On Sunday, July 22, 2012, The Cumberland Orchestra at SSMF will have the great honor and opportunity to play a work of the renown living composer in residence with the Chicago Symphony, Mason Bates.  This composer is like now other. He combines classical fundamentals with the forward moving ideas of techno-multimedia ideas. Here's what the CSO has to say of its artist is residence:

"The music of Mason Bates fuses innovative orchestral writing, imaginative narrative forms, the harmonies of jazz and the rhythms of techno. Frequently performed by orchestras large and small, his symphonic music has been the first to receive widespread acceptance for its expanded palette of electronic sounds, and it is championed by leading conductors such as Michael Tilson Thomas, Riccardo Muti, and Leonard Slatkin. He has become a visible advocate for bringing new music to new spaces, whether through institutional partnerships such as his residency with the Chicago Symphony, or through his classical/DJ project Mercury Soul, which has transformed spaces ranging from commercial clubs to Frank Gehry-designed concert halls into exciting, hybrid musical events drawing over a thousand people."

Words can not define this amazing composer of the youth of the new millennium.  Only witnessing Bate's work can begin to help define who he is. There are two videos below, the first is a excerpt of one of his works from Carnegie Hall, and the second is an interview with John Adams of the San Francisco  Symphony where he explain the artistic process of creating.

July 14 - 15 2012 So much is happening this summer in music it is difficult but fun to try and keep up with all the delicious events happening in and around Nashville. Just a list of an update of what is coming up and a few excerpt videos of a few things that were performed this weekend. NASHVILLE IS DeFiNeTeLy MUsIc CiTy uSa. Our beloved Maestro of the Nashville Symphony is in Sao Paulo

City Conducting the Orquestra do Festival

http://www.festivalcamposdojordao.org.br/programacao-interna2011.php?id=17  

And this past Saturday, at SSMF, a chamber orchestra played an excellent performance of Mozart's Little G symphony no 25 in G minor K 183

Music has a way of moving people - literally. We all know the formal aspects of music and movement such as ballet, modern dance and ballroom. We will investigate those forms and their association with music next week.
This week I more interested in what happens when, to borrow a phrase a friend used today, the formal walls are dropped, and the music is played in a natural environment where people - literally to just start moving and engaging in the natural setting around them.

The below video is choreographed - but not in the usual sense. It has strong elements of people joining in and picking up steps because they want, even more are compelled to move, instead of just watch and listen on the sidelines. You can easily pick these people out, but it doesn't distract from the story of the dance. It doesn't keep the intended story from being told, and it doesn't keep those who are "just the audience" from becoming participants in the perfromance

Another interesting point is - many in the crowd know the couple but many don't; many look at the antiquated boom box with a yucky look, but then in the passion of moving it too ceases to be an issues. This begs the questions,  what is more important, the quality of the hall, the quality of the music, the power of the audience, the joy of those listening, the power of being moved, kismet, or something else. Surely there is the element of choreography as with every performance, but what makes this one scene so very successful?

For The Next Two Weeks   Music Mutations will post links, videos, articles, poetry, pictures, comics, and other media that at draws connections between the universal language of music and other art forms. Music Mutations will look at Post Modern reflections of how the disciplines of art, music, dance, theater, performance art, literature and philosophy and intertwined as artistic mediums. 

Music Mutations invites you, the reader, to send in your own examples of mutated musical examples. To start us off, below is an excellent article from the July 2010 Mosaic Art NOW that describes how musical rhythms can be found in mosaic art. Knowing what classical works will be performed this weekend by our mid-state youth, I can readily identify specific art work with specific musical works. 

FIRST - LISTEN TO Marquez' Danzon No. 2? THEN  to "MOSAICS" by  Eric Ewazen. THEN Read the article tweeted by Nancy Van Reece from the Nashville Symphony. See if you can figure out which work of art, I would connect to the video. What work, have you played would you connect to a mosaic work of art?

