Clavier à lumières
Encyclopedia
The clavier à lumières or tastiéra per luce, as it appears in the score, was a musical instrument
invented by Alexander Scriabin
for use in his work Prometheus: Poem of Fire
. However, only one version of this instrument was constructed, for the performance of Prometheus: Poem of Fire in New York
in 1915. The instrument was supposed to be a keyboard, with notes corresponding to colors as given by Scriabin's synesthetic
system, specified in the score, though it's doubted that Scriabin was a synesthete
.
The "Luce" part is notated on a treble staff with two parts, one proceeding on the circle of fifths
during the piece, the other following the tonal centre of the music.
Scriabin assigned the following colors to the following key areas:
When the notes are ordered by the circle of fifths
, the colours are in order of a spectrum
, which some scholars believe indicates that he did not experience the physiological condition of synesthesia
, and that it was a thought out system that was influenced by his theosophic
readings and based on Sir Isaac Newton
's Optics:
Scriabin was a friend of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
, who was also a synesthete. Scriabin's assignments of colours to keys was not the same as Rimsky-Korsakov's perceptions, which is not an indication that Scriabin was not a synesthete as all synesthetes perceive different associations. Scriabin was also heavily influenced by Theosophy
, which had its own different system of associating colors and pitches (in essence going up the visible spectrum from C to B chromatically, rather than by fifths).
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
invented by Alexander Scriabin
Alexander Scriabin
Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin was a Russian composer and pianist who initially developed a lyrical and idiosyncratic tonal language inspired by the music of Frédéric Chopin. Quite independent of the innovations of Arnold Schoenberg, Scriabin developed an increasingly atonal musical system,...
for use in his work Prometheus: Poem of Fire
Prometheus: Poem of Fire
Prometheus: The Poem of Fire, Op. 60 , is a symphonic work by the Russian composer Alexander Scriabin for piano, orchestra, optional choir, and clavier à lumières or "Chromola" . However, the clavier à lumières is rarely featured in the performance of the piece, including performances during...
. However, only one version of this instrument was constructed, for the performance of Prometheus: Poem of Fire in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1915. The instrument was supposed to be a keyboard, with notes corresponding to colors as given by Scriabin's synesthetic
Synesthesia
Synesthesia , from the ancient Greek , "together," and , "sensation," is a neurologically based condition in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway...
system, specified in the score, though it's doubted that Scriabin was a synesthete
.
The "Luce" part is notated on a treble staff with two parts, one proceeding on the circle of fifths
Circle of fifths
In music theory, the circle of fifths shows the relationships among the 12 tones of the chromatic scale, their corresponding key signatures, and the associated major and minor keys...
during the piece, the other following the tonal centre of the music.
Scriabin assigned the following colors to the following key areas:
| By chromatic scale | |
| Note | Colour |
|---|---|
| C | red (intense) |
| C# | violet or purple |
| D | yellow |
| D# | flesh (glint of steel) |
| E | sky blue (moonshine or frost) |
| F | deep red |
| F# | bright blue or violet |
| G | orange |
| G# | violet or lilac |
| A | green |
| A# | rose or steel |
| B | blue or pearly plue |
When the notes are ordered by the circle of fifths
Circle of fifths
In music theory, the circle of fifths shows the relationships among the 12 tones of the chromatic scale, their corresponding key signatures, and the associated major and minor keys...
, the colours are in order of a spectrum
Visible spectrum
The visible spectrum is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye. Electromagnetic radiation in this range of wavelengths is called visible light or simply light. A typical human eye will respond to wavelengths from about 390 to 750 nm. In terms of...
, which some scholars believe indicates that he did not experience the physiological condition of synesthesia
Synesthesia
Synesthesia , from the ancient Greek , "together," and , "sensation," is a neurologically based condition in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway...
, and that it was a thought out system that was influenced by his theosophic
Theosophy
Theosophy, in its modern presentation, is a spiritual philosophy developed since the late 19th century. Its major themes were originally described mainly by Helena Blavatsky , co-founder of the Theosophical Society...
readings and based on Sir Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton
Sir Isaac Newton PRS was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian, who has been "considered by many to be the greatest and most influential scientist who ever lived."...
's Optics:
| By spectrum | |
| Colour | Note |
|---|---|
| deep red | F |
| red | C |
| orange | G |
| yellow | D |
| green | A |
| sky blue | E |
| blue | B |
| bright blue | F# |
| violet or purple | C# |
| lilac | G# |
| flesh | D# |
| rose | A# |
Scriabin was a friend of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov was a Russian composer, and a member of the group of composers known as The Five.The Five, also known as The Mighty Handful or The Mighty Coterie, refers to a circle of composers who met in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in the years 1856–1870: Mily Balakirev , César...
, who was also a synesthete. Scriabin's assignments of colours to keys was not the same as Rimsky-Korsakov's perceptions, which is not an indication that Scriabin was not a synesthete as all synesthetes perceive different associations. Scriabin was also heavily influenced by Theosophy
Theosophy
Theosophy, in its modern presentation, is a spiritual philosophy developed since the late 19th century. Its major themes were originally described mainly by Helena Blavatsky , co-founder of the Theosophical Society...
, which had its own different system of associating colors and pitches (in essence going up the visible spectrum from C to B chromatically, rather than by fifths).
See also
- Color organColor organThe term color organ refers to a tradition of mechanical , then electromechanical, devices built to represent sound or to accompany music in a visual medium—by any number of means. In the early 20th century, a silent color organ tradition developed...
- Visual musicVisual musicVisual music, sometimes called "colour music," refers to the use of musical structures in visual imagery, which can also include silent films or silent Lumia work. It also refers to methods or devices which can translate sounds or music into a related visual presentation...
- Music visualizationMusic visualizationMusic visualization, a feature found in electronic music visualizers and media player software, generates animated imagery based on a piece of music...
- New Epoch Notation Painting
- List of people with synesthesia
External links
- RhythmicLight.com
- Visual Music A history of Color Organs, various mappings of tones to colors (including Scriabin's), and other representations of music in art. Has many external links.
Further reading
- Alexander Scriabin's Prometheus: Philosophy and Structure by Kenneth John Peacock. 1976 PhD Dissertation at the University of Michigan.