
Rhapsody in Red is based on a 'textwork' by the British artist Richard Long - Red Walk Bristol to Dawlish - which lists objects seen on a walk from Bristol to Dawlish and the distances along the walk that they were seen at. Jackson uses this sequence of distances to derive a sequence of durations, producing one section of music for each stage of the walk. Each section is delineated by a change of key and new musical material, but the tempo remains constant. Thus the piece reflects both the even pace of the walk and its variety of incident. The music, which is characterized by repetitive figurations, has a mesmerising, ecstatic quality.Rhapsody in Red was commissioned by the Tate Gallery with funds provided by Greater London Arts and the Baring Foundation, and was first performed by Thalia Myers and Stephen Gutman at the Tate Gallery, London, on 2 January 1991.
This work investigates the intersection of visual art and musical composition by translating the spatial data of a walking performance into a structured musical sequence. Gabriel Jackson, a contemporary composer, utilizes the specific data points from British artist Richard Long’s 'Red Walk' to establish a rigorous mathematical framework for his composition. By mapping distances to durations, Jackson creates a sonic representation of a physical journey, arguing that the repetitive nature of walking can be effectively mirrored through consistent tempo and evolving musical motifs.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Experts and musicologists frequently cite this work as a significant example of interdisciplinary collaboration between the visual arts and contemporary classical music. Readers often note the clarity with which the text explains the structural constraints Jackson imposed upon his composition.
Page Count:
40
Publication Date:
2007-08-23
Publisher:
Oxford University Press Music
ISBN-10:
0193356848
ISBN-13:
9780193356849
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