Abstracts of issue 19 (2007)

Set-Type 7-34 in the Transitional Period of Alexander Scriabin: Functional Adventures of a Non-Diatonic Entity

Set-type 7-34, which presents the set-theoretic form of the Acoustic scale and the Melodic minor scale, is a pitch collection that features centrally in the post-tonal music of Alexander Scriabin (1910-1915). It seems, however, that the composer preoccupies himself with this special heptachord in his path towards atonality as well. The two popular rotations of 7-34 (Acoustic collection and Melodic minor) have the capacity to promote dominant and tonic functions, respectively, in a chromatically expanded and / or modified tonality. These theoretical attributes are pragmatically realised in excerpts from two transitional works: Scherzo, opus 46, and Désir, opus 57 no. 1.

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