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Interpreting G. Silvestrini’s Six Études pour Hautbois through the Impressionist paintings that inspired them
The value of this interpretive process is also context-dependent. As explored in my experiments at the PLAY Lab and the library concert, audience members often expressed a preference for experiencing Silvestrini’s Six Études pour Hautbois independently of the accompanying artwork. Despite initial assumptions that audiences might benefit from a visual connection to the music through the paintings, the results suggested that many listeners preferred to engage with the music on its own. This finding highlights a distinction between artistic intent and audience perception, emphasising that different listeners approach music in diverse ways. For some, a purely auditory experience may hold more significance than the visual context provided by the painting.
Moreover, as part of the final experiment, I began producing a podcast series entitled Inspiration and Interpretation, where the music and paintings are presented in tandem or independently, allowing the audience to engage with the music as they choose. By blending personal interpretation, research, and professional recordings, the podcast offers a unique platform for audiences to explore the intricate relationship between Silvestrini’s music and the paintings that inspired it. This approach further exemplifies how technology can enhance audience engagement and deepen their understanding of a piece of music beyond a single live performance.
Conclusion
This research has been instrumental in shaping my understanding of how music can be both inspired by and respond to visual art, offering new frameworks for composers and performers alike. By exploring various approaches to translating visual art into music, this study underscores the importance of individual interpretation in the creative process, particularly for performers. Future applications of this study could involve applying the framework of five approaches to more repertoire inspired by visual art, to discover whether it is broadly applicable and whether more approaches need to be considered.
The findings from the performance experiments demonstrate that audiences may engage with music in varied and unexpected ways. These insights are particularly valuable for future performances and audience engagement strategies. As a result of this research, I have refined my artistic approach to Six Études pour Hautbois, developed new interpretive skills, and gained a deeper understanding of how to curate meaningful concert experiences for diverse audiences. The development of the Inspiration and Interpretation podcast series will provide an additional layer of interaction with the music, offering listeners multiple entry points for engagement.
Ultimately, this project has not only contributed to my personal artistic development but has also opened up new avenues for interpreting music and engaging with audiences in innovative and meaningful ways. By embracing both historical context and personal interpretation, this research has reinforced the dynamic relationship between composer, performer, and audience, further enriching the world of contemporary music.
Discussion
This study has significantly contributed to a deeper understanding of Gilles Silvestrini’s Six Études pour Hautbois, not only by exploring the technical aspects of the composition but also by investigating how music can be inspired by visual art. Through a critical comparison of existing literature, including Composing from Images by Zdenka Kapko-Foretić, Gilles Silvestrini and Art by Paul Chinen, and Alyssa Morris' Collision Etudes, this research has revealed five distinct techniques used by composers to translate visual art into music. These techniques offer valuable insights into how music and visual art intersect, providing composers with frameworks to draw inspiration from visual stimuli. Additionally, these approaches are equally applicable from the performer's perspective, enabling a structured approach to interpreting and presenting a piece.
In 2015, American composer Nell Shaw Cohen posted an article on an online contemporary musicians’ platform, New Music USA, entitled Music Inspired by Visual Art. She states: “My intention has been to create music that draws the listener into the world of the artwork—music that gives the listener a new lens through which to see art.” Cohen identifies that some music has been inspired by visual art but does not necessarily have a clearly perceptible connection to the artwork, as it was not the composer’s intention for the music to function in conversation with the art (Shaw 2015). This resonates with the framework developed in this research, as it highlights the variability in how composers approach the relationship between music and visual art, and how this relationship may be experienced differently by the performer and listener.
One of the central themes in classical music practice is the preservation and precise recreation of the composer’s original vision. The pursuit of fidelity to the composer’s intentions often guides performance practices. However, through this research, a shift in perspective was considered, particularly in light of feedback from audiences. In the case of Silvestrini’s Six Études pour Hautbois, the absence of specific performance instructions relating the music to the painting suggests that performers have the freedom to experiment with ways to enrich the listener's experience. This autonomy opens up a space for performers to bring personal meaning to the music. Thus, the framework developed in this study allows for greater flexibility and creativity in both composing and performing music inspired by visual art.
The Framework
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