Art Out of Balance?

Two events have dovetailed together so nicely that I just need to post about the intersection of their themes. The first happens to be the last true paper I had to write for the year, for my useless Freshman Seminar class "Faust in Literature and Music". The very open topic was to write about musical settings of Goethe's Faust-- any of my choosing. I wrote on Berlioz's "Eight Scenes from Faust" and "The Damnation of Faust" the latter of which flowed out of the former. I discussed the manner in which Berlioz set Goethe's play to music.

Fast forward to today, when I watched the indescribable movie Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance. It is completely unlike anything I have ever seen. I hesitate to even call it a movie; really it is a series of stunningly beautiful shots of nature and/or civilization set to the music of Philip Glass.

So, today's topic is music as interdisciplinary art. I'm not out to write a review of Koyaanisqatsi, much as I might like, but here's a brief thought: this movie is definitely not for everyone, and I don't know how eager I am to watch it again, but it is a wonderful movie. Paying attention to no dialogue or even action/narrative can be hard, but thinking of it as a visual symphony certainly helps. Also being a fan of minimalism.

Everyone knows about the importance of music in movies. The right music can make or break a movie- try to imagine the Godfather without that heartbreaking theme, or Star Wars sans the opening explosion of John Williams. Its absence makes us uneasy (think of The Birds). But most often the music stays squarely in the background. Never have I seen music partner so fully with film as in Koyaanisqatsi. Well, maybe the first five minutes of Manhattan give it a run for its money, but this movie makes its whole point the partnership of disparate modes of art. Likewise Berlioz's "dramatic legend" The Damnation of Faust blends the wonders of music with the magic of narrative. This is why opera has been called the most complete art form, blending as it does the spoken word, music, dance, and even visual art (in the costumes etc). You don't have to actually like opera to value the intense balance it acheives (well, good opera, anyway).

But mixing music with words seems natural to us; songs are one of our favorite modes of expression. We even have whole stories told to us through song. Less popular is the blending of music with visual art. Unfortunately this really limits the interaction between two art forms that would benefit greatly from increased contact. Koyaanisqatsi is proof that visual art and music can combine to form unique and valuable art. Is there a market for such art, though? I suspect that movies like Koyaanisqatsi (it is the first in a trilogy made over 20 years) will never catch on with the general populace. We have a traditional concept of what movies are so ingrained in us that anything outside the orthodox narrative scares us away. People expect movies to constantly entertain, not serve as a means for meditation on various subjects. I found it pleasant while watching Koyaanisqatsi to let my mind wander a little; not so much that I didn't follow the film, but enough to get lost in the music. It is somewhat akin to actually listening to a Brahms symphony-- the music enraptures me so that I am able to pay attention while thinking any number of other things.

Is there a point to this? Eh, who knows. Interdisciplinary art is pretty darn cool, if you ask me. Just so long as there is never a Kenny G/Thomas Kinkade collaboration.