Music Animation Machine DVD #1

Director: Stephen Malinowski

DVD – 82 minutes
Color
Released – 2006

---

Price $25.00

---

Each of the twenty classical compositions on this DVD is accompanied by a synchronized, scrolling, bar-graph score.

 

In these scores, vertical position indicates the pitch of the notes and horizontal position indicates time, with the center of the screen being the “now” point. Color is variously used to indicate part (that is, which instrument, voice, hand, or organ rank is playing the note), dynamic level, motivic or structural element, or pitch class (in which case changes of harmony or tonality are visible as a corresponding change of color palette).

 

1990 – First Demonstration Reel (running time, 44 minutes)
(see Viewer’s Guide to content)

Domenico Scarlatti
Sonata, K. 96

William Byrd
A Voluntarie: for my ladye Nevell

Johann Sebastian Bach
WTK Book I, Fugue #4, C# minor
Brandenburg Concerto #6, 3rd mvt.
Herr Gott, nun schleuss den Himmel auf

Ludwig van Beethoven
Bagatelle, opus 33, #5

Frédéric Chopin
Berceuse, opus 57
Etude, opus 10, #8

Fred Kasper
Palindrome Canon

Anton Webern
Variationen, opus 27, #2

Stephen Malinowski
“Wedding” Etude
Fantasy in F

1996 – Second Demonstration Reel (running time, 38 minutes)
(see Viewer’s Guide to content)

Eric Satie
Gymnopedie No. 1

Johann Sebastian Bach
Toccata and Fugue in D minor

Frédéric Chopin
Grand valse brillante

Franz Liszt
Hungarian Rhapsody #2

Peter Tchaikovsky
Overture from The Nutcracker
Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy

Frédéric Chopin
Etude, opus 10, #4

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Flight of the Bumblebee

Reviews

“Others have attempted such [ but this is ] the first time I felt I’ve truly seen music.”
– Kevin Kelly, Whole Earth Review

“The Music Animation Machine is a tool for studying music by viewing certain elements of musical structure…”
– Roger F. Malina, Leonardo

“Surprisingly beautiful, with abstract patterns reminiscent of Bargello needlework – [the] videotape is a treasure.”
– Ted Rust, Music for the Love of It

“If Malinowski’ boxy visuals lack the grace of Fischinger’s gestures, it’s also true that they contain far more information.”
– Jennifer Kahn, East Bay Express

“[ the image suggests ] a flock of mismatched birds, stately flamingos mixed with frantic sparrows.”
– Algorithm Magazine

“It seems silly but you start watching it and it’s mesmerizing.”
– Pete Wilson, KRON TV