Scholarly record

MASS, PLAN, ARRANGEMENT - MUSIC AND ARCHITECTURE IN SPACIOUS CONNECTIONS

K. Szymanska-Stulka

Abstract

One of the contemporary famous architect Le Corbusier pointed out the time dimensions in architecture. He described it in his theoretical studies Vers une architecture first published in 1923 (English version titled Towards a New Architecture). In the same time some modern visionary composers reacted the references between space and music underlining a spacious character of sounds and inventing the new forms based on the spacious dimensions of music. My paper is about the possible connections between modern music and architecture and it is inspired by the thoughts of Le Corbusier. As the music theorist I try to explore the reflections of architecture in music basing on the selected architecture’s definitions of Le Corbusier and musical examples: Iannis Xenakis (Metastaseis, Psappha), Andrzej Panufnik (Sinfonia Votiva) and Witold Lutos?awski (Chain II, Les espace du sommeil). In my opinion music has significant tights with architecture. These connections display mostly through visions of the musical form and treating the compositional process as building of sound structures with tones. The architectural approach in music can be also seen in studying the inner and outer sounds possibilities, perception of musical shapes in space, designing and planning in composition and graphic concepts of music. Moreover music and architecture are close one to another by experience of beauty and emotion clearly underlined by Le Corbusier.

Publication details

Back to publication list