ONLINE ATELIER ANIMATED MUSIC http://home.hccnet.nl/paul.van.coeverden/animatedmusic.html
Music cannot be seen, that's
part of its magic. Still, it can be fun to challenge that magic
a little bit. What are all these sounds about, do they tell us
something?
Everyone experiences music in his own way, but the use of movement
can make other people's musical images understandable. For, in
some "magical" way, all music has movement in it: dance
music, but also funeral music.
"Animated Music" here means a number of short animated movies for the computer screen (each about a minute long), in wich the visual content is totally based on the music, in an effort to translate music into motion.
People often call these movies humorous, although they were not so intended. One explanation might be that the music's playfulness, when made so clearly visible, makes a funny contrast with the supposed "seriousness" of classical music. But there is a second explanation: when music and image really work together, they seem to produce a kind of exhilarating energy.
The main reason for making these movies was to experiment with this very cooperation of musical and visual rhythm. There also was the challenge of "making the invisible visible". One starting point were my experiences as a violinist in educational programs, and in concerts with visual ingredients.
The "Animated Music" website is meant for anyone who wants to find out what this direct music-image cooperation looks like. The movies might also help to find a new, non-technical way to look at, and talk about, music and its possible meanings. And, last but not least, they might encourage people to look for their own "music images".
These things could also be
helpful in various educational settings. Working with images,
or inventing them yourself, can make you feel closer to the music
you listen to. When playing music yourself, it can help you in
"getting beyond the notes". Or it can create a new
way of talking about musical preferences and meanings.
Even the simple question "what animation would YOU make
with this music" could be interesting.
Developing such ideas or plans
can be very instructive and satisfying in itself. Often, actually
realizing them as animations will not be possible, as not everyone
has the opportunity to work with the "Flash authoring"
software used here (see http://www.macromedia.com).
Occasionally, I could take care of such a realisation myself,
as a commission or within the framework of an educational program.
If you like to read more about the relationship of music and movement, I recommend the work of Manfred Clynes, like his 1977 book "Sentics, the touch of the emotions".
If you wonder what the "Animated Music" website looks like, you can click here! http://home.hccnet.nl/paul.van.coeverden/animatedmusic.html
Paul van Coeverden
september 2006
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