(Vision, painting by the composer Arnold Schoenberg, as appearing in this section of the Almanac)
Form in Art (8) - Artistic Freedom
- Wassily Kandinsky
A little insect under a glass, running in all directions, thinks it has unrestrained freedom. At a certain point it hits the glass: it can see further but it cannot go any further. When you move the glass forward it, you give it the potential of covering more space. But its main movement is determined by the guiding hand. Similarly, our time believes itself completely free, but we will encounter certain limits, which will, however, be rearranged "tomorrow".
(From On the Question of Form, by Wassily Kandinsky, appearing in the Blauereiter Almanac (1912), edited by Franz Marc and Kandinsky.)
(19th Century folk reverse-glass painting. Similar to the Bavarian glass paintings appearing in the Almanac.)
Form in Art (7) - New epoch's characteristics
- Wassily Kandinsky
These characteristics of a great spiritual epoch (which was prophesied and is today in its initial stage) can be seen in contemporary art. They are:
a great freedom, which appears to some to be limitless and which
makes the spirit audible, which
we see revealing itself with an overwhelming force in things that
will increasingly and already do make use of all spiritual fields, so that
in each spiritual field, including the plastic arts (especially painting), it will create many means of expression (forms) encompassing both individuals and groups, for
today it has the whole larder at its disposal, i.e. every material, from the most "solid" to that which exists only in two dimensions (abstract), will be used as an element of form.
(From On the Question of Form, by Wassily Kandinsky, appearing in the Blauereiter Almanac (1912), edited by Franz Marc and Kandinsky.)
(Zwei Reiter vor Rot (Two Riders before the Red) (1913) by Wassily Kandinsky. An illustration from his book Klänge (Sounds))
Form in Art (6) - Inner Necessity
In daily life we would rarely find a man who will get off the train at Regensburg when he wants to go to Berlin. In spiritual life getting off at Regensburg is a rather common occurrence. Sometimes even the driver does not want to go on, and all the passengers get off at Regensburg. How many who sought God stopped at a carved figure! How many who searched for art were arrested at a form that an artist had used for his own purposes, be it Giotto, Raphael, Dürer, or Van Gogh!
It must be stated as a final conclusion: the most important thing is not whether the form is personal, national, or has style, or corresponds to a major contemporary movement, whether or not it is related to few or many other forms, whether it is unique, etc., etc. The most important thing in the question of form is whether it has grown out of inner necessity.
(From On the Question of Form, by Wassily Kandinsky, appearing in the Blauereiter Almanac (1912), edited by Franz Marc and Kandinsky.)
(Portrait of a Woman (1895) by primitive artist Henri Rousseau. Appears in this chapter of the Almanac.)
Form in Art (5) - Movements
- Wassily Kandinsky
As we said at the beginning, the abstract spirit first overcomes a single human spirit; later it controls an increasing number of people. At that moment some artists succumb to the spirit of the time, which forces them to adopt some forms that are related to each other and therefore share an external similarity.
This moment is called a movement.
The movement is completely justified and essential for a group of artists (as is the individual form for a single artist).
As one cannot find salvation in the form of an individual artist, so one cannot find it in the form of the group. For each group, its form is the best because it best embodies what the group is compelled to reveal. [...]
Thus we come to the same conclusion that was stated above: it is not form (matter) that is generally more important, but content (spirit).
(From the chapter On the Question of Form, by Wassily Kandinsky, appearing in the Blauereiter Almanac (1912), edited by Franz Marc and Kandinsky.)
(Drawings by a young Harry Moar, from around 1900. They are not the same as the 19th century children's drawings appearing in this chapter of the Almanac.)
On the Question of Form (4) - Diversity of Forms
- Wassily Kandinsky
We should never make a god out of form. We should struggle for form only so long as it serves as a means of expression of the inner sound. Therefore we should not look for salvation in one form only. [...]
Since form is an expression of content, and content is different for different artists, it is clear that there may be many different forms at the same time that are equally good. [...]
