Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the visual dimension of music. What visual dimension, you ask? Isn't music purely an aural phenomenon? Well, technically speaking, yes. But our sense of sight has an important role to play in music-making, and I think it can add immensely to the experience of hearing music as well.
Heart-shaped notation in a Renaissance chanson, Belle, bonne, sage by Baude Cordier.
The photo above the fold is an example of eye music; nerdy musicians will often use with the German version of the term, Augenmusik. It often refers to visual novelties incorporated into musical notation that may or may not be audible when the music is played.
I happen to love the way notated music looks -- which is a good thing, given the amount of time I spend looking at it! :)
A passage from my Concerto for Theremin
But I'm also beginning to feel that hearing music live is essential to appreciating it, and an important part of the experience is being able to watch the musicians. I think this is especially true of classical music (but then, I'm a little bit biased!)
The instruments are beautiful, for one thing, but I think it's also really instructive to watch how the players move, how they look at each other, how it all works together. I went to a concert of baroque music by the Boston-based ensemble L'Academie, and I was struck by how lively and interesting the music was, especially compared with my experience of baroque music back when I was a student in music history class, when it seemed repetitive and dull.
On a slightly different visual note, I've developed a little side habit of creating music-related graphics for my blog. It can be time-consuming, but I really enjoy it. Actually it's kind of addictive, and a great way to procrastinate when I'm not quite ready to do more directly musical things.
Here's one I call the Forest of Accidentals. :) The idea grew out of thinking about some pretty complex music I wrote in the past, but recently de-complexified somewhat, as I talked about in TC a couple weeks ago.
Finally, even though I'm a Serious Musician in my own special way, I'm still a bit of a girly-girl, so I think about such frivolous things as what I'm gonna wear when I perform. Last week I attended an event at the Boston Symphony called Project Tchaikovsky, that took the connection between music and fashion to a whole new level!
Comments of a Top level found their way to the TC mailbox today!
From JML9999:
This comment by el cid: engage Star Trek puns!
From mdmslle:
banana pancakes continues a hyperbolic meme. (Editor's note: the comment is edgy for my taste, but Greasy Grant gives the back story, which I had missed. Maybe you had to be there...)
From JanF:
This comment by mdmslle in NCrissieB's Monday Morning Feature does a great job of explaining unintentional privilege.
From carolita:
upstate NY provides a succinct summary of Wall Street's fraudulent activities and, downthread, gives the best analysis I've seen of the how and why of the financial fraud. Short summary:
High finance is not interested in real growth but in taking other people's money.
From addisnana:
This comment by Dallasdoc shed light on the indoctrination of the far right wing in a most excellent diary by Billmon. Nominated for the sheer sense of YES that resonated when I read it.
From yours truly, virgomusic:
KelleyRN2 on being prepared for where she might go someday. (Editor's note: I'm embarrassed to say it took me a while to get this one! :P )
Dallasdoc on just how much he doesn't trust a certain senator
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brillig brings beautiful Top Mojo!
Top 30 Comments excluding tip jars, first comments and stuff:
1) An Important Message from the Sacred Texts by JekyllnHyde — 108
2) But I thought it was the job of the US by Ex Real Republican — 101
3) Their Time is Coming Soon by JekyllnHyde — 100
4) The WJS by playon — 93
5) Elaborating a Bit More... by JekyllnHyde — 91
6) I'm pretty sure this is the best thing I've ever by lineatus — 89
7) But will the People of the Oliphant rewrite the by grannyhelen — 86
8) But will anything happen? by Betty Pinson — 77
9) There is some canonological dispute by Unitary Moonbat — 74
10) We are Not.... by oceanview — 70
11) I eagerly await the NIV Study version of this... by Jack K — 69
12) I like Tight Lips of Repression by slinkerwink — 69
13) It's a Slam Dunk, Shiz by JekyllnHyde — 69
14) The Beckus of the Glenn by Grannus — 66
15) The Book of Marmalade is a holy scripture that we by Brahman Colorado — 65
16) And the Good News version as well by bmaples — 65
17) They are just full of hypocrisy. by ranger995 — 64
18) Uh, There is a Crisis in the Monastery by JekyllnHyde — 63
19) Spotlighting the regulation vs. enforcment issue by New Deal democrat — 63
20) Lots of detail on McConnell. Well done by MinistryOfTruth — 63
21) When these scrolls by Unitary Moonbat — 62
22) RICO by Dallasdoc — 62
23) I wouldn't dare put quill to parchment by bumblebums — 61
24) It ends combat and brings many home. by Inland — 61
25) And behold by MeMeMeMeMe — 59
26) You get one from me, anyway... by JeffW — 55
27) All y'all are too kind, by Unitary Moonbat — 55
28) So true the Obama effect. While by fayea — 55
29) OMG, not only do I get to read this great diary by Little Lulu — 55
30) Not that I'm saying this is choreographed by True Independent — 54
Top 30 Comments with no exclusions, aka the Tip Jar & Pooties list :-):
1) Tip Jar by blackwaterdog — 462
2) Tip Jar by bobswern — 443
3) Moonbat's feeding bowl by Unitary Moonbat — 441
4) Tip Jar by Benintn — 383
5) No tips for me, for I cannot stay. by Crashing Vor — 356
6) Tip Jar by Ed Tracey — 329
7) Tips for research headaches by Colorado is the Shiznit — 236
8) democrats like to lead by Turkana — 208
9) Tip Jar by Kendrick Meek for Florida — 201
10) Cheers & Jeers by Spedwybabs — 176
11) Tip Jar by teacherken — 164
12) Tip Jar by Winter Rabbit — 152
13) Tips for Progressive Taxation by MinistryOfTruth — 144
14) Scritchie Jar by triciawyse — 120
15) An Important Message from the Sacred Texts by JekyllnHyde — 108
16) But I thought it was the job of the US by Ex Real Republican — 101
17) Their Time is Coming Soon by JekyllnHyde — 100
18) The WJS by playon — 93
19) Tip Jar by KelleyRN2 — 93
20) Elaborating a Bit More... by JekyllnHyde — 91
21) I'm pretty sure this is the best thing I've ever by lineatus — 89
22) But will the People of the Oliphant rewrite the by grannyhelen — 86
23) Tip Jar by CalNM — 84
24) But will anything happen? by Betty Pinson — 77
25) Tip Jar by billmon — 76
26) There is some canonological dispute by Unitary Moonbat — 74
27) We are Not.... by oceanview — 70
28) Tip Jar by calchala — 70
29) I eagerly await the NIV Study version of this... by Jack K — 69
30) I like Tight Lips of Repression by slinkerwink — 69