architecture and music

"A composer's music should express the country of his birth, his love affairs, his religion, the books which have influenced him, the pictures he loves. It should be the sum total of a composers experience."

Sergei Rachmaninoff

I believe this statement to be true when attempting to fully understand both Architecture and Music. The concept holds true for Composers and Architects alike. One thing I must point out though is that my application of this statement holds a different emphasis on ‘should’ than Rachmaninoff had intended. For Rachmaninoff, the ‘should’ is an essential ingredient to the music. If a composer’s context is not discernable from the music then the composer is not remaining true to himself or his art. For me the ‘should’ is an unavoidable by product. Context i.e. our experience, is who we are.

I believe there is one significant connection that aids in the understanding and appreciation of both Architecture and Music alike and this link is simply Context. Like Architecture, the context of music must be understood when listening to give a more detailed comprehension of the art. This definition of context remains the same for Architecture and Music. Context in Architecture does not solely derive from the area in which it is situated although this is clearly an aspect of it. It also refers to the period in which it was designed, the aspect of the brief that made it unique, the peers and influences the architect was dealing with, the social movements and ideologies of the area in which the architecture was created and the wider context. All these things are the same with Music. To really feel music you must understand its context. When was it composed? What where the technological capabilities of the time? What social movements where happening? Was the music a result of a particular movement or did it even initiate one? Did the composer’s nationality, race, ideology or religious beliefs influence their composition? All of these things help formulate a greater understanding for the music we listen to. On the flip side, we also need to understand that some music is just diabolical and no level of appreciation for its context can change that fact.

Roy Fitzpatrick - 6th year MArch student

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