Form reflects the spirit of the individual artist. Form bears the stamp of the personality.
The personality cannot, of course, be regarded as something outside of time and space. It depends to a certain extent on time (epoch) and space (people).
As each individual artist has to express themself, so each so each people has to express itself, including the people to which the artist belongs. This connection is reflected in the form and is described as the national element.
And, finally, each period has its special task as well, the revelation possible through it. The reflection of this time element is recognized in the work as style.
All these three elements leave their stamp on a work and are unavoidable. It is not only superfluous to worry about their existence, but also harmful. Forcing them would be pretending, betraying the period.
(From the chapter On the Question of Form, by Wassily Kandinsky, appearing in the Blauereiter Almanac (1912), edited by Franz Marc and Kandinsky.)
The joy of life is the incessant, constant victory of the new value.
The victory proceeds slowly. Gradually the new value conquers humanity. And when many no longer question this value, indispensable and necessary today, then it will form a wall erected against tomorrow.
The metamorphosis of the new value (the fruit of freedom) into a fossilized form (a wall against freedom) is the work of the evil hand.
All evolution, which is internal development and external culture, is therefore a shifting of obstacles.
Obstacles destroy freedom. By this destruction they prevent us from hearing the new revelation of the spirit.
Obstacles are constantly created from new values that have displaced old obstacles.
We see that basically the most important thing is not the new value, but rather the spirit that has revealed itself in the new value. And the freedom necessary for the revelations.
We see that the absolute cannot be sought in the form (materialism).
Form is always temporal, i.e. relative, for it is nothing more than the means necessary today through which the present revelation makes itself heard.
Sound, therefore, is the soul of form, which only comes alive through sound and which works from the inside out.
Form is the outer expression of the inner content.
(From the chapter On the Question of Form, by Wassily Kandinsky, appearing in the Blauereiter Almanac (1912), edited by Franz Marc and Kandinsky.)
(Gekreuzigter Christus (Crucified Christ) (Murnau, 1911), by Wassily Kandinsky. The work does not appear in the Almanac, but shows the influence of Bavarian votive art on Kandinsky at that time.)
On the Question of Form (2)
- Wassily Kandinsky
Men are blinded.
A black hand covers their eyes. The black hand belongs to the hater. The hater tries with every available means to slow down the evolution, the elevation.
This is negative, this is destructive. This is evil. The black, fatal hand.
Evolution, movement forward and upward, is possible only when the way is clear, free from obstacles. This is the external condition.
The force that propels the human spirit onto the clear path forward and upwards is the abstract spirit. It must be audible and it must be heard. The call must be possible. This is the internal condition.
To destroy these two conditions is the method the black hand uses against evolution.
Its tools are: fear of the clear path, of freedom (i.e. Philistinism), and deafness to the spirit (dull materialism.)
This is why men regard each new value as inimical. They try to fight against it with scorn and defamation. The bearer of values is regarded as ridiculous and dishonest. They laugh at, and scorn, the new value.
This is the horror of life.
(From the chapter On the Question of Form, by Wassily Kandinsky, appearing in the Blauereiter Almanac (1912), edited by Franz Marc and Kandinsky.)
(Mary with Infant Jesus (1758), Votive Painting, Lower Bavaria. Similar to the work at the beginning of this chapter of the Almanac.)
On the Question of Form (1)
- Wassily Kandinsky
At a certain time what is inevitable ripens, i.e. the creative spirit (which could be called the abstract spirit) makes contact with the soul, later with other souls, and awakens a yearning, an inner urge.
When the conditions necessary for the maturation of a certain form are met, the yearning, the inner urge, the force is strengthened so that it can create a new value in the human spirit that consciously or unconsciously begins to live in people.
Consciously or unconsciously, one tries, from that moment on, to find a material form for the spiritual, for the new value that lives within one.
This is the search by the spiritual value for materialization. Matter is a kind of storeroom from which the spirit choose what is necessary for itself, much as a chef would.
