Prometheus, The Poem of Fire
Hancher Auditorium, September 24, 1975
Alexander Scriabin wrote Prometheus, The Poem of Fire at the turn of the 20th Century, one of the first compositions intended to provide a multimedia experience. Included in the score is a part for “tastiera per luce” or “clavier à lumières,&rdquo a seldom realized instrument of light with pitch–color correlations.
On 24 September 1975, The University of Iowa Symphony Orchestra performed Prometheus—with LC operating VIDEO/LASER III, fulfilling Scriabin’s intentions for the “luce” instrument. The attendance and response was overwhelming: a crowd large enough to necessitate two performances, both receiving standing ovations.
For a detailed explanation and analysis of Scriabin’s Prometheus, refer to LC’s program notes from the 1975 debut performance at The University of Iowa.
Faubion Bowers (1917–1999) reviewed The University of Iowa performance of Prometheus in the January 1976 issue of High Fidelity / Musical America. Bowers writes, “Certainly, in Cross’s expert hands, Prometheus manifested Scriabin’s ... vision, and proved that lights and colors accompanying music need not be a distraction but rather what Scriabin always said, ‘a complementary and mutual enhancement.’”
(Click on thumbnails to enlarge images and play movie clips.)
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Please note that the movie clips below are taken from a 30–year–old 16 mm film. The audio is based on a low-quality, monaural optical soundtrack. The colors also lack the brilliance and accuracy of those seen live—however, it is impossible for even the highest quality visual recording medium to fully capture the intensity and experience of a live laser light show.
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The 1975 performance of Prometheus was captured on 16 mm film by
Franklin Miller,
which was subsequently shown in television broadcasts on CBS (United States),
WDR (Germany), NOS (The Netherlands), and USSR State Television (Moscow).
The film was converted to DVD in July 2005 by Ron L. Zacharisen at The
University of Iowa Center for Media Production. Movie clips on this page were
taken from the DVD version.
Alexander Scriabin’s
PROMETHEUS
The Poem of Fire
© Copyright 1975 The University of Iowa
Performed September 24, 1975 at
Hancher Auditorium by
The University of Iowa Symphony Orchestra and Kantorei
James Dixon
Conductor
James Avery
Piano
Laser Projections by
Lowell Cross
Film by
Franklin Miller
Audio
Thomas Mintner
Sound Editing
Lowell Cross
Second Camera
David Parrish
Assistant Editors
Maria De Luca
Chuck Hudina
Supported by grants from:
Iowa Arts Council and
The University of Iowa
