Download A Visual Musician: Musical Elements Within the Paintings of Vassily

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A Visual Musician: Musical Elements Within the Paintings of Vassily Kandinsky
One of the most influential figures of modern art’s movement towards abstraction was
the Russian expressionist Vassily Kandinsky. As a member of the Blaue Reiter movement in
Munich, Kandinsky pioneered new concepts in the area of color and composition. Unlike many
realist artists, Kandinsky and other Blaue Reiters looked for inspiration not only in other artists
and their creations, but also through different mediums and art forms. The study of children’s
art, the art of the insane and primitive art was a common practice of the Blaue Reitersi.
Kandinsky’s art during early 1910 through the 1920’s is characterized by this initial step
towards outside influence. Deeply connected to his unique approach towards the implementation
of color is his artistic association to music. Not only was Kandinsky influenced by past and
modern artists such as Henri Matisse, but he also drew influence from early twentieth century
composers such as Arnold Schoenberg and Richard Wagnerii. Pioneers of their time in their own
regard, Wagner and Schoenberg utilized new elements of music, such as cluster chords1. This
method of voicing was seen in the music world as a step towards modern harmony and later
serial composition. In the same way that Schoenberg and Wagner utilized these techniques and
others in music, Kandinsky applied them to art. There are many ways that musical influence
affected Kandinsky’s art. The main areas of influence are in color theory and composition. The
three driving principles that compelled the majority of Kandinsky’s application of music theory
to art were his association of musical notes to color, the development and use of color and
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A
cluster chord also known as a “synthetic chord”, is a chord which is derived from a
combination of different scale tones and intervals, rather than an orientation of thirds. Searl 2
synthetic geometric abstractions, and the implementation of compositional and orchestrational
concepts within his paintings Kandinsky’s association of musical notes to color infused many of his paintings with
innovative textures unexplored by previous avant-garde artists of the nineteenth and twentieth
centuries. Growing up as a devout cellist and violinist, Kandinsky grew to have a broad
knowledge of music and was a dedicated amateur musician ii. He was trained in music from the
age of five. Kandinsky grew to have as much knowledge of music as most classically trained
musiciansiii. Having Synesthesia, Kandinsky’s nervous system associated sensory input of color
and sound. While painting, he would hear pitches and would be able to associate color to those
notes that he was hearingiv . His relentless creativity is testament to this ability involved in the
painting process. Synesthesia is a perceptual condition that causes different stimuli such as
hearing or sight to stimulate sensations of different sensory modality. Certain objects, structure,
and forms have been found to stimulate different modalities as well ii. Kandinsky characterized
notes in music as having the same effect as certain colors. Notes above high C on a staff evoked
a feeling of yellow. In his essay, Concrete Art, Kandinsky states:
Yellow, for example, possesses the special capacity to ascend higher and
higher and to attain heights unbearable to the eye…Blue, with the
completely opposite power to “descend” to infinite depths, develops the
sounds of.the flute(when it is light blue ), the cello(when it has
descended farther), of the double bass with its magnificent deep sounds1
From this first person account it is apparent that Kandinsky attributed specific colors to
and attributed specific shades of color to different musical ranges. High notes
musical notes
above G5 (the second G above middle C on a piano) would be a shade of yellow and these
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shades would get consistently brighter as the notes moved up. Kandinsky expressed notes in the
bass range in the same manner except with the color blue. The lower the note was, the darker the
shade of blue. The connection Kandinsky attributes between these two art forms gives many of
his paintings a dynamic texture. It also enabled him to break through new grounds in the areas
of color and form. Kandinsky’s experiences with synesthesia are best described in an excerpt
from Kandinsky’s Reminiscences/Three Pictures, “The violins, the deep tones of the basses, and
especially the wind instruments at that time embodied for me all the power for that pre-nocturnal
hour. I saw all my colors in my mind; they stood before my eyes. Wild, almost crazy lines were
sketched in front of me V.” Kandinsky’s musical experiences influenced his art dramatically.