This is the positive, the creative. This is goodness. The white, fertilizing ray.
The white ray leads to evolution, to elevation. Behind matter, within matter, the creative spirit is hidden.
The veiling of the spirit in matter is often so thick that, generally, only a few people can see through it to the spirit. There are many people who cannot even recognize the spirit in a spiritual form. Today many do not see the spirit in religion, or in art. There are whole eras that deny the spirit, because the eyes of man cannot see the spirit at all at those times. So it was during the nineteenth century, and so it is for the most part today.
(From the start of the chapter On the Question of Form, by Wassily Kandinsky, appearing in the Blauereiter Almanac (1912), edited by Franz Marc and Kandinsky.)
(Seated Girls (1911) by Otto Muller. Not the same drawing by Muller that appears in this chapter of the Almanac.)
Free Music - Practical Performance
- N. Kulbin
The listeners: Those who think quarter tones are hard to distinguish are wrong. We know from experience that all listeners can easily differentiate between quarter tones.
Eighth tones are not differentiated by all listeners. Their effect is stronger because these half-realised, incomprehensible sensations affect one's soul.
The performance:
The performance is very simple. As works with quarter tones can be performed, the improvisation of free tones by singing, by playing on the double bass, the cello and some wind instruments can also be accomplished without a different tuning.
[...] The simplest way to study the characteristics of free music is to use glass bowls or glasses and to fill them with different amounts of water. It is also easy to build xylophones at home.
the improvisation of free tones may for the time being be taken down on Gramophone records. They may also be depicted in the form of a drawing with rising and falling lines.
(The conclusion to the chapter Free Music by N Kulbin, appearing in the Blauereiter Almanac (1912), edited by Franz Marc and Wassily Kandinsky. )
(Ziegelie III (1912), by Wilhelm Morgner. Not the same work as the drawing (Brickyard) by Morgner, which appeared in this chapter of the Almanac.)
Free Music - Close Connections
- N. Kulbin
A series of still unknown phenomena is revealed: the close connection of tones, and the process of close connection.
These connections of adjunct tones of a scale, of quarter tones, or even lesser intervals, may still be called close dissonances, but they possess special characteristics that normal dissonances do not.
These close connections of tones evoke unusual sensations for people.
The vibration of closely connected tones is extremely exciting.
In such processes the irregular beat and the interference of tones (which is similar to that of light) are of great significance.
The vibration of close connections, their unfolding, their manifold play, make the representation of light, colours, and everything living much mor effective than normal music does. It is also easier to achieve a lyrical atmosphere.
These close connections also create musical paintings, which consist of special planes of colour that merge to form progressing harmonies, similar to contemporary painting.
(From the chapter Free Music by N Kulbin, appearing in the Blauereiter Almanac (1912), edited by Franz Marc and Wassily Kandinsky. )
(Abundance (1910) by Le Fauconnier. Appears in this chapter of the Almanac.)
Free Music - Advantages:
- N. Kulbin
New enjoyment of unusual tone combinations
New harmony with new chords
New dissonances with new resolutions
New melodies
The choice of possible chords and melodies is very much enlarged.
The power of musical poetry is magnified. This is most important because music is mostly poetry. Free music has many more possibilities for affecting the listener and exciting the soul.
Delicate combinations and changing tones strongly affect man's soul.
The representational capacity of music is enhanced: the singing of the nightingale, the rustling of leaves, the delicate and stormy music of the wind and the sea can be imitated. The movement of man's soul can be represented more completely.
Study and use of coloured music are facilitated.
A simple and effective method for training and developing hearing is maintained. Such exercises are necessary for the student.
(From the chapter Free Music by N Kulbin, appearing in the Blauereiter Almanac (1912), edited by Franz Marc and Wassily Kandinsky. )
(Bathers Throwing Reeds (1910) by Max Pechstein. Differs from the 1911 Bathers III woodcut by Pechstein, which appears in this chapter of the Almanac.)
