Table of Contents

List of figures and tables, List of music examples, Acknowledgements, Introduction: Skryabin, Philosophy and the Music of Desire, 1 Desire, Creativity and Gender Polarity in the Compositional Explosion of 1903, 2 The Hidden Breakdown of Masculinity: An Appointment with Sister Death, 3 Towards the Flame: Panpsychism, Theosophy and Hyper-Subjectivity, 4 An Incorrigible Mystic? Skryabin the Dialectical Materialist, Lacan’s ‘Graph of Desire’ and Le Poème de l’extase, 5 Level IV: The Real Drive and Skryabin’s Mystic ‘Chora’, Bibliography, Index 159

About the Author

Dr Kenneth Smith, Lecturer in Music, School of Music, University of Liverpool, UK.

Reviews

' ... the book should be of interest to scholars of music interested in the relation between musical expression, critical theory, and philosophy. Admirers of Scriabin’s music might similarly find in Smith’s analysis intriguing new perspectives on well-known compositions.' Russian Review 'Kenneth Smith superbly brings together philosophical and psychoanalytical approaches to Scriabin’s music. ... It is an important book for a music scholar or a performer alike who wants to truly understand the multidimensional spectrum of Scriabin’s music.' Notes 'Skryabin, Philosophy and the Music of Desire is a welcome change of pace. ... Smith has given us a convincing reminder that the psychoanalytic approach suits Skyrabin's music well.' Slavic and East European Journal