We often host Mr.Malinowski’s work here on the Friday Musical Interlude. The musical animation he produces has been his life’s work and has brought it to the next level as he brings his digital animations to live performances. Note in this video that he is using an analog device to what I assume to be keeping the video synchronized with the performances.
“The subtleties and intricate patterns at the core of DNA of western classical music—which have enchanted and fascinated people for centuries—still challenge us today: how do we find our way into a musical language developed long ago and containing considerable structural complexities?
Musician and inventor Stephen Malinowski uses a simple visual approach to stimulate our ability to build expectations and thereby enhance our engagement with the music.
In this TEDx performance, Malinowski uses a newly-developed version of his Music Animation Machine software which allows him to synchronize his graphical score in a live performance. Violinist Etienne Abelin who collaborated on the development of this technology and pianist Dorothy Yeung play music of Johann Sebastian Bach.“
bleatmop
Mystro
The Arbourist
Dead Wild Roses 
4 comments
February 8, 2013 at 7:18 am
tildeb
I don’t know, DWR; I find the visuals take away from allowing the the music to dominate my engagement, interferes with being taken on a musical journey.
Music is not a visual medium (a complaint I’ve long held against the supposed ‘need’ for music videos and the popularity of mass production of entertainment that contains some predigested musical pablum).
The visuals here are like reading music; just because you can see what’s up next doesn’t mean it’s an improvement over listening alone.
I think if music is the subject, then it stands or falls on its own merit to engage and hold the listener’s interest. Visuals to me are usually nothing but a shiny distraction from this core experience, unless the music is intended to augment something else (I’m thinking of mood settings, soundtracks to visuals, or dialogue and story for musical theater). Classical music is not written for these other mediums but for the stand alone experience between composer and audience (which can include musical dialogue and musical story but the order here is for these to serve the music). So I’m not impressed with this ‘work’ because I think it detracts from that which it is intended to augment.
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February 8, 2013 at 11:16 pm
musanim
It’s true: my visuals aren’t for everybody. Some people find them distracting, like tildeb does. Others find that the visuals help them understand (and thus appreciate) pieces, composers and genres that had previously been inaccessible to them. Still others say “this is what I always see in my head when I listen to music.” I think all these reactions are valid.
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February 9, 2013 at 7:55 am
The Arbourist
@Musamin
I’m a visual learner and these visualizations, for me, are another way to appreciate music. Thank you for doing what you do, your compositions and visualizations will continue to be a staple here at DWR for our Friday Musical Interlude features.
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February 9, 2013 at 12:10 pm
Rob F
I find that the videos make it easier to (er) “decompose” baroque-style and polyphonic music, because that way it’s easier to see the different melody lines.
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