orthography,
but also insofar as each of them sets up a different referential pc which directly affects
the structural roles of its constituent pcs. 6! The "redundant" use of twelve octatonic
referents thus puts at Scriabin's disposal what may be viewed as surrogates of the
twelve conventional keys.
Scriabin drew manifestly on the octatonic idiom only after he had returned to Russia
from his self-imposed exile. This timing has led Richard Taruskin to suggest that
Scriabin's exploration of octatonicism could have been touched off by contact with
music by "the late Rimsky-Korsakov and younger St. Petersburg composers."62
A substantial literature has grown in the past two decades on the adoption of the
octatonic collection by a number of his more "important" contemporaries, and this has
seemingly discouraged independent research into Scriabin's octatonic idiom. Few have
questioned his approach,63 which betrays stylistic traits characteristic of the mystic
chord. Just as Scriabin has previously explored new expressive means by putting
together variously transposed mystic chords, there remains in his octatonic endeavour
the preponderance of a hexad closely related to it. The abruptness that marks his
"sudden" turn in Sonatas Nos. 6 and 7 to octatonicism is thus more apparent than true.
Even though Scriabin's octatonic settings may be likened, in the broadest sense, to
60 Scriabin's treatment of the whole-tone hexad also sets a precedent for the asymmetric use of a symmetric
structure. In Poeme Jantasque (Op. 45/2), for example, the whole-tone hexad is consistently notated and
spaced as a dominant ninth with the fifth omitted in favor of its chromatic counterparts.
61 Enharmonic changes in tonal music also involve notational adjustments which reflect a reshuffling of
structural importance among constituent pes.
62 Taruskin, Review of Baker's The Music oj Alexander Scriabin, 164.
63 Related research remains much bound to the presence rather than the usage of this structure.
~~ . Journal of The Scriabin Society of America
;;=.., Journal of The Scriabin Society of America 93

those of his contemporaries, there are significant discrepancies which if diminished

would severely impoverish our understanding of his approach. Of these, the idea of Octatonic referent Foreign note
octatonic referents articulated as expanded derivatives of mystic chords is all-important. Mm. 277-80 [H, G, (A), All, B#, (C#), D#, E] G#
Much exploited in the "White Mass," this deep-rooted tie between the octatonic [D#, E, (F#), Fx, (Gx), (N), B#, C#]
collection and the mystic chord is a unique trait which stands all alone in the literature [A, (B~), C, (CO, D#, E, (FO, G]
of octatonicism.
Mm. 285-8 [F#, G, (A), N, Bn, (CO, D#, E] G#
Appendix. Other settings offigure y'64 [D#, E, (Fff), Fx, (Gx), (N), B#, C#]
[A, (B~), c, (C#), D#, E, (Fff), G]
Most settings are based on the embedding 6-Z49 on i of an octatonic referent. 65
Mm. 321-3* [R, H, (a), (G), A, B~, C, D~] F
At mm. 69-72, 113-16, 2'17-80, 285-8 and 333-5 respellings suggest that third-related
Mm. 332-5* [R, H, (G), (G), A, B~, C, D~] F
octatonic referents are involved. The non-octatonic degree #ii recurs on a regular basis. 66
[H, (G), (A), N, BR, (C#), D#, E] G#
At mm. 100-3, 109-13, 113-16, 134-7, 141-5 and 145-8, the appearance of degree #ii -

coincides with that of a well-defined mystic chord.

Octatonic referent Foreign note

Mm. 69-72 [G#, A, (B), B#, Cx, (D#), E#, H] N
I [E#, F#, (GO, Gx, (Ax), (BO, CX, D#l
[B, (C), D, (DO, E#, F#, (G#), A]
I

Mm. 81-4 [B~, 0, (D~), D, E, (F), G, A] C

Mm. 86-8 [B~, C~, (D~), D, E, (F), G, A] C
Mm. 88-9* [B, C, (D), D#, E#, (FO, G#, A] cn
Mm. 93-6 [B, C, (D), D#, E#, (FO, G#, A] Cn
Mm. 98-100 [B, C, (D), D#, E#, (F~), G#, A] C#
Mm. 100-3* [B, C, (D), D#, E#, (FO, G#, A] C#, E
Mm. 103-6 [G, M, (B~),
B, Cfi, (D), E, F]
Mm. 109-13 [G, M, (B~),
B, C#, (D), E, F] A
Mm. 113-16 [G, M, (B~), B, C#, (D), E, F] A
[B~, (C~), D~, (D), E, F, (G), M]
Mm. 127-30 [D~, m, (R), F, G, M, B~, C~] R
Mm. 132-4 [E, F, (G), G#, M, (B), Cn' D] F),A
Mm. 134-7* [C, (D~), (R), E, F), (G), A, B~] D
Mm. 137-41 [G#, A, (B), Bn, CX, (DO, E#, H]
Mm. 142-5 [G#, A, (B), B#, Cx, (D#), E#, H] N
Mm. 145-8 [Gn, A, (B), B#, Cx, (DO, E#, F#] N
-----~.-- ... ~ - -.-.~

64 111is figure is curtailed in passages marked with an asterisk.

65 At mm. 127-30, Ah (degree vi) is only marginally involved, the basic reference of this setting remains
6-Z49 on i.
66 The only other foreign notes are E (m. 1(1) and A (m.·133).