Free Music - Thesis
- N. Kulbin
The music of nature is free in its choice of notes - light, thunder, the whistling of wind, the rippling of water, the singing of birds. The nightingale sings not only the notes of contemporary music, but the notes of all the music it loves.
Free music follows the same laws of nature as does the music and the entire art of nature.
Like the nightingale, the artist of free music is not restricted by tones and semitones. He also uses quarter tones and eighth tones and music with a free choice of tones.
This disturbs neither the simplicity nor the search for a basic character, nor does it lead to a photographic reproduction of life, but it facilitates stylisation.
In the beginning quarter tones are introduced. (In antiquity, when man was still rich in original instincts, they were used as the "enharmonic scale." They still exist in the old Hindu music.)
(Start of the chapter Free Music by N Kulbin, appearing in the Blauereiter Almanac (1912), edited by Franz Marc and Wassily Kandinsky. N Kulbin was a physician and professor at the St Petersburg Medical Military Academy. His birth and death dates are unknown.)
(Vegetables. 19th Century, Japanese watercolour. similar to the Japanese ink drawing appearing at the end of this chapter of the Almanac.)
Scriabin’s “Prometheus” - Horror and Exaltation
- L. Sabaneiev
His "single" harmony has the capacity to include the most diverse nuances, beginning with a mystical horror and ending with a radiant ecstasy and a caressing eroticism.
I insist that never before in music has such a horror been heard as occurs in the tragic passages of Prometheus and that in no work has such an enthusiastic exaltation been heard as occurs shortly before the end; an exaltation beside which the conclusion of the Ecstasy pales. According to the composer's idea the whole concert hall is filled with blinding rays at the same time that all the forces of the orchestra and the chorus are mobilised and the main theme is played by the trumpets against the background of broad orchestral and organ harmonies.
After this grand exaltation there is a sudden silence; the lights go off. In a lilac twilight the sounds of an ecstatic, intoxicating dance are heard. There are light effects, magic plays of sound, dashing "light-bearing" passages of the piano against the background of hissing cymbals. Another exaltation, and again the orchestra is caught up in a sea of sounds that merge in the final chord. This chord is the only "triad" the composer uses in his entire work.
(Concluding Scriabin’s “Prometheus”, a chapter by Leonid Sabaneiev, appearing in the Blauereiter Almanac (1912), edited by Franz Marc and Wassily Kandinsky.)
(Study for Composition No. 4, by Kandinsky (1911). Appearing as a colour illustration within this chapter of the Almanac.)
Scriabin’s “Prometheus” - Synopsis of Mystery
- L. Sabaneiev
In the Fifth Sonata, which is harmonically closer to Prometheus than to the Poem of Ecstasy, we find it in the second theme; in Fragilité and other small works of the period it appears very frequently. But its consistent and complete execution we observe only in Prometheus.
With it begins the Prometheus poem of the creative spirit which, having already become free, freely creates the world. This is a kind of symphonic synopsis of the mystery, in which the participants are forced to experience the whole evolution of the creative spirit, where they are separated into receiving, passive, and creative human interpreters. [...]
In a blue-lilac twilight the mystical harmony sounds; when it flutters the main theme is sounded by the French horns. During these sounds the grandiose idea of the original chaos arises, in which, for the first time, the will of the creative spirit becomes audible.
(From Scriabin’s “Prometheus”, a chapter by Leonid Sabaneiev, appearing in the Blauereiter Almanac (1912), edited by Franz Marc and Wassily Kandinsky.)
(Children of the Woods, lithograph by Emil Nolde (1911). Not the same as the image in the Almanac, which is apparently lost.)
Scriabin’s “Prometheus” - Evolution of Harmony
- L. Sabaneiev
It is not uninteresting to trace the development of Scriabin's harmonies from his earliest works on.
