Music Lane

It's all about the music, dude! Sit down, relax and listen to some tunes.

Return to Music Lane

Message Sort: Post Order or Asylum Reverse Threaded

At the symphony with video

24.183.74.221
Posted on September 26, 2016 at 19:11:35
madisonears
Audiophile

Posts: 1587
Location: midwest
Joined: September 6, 2006
 This weekend our local orchestra, which is actually better than decent and performs in a magnificent setting (Overture Hall), featured for its first concert of the season a program of Enescu, Corigliano, and "The Planets." The music was spectacular, although there were a few very minor weak points in the premier Friday presentation I attended.

Featured along with the Holst was a high definition video, projected onto an enormous screen above and behind the orchestra. The video consisted of actual images and simulations of planetary features which coincided with which "planet" was being played. The video was produced for the Houston symphony, and I imagine most of it was supplied or supported by NASA. It was of excellent quality.

I found the video to be a distraction from the music, so I sat with my eyes closed for a large portion of the piece and concentrated on watching the orchestra for much of the rest of the time. Only a few times for brief intervals did I watch the video images, although I admit they were startlingly realistic and thoroughly arresting. As there was no explanation available of what one was seeing other than which planet, the video did not really inform the music, and the music was only somewhat evocative of the images, despite their being very well coordinated temporally. I think Saturn was the most visually impressive, and the gradual fadeout of Neptune with the eerie off-stage chorus was pretty cool.

What do you think of this marriage? Would you feel any more or less inclined to attend a concert that featured appropriate video accompaniment? That aspect was very heavily promoted, and the series was well attended (three shows nearly sold out, at 2.25K attendance per show), and the audience was a bit noisier than usual so I assume it was full of non-regulars.

I guess if this is what it takes to get screen-addicted Americans to listen to classical music, so be it. Personally, I would just as soon see Badger football highlights projected while the music played!

Peace,
Tom E
berate is 8 and benign is 9

 

Hide full thread outline!
    ...
Although I don't necessarily believe that non-musical media in classical concerts should be discouraged. . . , posted on September 26, 2016 at 21:57:51
Chris from Lafayette
Audiophile

Posts: 26456
Location: SF Bay Area
Joined: February 17, 2004
Contributor
  Since: February 6, 2012
 . . . in the case of Holst's Planets, the association with actual, physical planets (or pictures thereof) is, I think, wrong-headed. Holst's concept for the work was based on astrology, not astronomy - and that, according to Wikipedia, is one of the reasons that there's no depiction of Earth in the suite.

OTOH, I once attended a piano recital at UCLA, which was billed as "The Scriabin Experience" - the repertoire was all Scriabin - and it was accompanied (in every piece) by a laser light-show. I kind of liked it, and I have to think that Scriabin himself (billed on the posters as "the first flower child") would have approved it too! ;-)

 

already carefully pointed out, posted on September 26, 2016 at 22:43:46
madisonears
Audiophile

Posts: 1587
Location: midwest
Joined: September 6, 2006
 The pre-concert lecture and program notes made a point of the fact that Holst's music was not meant to depict the planets astronomically, but rather astrologically, that they were more akin to character studies than scientific descriptions. After all, little was known about most of the planets at that time. There are some characteristics of the music that associate with what we now know about each planet's physical properties, but perhaps similar resemblances could be found in various earthly geography or even, for example, breeds of dogs.

Of course the association of Scriabin's music with color is perfectly appropriate. As for first flower child, well that's a bit of a stretch. First person to "experience" LSD might be more accurate.

Peace,
Tom E
berate is 8 and benign is 9

 

RE: At the symphony with video, posted on September 27, 2016 at 02:47:26
PAR
 As The Planets is not really about the astronomical planets but their astrological equivalents, images from space could be considered inappropriate in their literalness.

What could follow? Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet with pictures of David Beckham's son and Juliette Binoche? Britten's Les Illuminations with images of various lightbulbs?

 

RE: Although I don't necessarily believe that non-musical media in classical concerts should be discouraged. . . , posted on September 27, 2016 at 04:56:35
fstein
Audiophile

Posts: 2995
Location: fstein
Joined: May 18, 2006
 He was synaesthetic

 

Two sides to that coin, posted on September 28, 2016 at 06:11:12
rbolaw
 I think the multimedia experience is potentially a great idea. Of course, The Planets was not written to accompany the video you were shown any more than The Sorcerer's Apprentice was written to accompany Mickey Mouse.

So I also think if video, or live theater or dance, or artwork, or anything else is added to some existing great piece of music, it must be done well enough to enhance rather than detract from the experience.

 

RE: "screen addicted Americans", posted on September 28, 2016 at 07:54:58
genungo
 I'll say. That said, we can do even better.

Why not substitute treadmills, rowing machines, and stationary bikes for traditional concert seating? We can kill three birds with one stone if we wanna.

 

RE: At the symphony with video, posted on September 28, 2016 at 18:51:23
vinyl survivor
Audiophile

Posts: 1471
Location: Southeastern US
Joined: November 28, 2007
 Unfortunately, I can see this happening more and more. I recorded a middle school honor band that had a large screen behind them with video or pictures to accompany the music they were performing. I found it very distracting and took away from the music. Of course, the parents loved it.

 

Yes! and ..., posted on September 29, 2016 at 16:40:38
Amphissa
Audiophile

Posts: 2717
Location: Zardoz
Joined: March 9, 2004
He developed a "clavier à lumières" (keyboard with lights) for performing his music with accompanying light show. So I'd say it makes sense to include a light show with his music, especially if the light show is based on his system associating specific colors with key areas.


"Life without music is a mistake" (Nietzsche)

 

Page processed in 0.032 seconds.

[ Top Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]