When Michael writes that he felt free to repurpose his earlier painting, "The Slipper," I thought of how it was the background of this painting that was transformed.
It dawned on me that a similar process of repurposing can take place in music.
Think of Beethoven's solo piano sonata, Opus 14 no. 1, in E major.
Beethoven transcribed this sonata for string quartet and in the process transposed it from E major to F major.
Now, maybe this transposition might have been a concession to young string players to give them an easier key in which to play because E major is a key with four sharps in the key signature, compared to F major, which has just one accidental in its key signature, namely one flat.
These two keys are just a half step apart, the interval between E and F, but these two keys are distinct in their sonority because of the nature of the stringed instruments.
Why would there be a difference in the sonority between these two keys?
This difference is a matter of the number of open strings between them.
What?
Let me explain: Some notes sound more resonant than others because they are played on a string that is said to be "open," meaning that these notes are found without needing to place a finger down to hold the string down on the fingerboard, thus shortening the string and producing a higher note than the open tone.
When an open note is played, the length of string that vibrates goes all the way from the nut to the bridge, in other words, from the top of the fingerboard just below the tuning pegs in the scroll, and down to the piece that rests on the belly of the instrument, from where it goes lower to be attached to the endpiece at the bottom of the instrument.
Open notes sound distinctly more resonant than notes played by holding down a finger on the string.
Between the three kinds of stringed instruments in a string quartet (violin, viola, and cello) the open strings are C, G, D, A, and E, to name them in the order from lowest to highest note, we would find them on a piano keyboard.
In the key of E major, there are two notes that are played on an open string, A and E.
In the key of F major, there are four notes found on the open strings, C, G, D, and A.
Because of the greater number of open strings in the key of F major, when stringed instruments play in F major, the sound will waft up and out, sounding more resonant than when they are playing in E major.
The difference is a wash of sound equivalent to a difference in the brightness of a painting in full color versus one that veers closer to shades of gray. This may overstate the matter a bit. So, think of, say, a table with a glossy finish versus one that has something closer to a matte finish.
I think repurposing is brilliant. Though I think it’s more recreating; the other sounds so utilitarian! Why does a thing you make have to be a dead end? I agree with you and da Vinci that it doesn’t have to be. And the painting is looking phenomenal.
A beautiful beginning. I look forward to seeing more as you complete the painting.
Cool!
When Michael writes that he felt free to repurpose his earlier painting, "The Slipper," I thought of how it was the background of this painting that was transformed.
It dawned on me that a similar process of repurposing can take place in music.
Think of Beethoven's solo piano sonata, Opus 14 no. 1, in E major.
Beethoven transcribed this sonata for string quartet and in the process transposed it from E major to F major.
Now, maybe this transposition might have been a concession to young string players to give them an easier key in which to play because E major is a key with four sharps in the key signature, compared to F major, which has just one accidental in its key signature, namely one flat.
These two keys are just a half step apart, the interval between E and F, but these two keys are distinct in their sonority because of the nature of the stringed instruments.
Why would there be a difference in the sonority between these two keys?
This difference is a matter of the number of open strings between them.
What?
Let me explain: Some notes sound more resonant than others because they are played on a string that is said to be "open," meaning that these notes are found without needing to place a finger down to hold the string down on the fingerboard, thus shortening the string and producing a higher note than the open tone.
When an open note is played, the length of string that vibrates goes all the way from the nut to the bridge, in other words, from the top of the fingerboard just below the tuning pegs in the scroll, and down to the piece that rests on the belly of the instrument, from where it goes lower to be attached to the endpiece at the bottom of the instrument.
Open notes sound distinctly more resonant than notes played by holding down a finger on the string.
Between the three kinds of stringed instruments in a string quartet (violin, viola, and cello) the open strings are C, G, D, A, and E, to name them in the order from lowest to highest note, we would find them on a piano keyboard.
In the key of E major, there are two notes that are played on an open string, A and E.
In the key of F major, there are four notes found on the open strings, C, G, D, and A.
Because of the greater number of open strings in the key of F major, when stringed instruments play in F major, the sound will waft up and out, sounding more resonant than when they are playing in E major.
The difference is a wash of sound equivalent to a difference in the brightness of a painting in full color versus one that veers closer to shades of gray. This may overstate the matter a bit. So, think of, say, a table with a glossy finish versus one that has something closer to a matte finish.
Thank you @ericnolte especially, reposting it! I appreciate it.
I think repurposing is brilliant. Though I think it’s more recreating; the other sounds so utilitarian! Why does a thing you make have to be a dead end? I agree with you and da Vinci that it doesn’t have to be. And the painting is looking phenomenal.
The angle is incredible.
Thank you! I’m really pleased with how that angle and composition turned out.