Michael Edgerton
Professor
Iridescent.Achromatic.Translucent (e. 113, 2024) for chamber orchestra
Author
Summary, in English
From vision to sound. In this piece I was interested to transfer special properties of color into sound. This transference occurred in two ways: 1) Timbre as representing some color property; 2) Sound sequences/gestures as representing some color property.
These transferences are metaphorical and inspirational, not systematic nor literal in any sense.
Some of these special properties include:
ACHROMATIC or NEUTRAL: without hue* (black & white are colors but not hues)
PASTELS: hues that are light and bright
FLUORESCENCE: ultra- bright hues
IRIDESCENCE: a single surface with various hues relative to the angle of the illumination, like soap bubbles
METALLIC: shiny due to actual or simulated metal elements
TRANSLUCENCE: semi-transparent
* Hue refers pure colors - to the dominant color family - to the origin of the colors we can see. In color theory, hue is one of the main properties of a color, defined technically as the degree to which a stimulus can be similar to or different from red, orange, yellow, green, blue, or violet. Hue can correspond to a central point on a color wheel or by that of its complementary color. Usually, colors with the same hue are distinguished by adjectives referring to their lightness or colorfulness - for example: "light blue", "pastel blue", "vivid blue", and "cobalt blue". In painting, a hue is a
pure pigment—one without tint or shade (added white or black pigment, respectively).
In my composition Iridescent.Achromatic.Translucent three examples of transference from vision to sound include:
1) the opening fast and slightly brutal gestures of mmt one that transfers iridescent properties from vision to sound over a span of 35 measures.
2) A second example would be the semi-transparent properties of translucent structures that are represented in this piece by the lengthy harmonic section in the second movement.
3) the repeated multiphonics in the solo bassoon beginning in m74 and repeated often, represent to my mind metallic visuals.
Could the “Cantera Ostermundingen” by Paul Klee represent an animated fluorescent pigment? Could this animation be represented by the shooting star tremolo and trembling harmonics in the second movement?
These transferences are metaphorical and inspirational, not systematic nor literal in any sense.
Some of these special properties include:
ACHROMATIC or NEUTRAL: without hue* (black & white are colors but not hues)
PASTELS: hues that are light and bright
FLUORESCENCE: ultra- bright hues
IRIDESCENCE: a single surface with various hues relative to the angle of the illumination, like soap bubbles
METALLIC: shiny due to actual or simulated metal elements
TRANSLUCENCE: semi-transparent
* Hue refers pure colors - to the dominant color family - to the origin of the colors we can see. In color theory, hue is one of the main properties of a color, defined technically as the degree to which a stimulus can be similar to or different from red, orange, yellow, green, blue, or violet. Hue can correspond to a central point on a color wheel or by that of its complementary color. Usually, colors with the same hue are distinguished by adjectives referring to their lightness or colorfulness - for example: "light blue", "pastel blue", "vivid blue", and "cobalt blue". In painting, a hue is a
pure pigment—one without tint or shade (added white or black pigment, respectively).
In my composition Iridescent.Achromatic.Translucent three examples of transference from vision to sound include:
1) the opening fast and slightly brutal gestures of mmt one that transfers iridescent properties from vision to sound over a span of 35 measures.
2) A second example would be the semi-transparent properties of translucent structures that are represented in this piece by the lengthy harmonic section in the second movement.
3) the repeated multiphonics in the solo bassoon beginning in m74 and repeated often, represent to my mind metallic visuals.
Could the “Cantera Ostermundingen” by Paul Klee represent an animated fluorescent pigment? Could this animation be represented by the shooting star tremolo and trembling harmonics in the second movement?
Department/s
- Teachers (Malmö Academy of Music)
Publishing year
2025-04-01
Language
English
Links
Document type
Artistic work
Publisher
BABELSCORES®
Topic
- Music
Status
Published