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Tone Row Surrealism and the Young Creative Mind
Today's world is littered with pop tunes. Many are limited to three or four triad chords that bare little depth and complexity. The musical phrases are short and repetitious, and rhythms are redundant. This is all dandy if one is seeking music for dancing or simple entertainment. In an effort to combine music and math, along with artistic creativity, I have introduced the Grade 6 and 7 students to the tone row. In simple terms, the tone row is a sequence of all twelve notes within an octave, with an intent to avoid playing notes beside each other. This technique was employed by Arnold Schoenberg and other modern composers and paralleled the visual art movement like the works of Wassily Kandinsky and his counterparts.
Students were challenged to create their own tone row and use a programme called BandLab to record it. Halifax native, Maran Hawley loves art and music. She immediately put her talents to work and has created wonderful examples of surrealism with her multi-track recording and drawing. Try, if you can, to find the motif in Maran’s tone row melody. I love the other loops and sounds that she has selected. Know this: there’s order here for sure. You might also recognize the Miles Davis “So What” reference in the brass lick. You won’t likely be dancing to it unless you’re a hippie, but it should make you think.
Please click here to hear Maran's recording.
Maran writes, "I have always loved art and music. Drawing is second nature to me, and I typically create to music every day. I especially love listening to jazz and ambient music that is slightly off key. When I was presented with this assignment, I immediately got to work incorporating my tone row to have a jazzy, ambient feel to it. I am not going to lie to you, editing this was tough, but I am impressed with how it came together. When I listen to the tune at the beginning, the horn gives me a 1920's vibe along with the ambient piano which makes it sounds moody. I like the contrasts. My drawing is in ink and graphically conveys a feeling of apprehension."
Please click here to hear Maran's recording.
Jeff Smith
Director of Visual & Performing Arts
King’s-Edgehill School is located in Mi'kma'ki, the unceded ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq People.