One of his most famous paintings is a recollection of the visual reaction he experienced
from a concert performed by the Viennese musicians Vienna Hofoper, and the Rosé Quartet on
January 2, 1911. The musicians played the music of Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951). The set
included the two first works Arnold Schoenberg composed involving chromatic unconventional
harmony: Second String Quartet, Op. 10 (1908), and Three Piano Pieces, Op. 11 (1909)v.
Immediately awe struck by the music he heard, Kandinsky drew sketches for Impression III 1
during the performance. The final draft shows how drastic planes of color burst into the mind of
Kandinsky upon various musical passages. This painting depicts are large mass of yellow
towards the right side of the piano (the large black mass in the middle of the image). In addition
there is blue towards the left. This is pure example of how Kandinsky visualized high lead and
low bass notes. On a piano the bass notes extend from middle C all the way to the last key on
the left side. Thus, the left side of the piano is characterized by bass notes. Kandinsky
visualized these low notes as shades of blue. To the right of middle C, are all notes of the treble
clef (the upper clef in a grand staff notated in all piano music). The piece which Viennese
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pianist had been playing must have been in the medium/high range of the piano as Impression III
shows a large mass of yellow ranging from bright yellow to citrine. This mass emerges from the
right side of the piano image and exemplifies how Kandinsky associated high notes of the treble
clef (right side of the piano) to shades of yellow. Impression III is an excellent example of
Kandinsky’s synesthetic gift.
Apart from visualizing certain notes as various shades of color, Kandinsky utilized
constructive musical concepts through his development and use of color and synthetic geometric
abstractions. He frequently discussed in his writings and conversations with colleagues how an
understanding of art and music can increase the value of using associative techniques aimed at
enhancing sensory exchange ii. These techniques that Kandinsky believed enhanced sensory
exchange were mainly derived from elements of musical composition. He drew influence from
mainly two European composers: Richard Wagner and Arnold Schoenberg.
Kandinsky claimed that there were two pivotal moments in his artistic career where he
was dramatically moved and influenced. One was seeing Monet’s Haystacks in an exhibition in
Moscow in 1896 and the other was hearing a performance of German composer, Richard
Wagner’s Opera, Lehengrin also in Moscow in the same year ii. Through his music, Wagner
taught Kandinsky different approaches to form and texture. Kandinsky was able to translate
Wagner’s broad use of chromaticism and shifting tonal centers to his painting through the
utilization of multitudes of unrelated color. This technique is seen in many of Kandinsky’s works
but is characteristic of Composition VI 2. In the same way that Wagner uses chromatic notes and
modally mixed chords to evolve and provoke new sections of fresh harmonic activity, Kandinsky
uses a myriad of different colors to produce differing regions in his painting that drastically
contrast in color. In Composition VI 2 this is exemplified by regions of white and light colors
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that connect regions of various contrasting colors. These regions are characterized by fusion of
reds, browns and yellows. Kandinsky was careful in how he applied his liberal use of color.
Wagner and other composers were also careful about the amount of dissonance they used. When
they surrounded strong dissonance with consonance the dissonance seems fitting and
complementary. In the same way that Wagner tried to not use so much chromaticism as to make
operas and compositions unstable, Kandinsky mixes colors in refined and specific places so the
piece is given a coherent feel while seeming chaotic and dramatic simultaneously. He is careful
to fill Composition VI with patches of simple color blending that contrast well with the dark and
complexly mixed regions. In his essay, Concrete Art , Kandinsky states,” Music, for example,
organizes its means(sounds) within time, and painting its means(colors) upon a plane. Time and
plane must be exactly “measured” and sound and color must be exactly “limited.” These
“limits” are the preconditions of “balance” and hence of composition vi. ” Kandinsky
specifically addresses in this statement the importance of space and balance within art and
musical composition. Kandinsky heard how Wagner limited his chromaticisim and intense
musical passages. This renewed his sense of space and structure in his paintings. This is another
of the many contributions musical composition made to Kandinsky’s use of color.
