Reflections on Similar Principles of Two Masterpieces - Essay Example

In the painting, the emphasis is on the play of shadows like that of a Rembrant work while in the musical composition it is the accompanying piano that emphasizes the soft foreground sounds of the violin. The painting is well proportioned, the different constituents of the landscape blending harmoniously in the composition, without one overcrowding the other. In the music also the play between the violin and piano and the variations of pitch and timbre are in proportion without downplaying the importance of either. The movement in the picture is depicted by the brush strokes of the road with softly curving stripes while the piano takes upon itself the task of movement, alternating between slow and fast movements. Both the painting and the musical piece have slow and sedate rhythms with slight variations to relieve the monotony. No work of art is without repetition. While Chambers does it with the drawing of trees and sails, Barber does it with the same movements alternated with different tunes in between. The painting and the piece echo the same soft rhythm that is the rhythm of nature itself in its sedate state. In both works, there is a pattern that is soft and subtle and not jarring to the senses with a violent effort. While there is much variety in the painting with different aspects of the landscape juxtaposed against each other, the musical movement presents variety in a less noticeable but highly poignant form. And finally, there is an underlying unity to both works. The painting seems a harmonious whole with no particular part jutting out to break it. And in the music, the unity lies in the texture of the notes which while making slight deviations does not at all take away from the wholeness of the composition.