Sound

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The National Gallery is collaborating with Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication on 'Transcriptions: Sound’, an innovative new project which involves sound design students producing a three-minute response to a painting of their choice in the Gallery's collection.

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From the sound artist:

Roelandt Savery's painting depicts the mythological story of Orpheus who enchanted all living creatures, as well as the trees and the rocks, with his music. I used a minor key to convey the grief of Orpheus who had lost his wife. From the peaceful foreground the soundtrack moves to the river, which I represent with descending arpeggios and tinkling glockenspiel. As the music builds, I use trombones and low piano notes to represent the elephant on the hill and high xylophone notes for the birds flying across the background.

Becky Morgan