Vassily Kandinsky’s concept of fusing different shapes conglomerated with color is an
essential element that he heard in the work of Arnold Schoenberg. A cluster chord also known
as a “synthetic chord”, is a chord which is derived from a combination of different scale tones
and intervals, rather than an orientation of thirds, which is characteristic of conventional
harmony up until the time of Wagner. These cluster chords are often derived from chromatic
notes that extend out of the key of the piece, while bringing tension and a strong sense of
movement upon movement to the original key center. In the same way that Arnold Schoenberg
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took these concepts such as cluster chords and utilized them on a greater scale in his works,
Kandinsky created his own geometric and visual clusters in his art. He uses these synthetic
geometric abstractions to complement various aspects of each piece. These abstraction
techniques were essential to his creation of works such as: Composition VII 3, Composition VI
(1913), and the later On White II 5 (1923). In Composition VII, these synthetic abstractions are
mixed in various places but can be prominently seen in the middle left of the painting. Seeing
cluster chords as new and unheard harmonies, Kandinsky created these abstractions in an attempt
to create his own synthetic figures. He wished to express his unique mental disposition in many
ways through these figures. In a letter to Arnold Schoenberg, Kandinsky wrote:
I am certain that our own modern harmony is not to be found in the "geometric"
way, but rather in the anti-geometric, anti-logical way. And this way is that of
"dissonances in art," in painting, therefore, just as much as in music. And
"today's" dissonance in painting and music is merely the consonance of
tomorrow.... What we are striving for and our whole manner of thought and
feeling have so much in common that I feel completely justified in expressing
my empathy vi.
Kandinsky’s works show a strong focus on the implementation of musical structure and
orchestration in his work. In this letter he wrote to Arnold Schoenberg, Kandinsky conveys how
he feels connected to Schoenberg because of their combined use of dissonance within their
respective art mediums. The new dissonance found in art and music that Kandinsky speaks of is
an innovation that led to new artistic approaches such as cluster chords. A crucial part of
Kandinsky’s work is the psychological impression that he intended to leave on any viewer of his
art. In an attempt to further his ability to bring the viewer on a “spiritual journey” Kandinsky
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fused elements of orchestral voicing with his conceptualization of color
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. He associated darker
less mixable colors such as dark black/purple as bass colors. In music, the bass serves as a
foundation for the harmony in each particular moment. Conventionally and in most musical
contexts the bass is separated in large intervals from the other harmony executed in that
particular moment. Higher notes blend well together because their frequencies are similar and
related. For example, C and D notes (a whole step apart) that are voiced an octave above middle
C (C5 and D5) would blend well together. The same notes in the bass register such as C1 and D1
would sound muddy and undefined. Kandinsky would use bass and treble colors with these
musical concepts in mind. As seen in Composition X 4 (1939), the bass color of black serves as
the background or foundation for the other colors in the painting to be showcased. In the same
way that the perfect bass note such as C will bring out all the beautiful harmony in a Major 7 #11
upper structure voiced D1, E1, F#1, the black in this piece shows the great relationship between
the myriad of mixable colors used in the main body of this work.
One of Kandinsky’s best examples of musically orchestrated painting is Composition VI2.
This painting’s foundation is built on the dark brownish black mass that emerges from the top
left corner of the painting. It extends down the left side and interweaves through the middle.
Like the double bass would in an orchestra, these dark colors allow the other brighter colors to be
showcased. This implementation exhibits Kandinsky developed musical sense. As a cellist,
Kandinsky had first-hand experience playing bass lines within solo ensemble pieces ii. He
understood that the best bass lines do not stay put and extend through the music in various
rhythms and textures. Thus, this dark mass carries out a similar pattern that a bass might in its
path through the middle of Composition VI. Another way in which his paintings imitated
musical structure was in their size. Wagner’s two-hour operas and Schoenberg’s long orchestral
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suites are known for their great lengths. Kandinsky’s Composition VI spans 6' 4 3/4" x 10' and
Composition VII spans 6' 6 3/4" x 9' 11 1/8.