Already in his Waltz Op. 1we find the harmony: A-flat, F-flat, C, G-flat
Without difficulty we recognise traits of the future ecstatic Scriabin. Only two tones that occur in the harmony of Prometheus are absent: B-flat and E-flat.
After a rather long time, at the time of the Second Symphony and of the THird Sonata, these harmonies reappeared, but not yet complete.. i.e. not yet in the form of the so-called ninth chord with an augmented (or diminished) fifth. In this form Scriabin's chord enters the whole tone scale, even if its organic origin is still far away from that scale.
By the time Scriabin wrote his Third Symphony, this chord had become "dominant" in his work. It was the time when he wrote forty small works during one summer, including the Tragic Poem and the Satanic Poem, the Poems Op. 32, and the Fourth Sonata. Here for the first time the harmony of Prometheus appears in full, e.g. in Preludes Op. 37, no. 2 (the sixth measure):
This complete form is not to be found very often during this period. It appears more frequently during the last phase (Poem of Ecstasy, Fifth Sonata).
(From Scriabin’s “Prometheus”, a chapter by Leonid Sabaneiev, appearing in the Blauereiter Almanac (1912), edited by Franz Marc and Wassily Kandinsky.)
(Two Etruscan works, similar to the bronze Gorgon as mistress of the animals appearing in this chapter of the Almanac)
Scriabin’s “Prometheus” - Harmonic Variety
- L. Sabaneiev
Even without context and development, we find a strange "mystical" atmosphere in this single harmony, something that reminds one of a deep-sounding enormous bell; if played in a high pitch , it shines, radiates, irritates, elevates, agitates.
This harmony includes a much greater variety than the customary triad, which is only one case of this harmony. It must be remarked that this variety is not in the least exhausted in Prometheus. Here Scriabin uses almost entirely this one harmonic principle, which causes a strange impression. To the listener who becomes absorbed in the world of these harmonies and feels its "consonance", the whole texture of Prometheus becomes highly transparent. Prometheus is infinitely simple and entirely "consonant" so that not a single dissonance is to be found in it. This may also be explained by the fact that due to the great number of sounds in this harmony the composer can avoid all the changing and passing tones that are not included within it. [...]
It is this fact only - in spite of the complete "consonance" and the utter transparency of the opus - that makes it possible to have five or six different themes played at the same time and to unite the thematic origin of the figures. In the whole of world literature Prometheus is the most complicated polyphonic work and, at the same time, in its texture, the most transparent.
(From Scriabin’s “Prometheus”, a chapter by Leonid Sabaneiev, appearing in the Blauereiter Almanac (1912), edited by Franz Marc and Wassily Kandinsky.)
(Pape Moe (Mysterious Water) by Paul Gauguin (1894). Wood Relief, with detail below.)
Scriabin’s “Prometheus” - Musical Aspects
- L. Sabaneiev
Let us study the musical aspect of Prometheus. [...]
Ever since his first composition Scriabin has looked incessantly for sound correspondences, for mystical sounds that could embody his ideas. It is is not hard for a specialist in his work to trace the evolution of the typical Scriabin harmonies from his first works up to Prometheus. This evolution has followed an entirely intuitive path. Only in his later work has he become conscious of the harmonic principles that he had earlier used unconsciously.
Here is this scale, which consists of six notes, and the basic harmony, which consists of six notes from this scale, arranged as fourths [see image above.]
In this harmony and in its arrangement a great variety of intervals can be found: perfect fourths: E-A, A-D; the augmented fourths: C-F sharp, B flat-E; and the diminished fourth: F sharp-B flat. The scale itself is acoustically justified, consisting of the sounds [overtones] 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14. [...]
The resulting chord Scriabin considers to be a consonance. In fact it is an extension of the customary concept of a consonant chord, i.e., a chord which does not require a resolution.
(From Scriabin’s “Prometheus”, a chapter by Leonid Sabaneiev, appearing in the Blauereiter Almanac (1912), edited by Franz Marc and Wassily Kandinsky. The upper illustration appeared in that chapter.)