 

Summer chance to revive,  refresh, and renew our minds, ears and our souls to new and interesting sounds, colors and textures be it in music, art or study. Summer offers the opportunity to delve deeply into the connections between history music and art that you might have found interesting in class, meant to read more on, but had too much homework, or  just need that special porch to sit the day away swinging. Students I have taught for the last 10 months, hopefully will be drawing connections between what they hear and see this summer with what they have learned in  history, English, math and science classes. 

19 Jul 2010

Exploring the Universal Appeal of Rhythm, Repetition and Novelty in Mosaics

In a recent edition of his “Twice-Weekly Newsletter”, artist, traveler, writer and teacher Robert Genn referenced a book by Daniel J. Levitin, This is Your Brain on Music. Genn took a major concept from the book — the universal appeal of rhythm, repetition and novelty in music — and looked at the place these three elements hold in visual art.We thought it might be interesting to explore these concepts from a mosaic perspective , so we went to the 2009 edition of our magazine to look for illustrations. To say the least, it was a very interesting exercise. Not surprising, we found that all of our examples contained at least two of these concepts, if not all three. Take a look yourself and tell us what you think. We welcome your feedback and perspectives.The quotes are all Genn’s. More on him and his treasure trove of artful inspiration at the end of this post. Our brief observations are in italic.

RHYTHM

“Rhythm is an elemental force in human nature. In visual art the moving brush and the wandering eye are directed toward harmonious cycles and shapes that amuse and satisfy. This rhythm is between curves and flats, protrusions and recessions, crudeness and delicacy, patterns and amorphousness, lines and forms. As in music, the list goes on.”

“Risorgiva“ Giulio Menossi. 98 cm x 72 cm 7 10 cm
Smalti, glass Stones
http://www.menossimosaici.com/

What’s not rhythmical about this work? Protrusions, recessions, crudeness and delicacy — it’s all there.

“Three Graces” Irina Charny. 48″ x 24″
Stone, gold, glass, beads pearls.
http://icmosaics.com/
(photo by Ben Charney)

Can’t you just feel the rhythm of their dance? Every line provides a beat and flow to the eye — from the overall forms of the dancers to whole sections of  their hair and rich textiles.

“Concentration” Jinet Mosaique 18″ x 12″
Marble, smalti, vitreous glass.
http://www.mosaissimo.com/

Your eye just can’t stop wandering in “Concentration”. Try to focus on just one area. You can’t. The rhythm of the andamento carries you away.

REPETITION

“Repetition is one of those strangely satisfying curiosities that somehow helps us feel rewarded and secure. Repeated motifs, themes and stylistic peculiarities give a ‘beat’ to visual art that seduces the eye and brings it back for more. Far from being boring, repetition is the grid on which higher themes may fly.”

“Premonitions (of a Luna Moth Caterpillar)” Maylee Christie
90 cm x 80 cm x 80 cm
Smalti, stained glass, semi precious stones, gold
http://www.mayleemosaics.com/

In this complex work it is intricate pattern that is the repetition.  It attracts, holds, and draws us in for closer inspection.

“Truth and Beauty Series #2″ Rachel Sagar 24″ x 12″
Smalti, gold smalti, copper wire.
http://www.rachelsagermosaics.com/

Repetition creates a powerful and strong elegance to this work that is enormously appealing.

We felt both “We” and Lynn Moor’s “Black in Blue” are perfect examples of “repetition on which higher themes may fly”. In this case, it is the backgrounds, intricate in themselves, that provide the grounding for higher themes.

“Black in Blue” Lynn Moor 11″ x 11″

Orsoni smalti and mosaic gold
http://www.lynnmoor.com/

NOVELTY

“At the same time, the human brain and eye love novelty. Something new around the corner — a surprise, a jolt out of the normal — arrests our flow and gives a sudden flush of wonder and joy. In the evenness that describes so much of life, humanity craves the bump of novelty.

We’d love to hear from you on Rhythm, Repetition and Novelty in mosaics. Talk back, why don’t you?
Enjoy — Nancie

Notable Fact

1888-06-29 - First (known) recording of classical music made, Handel's Israel in Egypt on wax cylinder.

Just think - without recordings of music, 1000's if not millions of listeners would never have been introduced to works of musical art. What an important fact to remember and honor