Music played a significant role in many of Kandinsky’s artistic conceptions. As a result
of Synesthesia, Vassily Kandinsky’s artistic mind was always related to music in its
interpretation of color. Though the influence of modern composers: Arnold Schoenberg and
Richard Wagner, Kandinsky was able to finally link his art with music full circle. This is seen in
his art from 1900 on through the twentieth century, after he had developed his approach from his
realizations in Moscow in 1894. Kandinsky’s application of music in art was compelled by his
association of musical notes to color. As a result he revolutionized the use of color, driven by
endless musical inspiration. His development of color usage, synthetic geometric abstractions,
and implementation of musical orchestration was a reaction from this initial association.
Vassily Kandinsky’s musical influence was breakthrough in its subject matter. Never before had
the idea of painting music entered the minds of painters. These abstract forms gave Kandinsky
the opportunity to develop his own approach and life-long study. Vassily Kandinsky’s musical
approach to painting revolutionized artistic method and brought a new technique to the forefront
of modern art in the early twentieth century. His approach was a step towards the unification of
the arts. Kandinsky did not view different fine arts as separate. He viewed them as equal,
connected and complimentary. For this reason, he is known for being one of the most creative
artists of the twentieth century.
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Works Cited
Ashmore, Jerome (Author). "Sound in Kandinsky's painting." The Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism35.3 (1977): 329. RILM Abstracts of Music Literature. EBSCO. Web. 2 Nov. 2010.
Foster, Hal, et al. Art Since 1900: Modernism, Anti-Modernism, Post-Modernism.
New York: Thames and Hudson Inc., 2004. Print.
Ione, Amy, and Christopher Tyler. "Neurohistory and the arts. Was Kandinsky a synesthete?."
Journal of the History of the Neurosciences 12.2 (2003): 223-226. MEDLINE. EBSCO. Web. 2
Nov. 2010.
Kandinsky, Vassily. Concrete Art. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Rpt. in Theories of
Modern art. By Herschel B Chipp. Berkleley: n.p., 1968. N. pag. Print.
Kandinsky, Wassily. "On Stage Composition." Afterword. The Blaue Reiter Almanac.
By Wassily Kandinsky, et al. Ed. Wassily Kandinsky and Franz Marc. New
York: Viking Press, 1974. 190-206. Rpt. in The Blaue Reiter Almanac. N.p.:
n.p., n.d. N. pag. Print.
Mangan, John (Author). "Thomas de Hartmann: A composer's life." Notes: Quarterly journal of
the Music Library Association 53.1 (1996): 18. RILM Abstracts of Music Literature. EBSCO.
Web. 2 Nov. 2010s
Teachout, Terry. "Kandinsky's Mistake." Commentary 117.3 (2004): 52. MasterFILE Premier.
EBSCO. Web. 2 Nov. 2010.
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Illustrations of Footnoted Art
1
Impression III(concert) – Vassily Kandinsky
January 1911. Oil and tempera on canvas
2
Composition VI- Vassily Kandinsky-1913 ;Oil on canvas, 195 x
300 cm (6' 4 3/4" x 10'); Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
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3
Composition VII – Vassily Kandinsky
1913 ; Oil on canvas, 200 x 300 cm (6' 6 3/4" x 9' 11 1/8");
Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
4
Composition X- Vassily Kandinsky1939. Oil on canvas. 130 x 195 cm. Kunstzammlung
Nordrhein-Westfallen, Düsseldorf.
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5
On White II- Vassily Kandinsky1923; Oil on canvas, 105 x 98cm; Centre Georges Pompidou,
Paris
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End Notes
i
Kandinsky, Wassily. "On Stage Composition." Afterword. The Blaue Reiter Almanac. New
York: Viking Press, 1974. 190-206
ii
Ione, Amy, and Christopher Tyler. "Neurohistory and the arts. Was Kandinsky a synesthete?."
Journal of The History Of The Neurosciences 12.2 (2003): 223-226
iii
Mangan, John "Thomas de Hartmann: A composer's life." Notes: Quarterly journal of the
Music Library Association 53.1 (1996): 18
iv
Ashmore, Jerome (Author). "Sound in Kandinsky's painting." The journal of aesthetics and art
criticism35.3 (1977): 329
v
Teachout, Terry. "Kandinsky's Mistake." Commentary 117.3 (2004 Foster, Hal, et al. Art Since 1900: Modernism, Anti-Modernism, Post-Modernism.
vi