Lake of Annecy
MP3
RealPlayer
Quarry of Bibémus
MP3
RealPlayer
Chestnut Trees
MP3
RealPlayer
Zdravoye Zrenia (Sound Sight, or Logical Vision) is the culmination of my research into the
relationship of color and music. Both of these phenomena are measured in cycles per second, or Hertz (Hz),
but are found at different positions of the spectrum. Our ears can perceive wavelengths between
approximately 20-20,000 Hz; our eyes however, perceive them at a much higher bandwidth, from
approximately 4.29-7.50 x 1014 Hz. Although the physical quanta of color and sound differ, their
association can be explored through the statistical representation of the colors found in paintings,
which are subsequently translated into the audio domain and reinterpreted as elements of musical
composition. In order to capture the non-teleological nature of visual perception, this piece is designed
so that it will not be performed exactly the same way twice-in effect, changing the way that the piece
may be perceived by different individuals at different hearings, much like the way a painting may
appear to different observers. The colors occurring in each painting correlate to the musical realm
through specific musical motives. The proportions of the colors found in the paintings determine how
the motives are used. For example, the presence of a tree may suggest the use of a combination of
motives that represent those colors associated with the color constituency of the tree (e.g., a synthesis
of yellow, cyan, and magenta). Much like translation from one language to another, this design allows
room for creative interpretation while preserving all of the salient details inherent to each painting. In
this manner, the essence of the painting remains intact, while allowing purely musical attributes to
represent non-musical details. The paintings used were all created by the French Impressionist painter
Paul Cezanne and are as follows:
Movement I
The Lake of Annecy
Movement II
The Quarry of Bibémus
Movement III
Chestnut Trees at the Jas de Bouffan
