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Part I -- The Forgotten Child of Zeal; Part II -- Scriabin's Mysterium Dream: An Analysis of Alexander Nemtin's Realization of Prefatory Action: Part I - Universe

Keller, Andrew James
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1556932468905459

Abstract Details

2019, PHD, Kent State University, College of the Arts / School of Music, Hugh A. Glauser.
Part I of this dissertation is a large-scale composition for orchestra and mixed choir entitled The Forgotten Child of Zeal. This is a programmatic work inspired by the classic 1995 role-playing game Chrono Trigger. The piece chronicles the story of an enigmatic young boy named Janus, who possesses innate magical powers, and his terrifying transformation into Magus, the dark sorcerer who terrorizes the world. The composition is organized into two contrasting movements, Premonition and Degeneration, which vary greatly in style, but are unified through a recurring 4-note “mystic motive.” There are also key quotations of Scriabin’s Prometheus: The Poem of Fire and Prefatory Action within the piece, creating a bridge between the musical and programmatic content of all three works. The Forgotten Child of Zeal lasts approximately 22 minutes in performance. Part II of this dissertation is a theoretical paper that analyzes the pitch organization of the first movement of Alexander Nemtin’s realization of Scriabin’s unfinished masterpiece, Prefatory Action. Prefatory Action is a programmatic work written for orchestra, mixed choir, vocal soloists, and tastiera per luce (light keyboard), lasting roughly two and a half hours in length. The piece is divided into three massive movements entitled Universe, Humanity, and Transfiguration. Scriabin originally began writing Prefatory Action as a prelude to the Mysterium, which he envisioned as a divine musical ceremony that would transfigure the human race and end the universe. More than half a century later, Nemtin spent 26 years of his life completing the piece, using the literary text and musical sketches that Scriabin left behind as a guide. This paper is organized into six chapters – the first two chapters discuss the genesis of Prefatory Action and its subsequent realization, the middle two chapters explore Scriabin’s post-tonal style, and the final two chapters offer an in-depth analysis of Universe.
Richard Devore, Ph.D. (Committee Co-Chair)
Frank Wiley, D.M.A. (Committee Co-Chair)
Adam Roberts, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Mary Hricko, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Gustav Medicus, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
271 p.
Composition; Music
Scriabin; Nemtin; Prefatory Action; Preparation for the Final Mystery; Mysterium; Prometheus; Poem of Fire; luce; musical analysis; mystic chord; theosophy; Chrono Trigger; Janus, Magus; Schala; fantasy; time travel; RPG; SNES; composition; orchestra

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Keller, A. J. (2019). Part I -- The Forgotten Child of Zeal; Part II -- Scriabin's Mysterium Dream: An Analysis of Alexander Nemtin's Realization of Prefatory Action: Part I - Universe [Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1556932468905459

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Keller, Andrew. Part I -- The Forgotten Child of Zeal; Part II -- Scriabin's Mysterium Dream: An Analysis of Alexander Nemtin's Realization of Prefatory Action: Part I - Universe. 2019. Kent State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1556932468905459.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Keller, Andrew. "Part I -- The Forgotten Child of Zeal; Part II -- Scriabin's Mysterium Dream: An Analysis of Alexander Nemtin's Realization of Prefatory Action: Part I - Universe." Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1556932468905459

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

kent1556932468905459
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© 2019, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Kent State University and OhioLINK.