Piano Forum

Piano Board => Repertoire => Topic started by: alzado on February 21, 2006, 06:14:55 PM

Title: Compositions of Mystical or Arcane Character
Post by: alzado on February 21, 2006, 06:14:55 PM

A reference to one of Scriabin's "mystical" pieces in another recent post puts me in mind of a question for the forum.

In addition to some of  Scriabin's piano pieces, the Rosicrucian piano pieces of Erik Satie come to mind -- I have played several of these pieces.

Can anyone suggest any other "mystical" piano repertoire  -- where the composer is suggesting he has had some eldrich vision, or perhaps links his composition to a mystical cult or an arcane sect? 

I believe Mozart's The Magic Flute would even qualify, though of course not a piano composition.  Wasn't that somehow linked to the "secret lore" of the Freemasons?

Title: Re: Compositions of Mystical or Arcane Character
Post by: thalbergmad on February 21, 2006, 06:26:54 PM

Well Debussy was supposedly a Grand Master of the Priory de Sion, so it could be his music had some "mystical" meaning.

Title: Re: Compositions of Mystical or Arcane Character
Post by: prometheus on February 21, 2006, 06:29:26 PM

Priory de Sion was a hoax. :)

Title: Re: Compositions of Mystical or Arcane Character
Post by: hodi on February 21, 2006, 06:55:00 PM

alkan's compositions are quiet mystical... as well as anton rubinstein ones.

Title: Re: Compositions of Mystical or Arcane Character
Post by: g_s_223 on February 21, 2006, 07:40:47 PM

The 20th century English composer Cyril Scott was interested in mystical matters, and also wrote several piano works which have been recorded. More about him at: https://www.britishclassicalmusic.com/scott.html .

The pianist Busoni's opera Doktor Faustus is highly mystical in places.

Ravel's Gaspard is pretty spooky in places.

Title: Re: Compositions of Mystical or Arcane Character
Post by: thalbergmad on February 21, 2006, 08:05:25 PM

Quote from: prometheus on February 21, 2006, 06:29:26 PM

Priory de Sion was a hoax. :)

Thanks, I am going to cancel my subscription immediately.

Title: Re: Compositions of Mystical or Arcane Character
Post by: ahinton on February 21, 2006, 08:43:08 PM

Quote from: thalbergmad on February 21, 2006, 08:05:25 PM

Thanks, I am going to cancel my subscription immediately.

Your subscription to what, exactly?...

Best,

Alistair

Title: Re: Compositions of Mystical or Arcane Character
Post by: thalbergmad on February 21, 2006, 09:17:35 PM

Quote from: ahinton on February 21, 2006, 08:43:08 PM

Your subscription to what, exactly?...

Best,

Alistair

I will open a seperate thread in the anything but piano section on the Priory.

Title: Re: Compositions of Mystical or Arcane Character
Post by: pita bread on February 22, 2006, 01:16:03 AM

Messiaen and Scriabin were both mystics.