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In the last article, the creation of a theme, its development,
and the use of a libretto were discussed. As one may recall, the
theme is the kernel of a production, which dictates the nature
of the piece. And in relation to the theme, is the thematic
structure that serves as a guide as to how the production will
manifest. Ultimately this information is transferred to a
libretto. In contrast to the previous article, the strengths and
weaknesses of the arts will be addressed. Before one can choose
the various media for their multi-artistic production, one must
understand the arts in part and as a whole. There are three
general categories that the arts can be classified, which
include the auditory, visual, and linguistic. Although some art
forms can be placed in two or more categories, such as poetry,
fundamentally it is made of words, but can be executed vocally.
The labels applied to the categories are general. But each
category consists of several genres. The auditory arts consists
of music, vocals, speech for the sake of speech, samples, loops,
and all other similar art forms. Just as diverse as the auditory
arts, the visual arts consists of videos, paintings, movies,
movement, dance, the commercial arts, and all similar art forms.
Not as diverse as the auditory and visual arts, the linguistic
arts consists of poetry, prose, and literature. From these
descriptions, the question of how do these arts connects
remains. And the answer is simple. If one were to arrange the
arts into a linear spectrum, one will see that the arts go from
the abstract to the tangible. Or the linear connection between
the arts can be seen as going from the general to the specific.
On the two extremes of this linear spectrum are the auditory and
linguistic arts. Between them are the visual arts.
The auditory arts are by their very nature abstract. For
example, music can only express emotion. Music is not capable of
producing a tangible object. A composer can only express an
abstract idea through music. Because of the abstract qualities
of music, a listener can only feel music. To prove this notion
that music is abstract one would only need to ask listeners what
the music was expressing. As a result one will get varied
answers. In addition to music only expressing emotion, it is the
only current media that can impact the body as a whole.
Moreover, a listener can turn their backs, close their eyes,
and, in some rare cases, cover their ears towards the musical
source, and still experience music. Due to these aspects of the
auditory arts, they stand on the one extreme of the art spectrum.
Contrary to the auditory arts are the linguistic arts. Unlike
the auditory and visual arts, the linguistic arts are capable of
expressing a very specific and tangible ideas. For example, if
one were to see an image of a man standing atop a hill, many
would interpret this in a literal sense. Contrary to this
example, if one were to hear or read the following: "Atop a hill
an Afghanistan man stands looking over a valley," many would
have a more definitive idea than the previous example. As one
can see from the previous examples, the latter most likely
invokes a definitive feeling as compared to the visual
description. This is the beauty of the linguistic arts. They can
invoke specific ideas that reflect the current times. And quite
possibly, linguistic arts can invoke a deeper emotional response
than the other arts.
In between the auditory and linguistic arts are the visual arts.
Philosophically, the visual arts can express abstract and
tangible ideas. Hence, because of this notion, the visual arts
stand between the auditory and linguistic arts. Ultimately,
visual arts balance the auditory and linguistic arts. As a
demonstration of the visual arts capability of producing
tangible ideas, one could look at many paintings from the 19th
century and earlier. The subject material in these paintings
could be touched and experienced by many. For one to see the
abstract nature of the visual arts one does not need to look too
far. The 20th century has produced many paintings and other
visual medium that express abstract ideas. For one to experience
a Jackson Pollack painting, one would have to of been in the
process of creating the painting or one would have to physically
touch the painting. As one can see from these two descriptions,
the visual arts can express tangible and abstract ideas.
In the end, the multi-artistic theory that has been discussed
represents the underpinnings to the various arts. With this
artistic concept and the understanding of a theme and its
development, as discussed in the previous article, one can
produce a multi-artistic piece without failure. Creating such a
piece is simple. It is a matter of choosing a theme, developing
the theme, and finally choosing the art forms to express the
production. So what are you waiting for? Start creating your
production now. Grab a pen. Get a piece paper. And begin. That
is where it all begins.
About the author:
Andrew Hanna is the CEO & Production Manager of At Hand
Productions, Inc. At Hand Productions is a leading Philadelphia
concert and theatrical production company. Andrew Hanna has 20
years of composition experience and 16 years of performance
experience. His compositions range from duets to large
theatrical productions such as My Journal, Requiem for the Now,
and Prophecies of War.
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