Music and Interiors
I recently attended an intimate lecture on Philip Glass in a small university hall Upstate and while taking notes my pen fell on the floor. I bent over to pick it up in order to continue writing and I noticed the oversize Persian rugs that occupied most of the audience space. The area rugs featured detailed hunting scenes in a multitude of colors and hues. Their sheer size and detailed depictions commanded attention. They were exquisite pieces but their aesthetic excellence felt out of place in the small lecture room that was reserved for an in-depth discussion on the musical genius of Glass. Philip Glass, visionary, influential composer and pianist, is known for minimalist modernity. The rugs, opulent, elaborate, almost severe, belonged to a different era. They would have been better suited if, perhaps, 17th Century music was being discussed in the room; but Philip Glass? Absolutely not.
The experience made me think about our utterly personal taste in music and how this propensity to favor one genre over another might correlate to our overall lifestyle choices. It is widely known that German philosopher Theodor Adorno hated Jazz with a passion. He felt Jazz was just noise without structure, an expression of loosened societal norms, a bourgeois commodity. I love Jazz and the freedom of expression, the chaotic individualism it represents. Unlike Adorno, who I think, I can safely bet would go for a more traditional style, I gravitate towards Mid-Century rugs with their geometric splendor. To me they are the design equivalent of Jazz.
If you like Gustav Mahler’s music you might find yourself enamoured by modern rugs with Jackson Pollock-esque splashes of paint. Modern, innovative designs that have the air of something new, exciting, never-before seen.
If you are a fan of Eric Satie’s harmonious repetitive motifs, you might find yourself seduced by antique French art deco rugs with their elaborate designs and subtle tonal variations.
With regards to Bach’s fans, taking into account the elaborate ornamentation of the composer’s works, my best guest would be that they would appreciate 17th Century rugs with their heavily detailed motifs and extremely detailed visual compositions.
Mozart lovers that are certainly attracted to his elegant playfulness, formality and overall flourish, would delight in discovering the breathtaking beauty of a 17th Century Flemish tapestry.
And finally not many artists can match the ambition and scale of Beethoven’s compositions. A true afficionado of his works would probably go for a large antique Savonnerie rug from France.
Posted November 8, 2022 by Paul Rousseas.
