Composed in 1914, the score was also published in the same year. It is Scriabin's last work to bear an opus number. This work dates from the period when Scriabin began to conceive of Mysterium, the world's first attempt at a stage art integrating sound, light, dance, and scent. Mysterium, however, remained only a conception.

Movement 1

3/4 time, Douloureux, déchirant (Painful, heart-rending)

French indications are used. The frequent use of chromatic melodic motion creates a sense of anguish. The harmony in this piece can be seen as the ultimate form of Scriabin's technique, characterized by the extensive use of altered notes.

Movement 2

4/8 time, Très lent, contemplatif (Very slow, contemplative)

Scriabin is said to have described this piece as "death and love," "the sister of the prelude to Mysterium," and "the highest harmony, white radiance," suggesting it was a work particularly favored by the composer himself. Similar to the previous movement, French indications are used, and chromatic melodic motion is frequently employed.

Movement 3

9/8 time, Allegro drammatico (Dramatic allegro)

Voices interweaving long note values with chromatic melodic motion create shifting sonorities. In the concluding section, a descending scale alternating whole tones and semitones is strikingly employed.

Movement 4

3/4 time, Lent, vague, indécis (Slow, vague, undecided)

Chromatic writing is characteristic. Particularly prominent is the technique of sounding major and minor triads simultaneously. It is written polyphonically, and in parts, relationships between voices moving in parallel motion and the use of polyrhythm can be observed.

Movement 5

3/2 time, Fier, belliqueux (Proud, warlike)

This piece, featuring triplets, quintuplets, and sextuplets, is constructed as if weaving together various techniques seen in Scriabin's previous works, such as octave leaps and arpeggios spanning a wide range.