We spent some time trying to determine if the Persian Rug on the cover of Switched-On Bach is the same rug in Wendy Carlos‘ studio.
From various photos of Wendy’s studio, we have to conclude that it is not the same rug.
Elder G’s Persian Rug Celebrating Wendy Carlos
Elder G created some nice Persian rug designs to commemorate Switched-On Bach:
Felicity Ford and a Commemorative Fabric Square
This search led us to a wonderful fabric tribute to Carlos:
A square for Wendy Carlos / 11 December, 2019
A few weeks ago, my friend Kate and I shared the Square Share/Balance for Better Blanket project on which we worked earlier this year, together with all at team KDD&Co., to mark International Women’s Day, 2019.
Today I want to tell you about my square celebrating the work of American musician and composer Wendy Carlos. Wendy first rose to fame with Switched-On Bach (1968) – an album of music by Johann Sebastian Bach performed on a Moog synthesizer which won three Grammy Awards and helped to popularise the synthesizer (and the music of J.S. Bach) throughout the 1970s. […]
I decided to start by thinking about soundwaves since Wendy’s free, open, playful and curious approach to sound itself is what defines Sonic Seasonings, and since it is a picture of an island surrounded by waves and movement with which she chose to illustrate the cover of this body of work. Poring over the CD-liner notes, I noticed a further reference in a quote shared on the back cover and attributed to anonymous: “I am moving all day and not moving at all. I am like the moon underneath the waves that ever go rolling.”[1]
The artwork with which Wendy Carlos illustrated Sonic Seasonings is called Waves at Matsushima. It is a painted screen produced during the Edo period by the artist Ogata Kōrin (Japanese: 尾形光琳; 1658 – June 2, 1716) – a Japanese painter, lacquerer and designer of the Rinpa school. This amazing image shows the movement of the waves around the islands of Matsushima. Wendy and Rachel saw the original in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston where, Wendy comments, they “fell in love with it.” I decided to colour my soundwaves chart with the shades that had so captivated Wendy and Rachel in shades from Kate’s Milarrochy Tweed palette.
[1] I have listened to Wendy Carlos‘ rendition of the third movement of the third Brandenburg concerto hundreds, if not thousands of times. Over time, I felt like the music was showing us the complexities of the waves in the ocean. Some are gentle periodic waves that permeate the entire piece; some waves are raucous and tempestuous, and, like all of Bach, everything resolves in a final perfect synchronicity and harmony. If you get a chance to listen to this track, close your eyes and imagine you are on a small wooden boat on the ocean at sunrise.
Congratulations to Felicity Ford for her creative work celebrating International Women’s Day, and for her innovative artistry that combines fabric design and soundscapes.
“The artwork with which Wendy Carlos illustrated Sonic Seasonings is called Waves at Matsushima.”
Waves at Matsushima, also named Pine Islands, is a pair of Japanese landscape paintings on two six-fold screens, made by artist Tawaraya Sōtatsu in the 1620s. They were painted with ink, color, gold, and silver on paper. They are symbolic of Sōtatsu’s aspirations for the afterlife, and were likely commissioned to celebrate the opening of the Shōunji zen temple in Sakai. They have been associated with the coastline of Matsushima, though they were named in the early 20th century, and likely represent no specific location.
The pair is the only surviving work of the six pairs done by Sōtatsu. They are considered Sōtatsu’s masterwork, and an icon of Kyoto’s Rinpa school of art. They inspired paintings by Ogata Kōrin and Suzuki Kiitsu, which were also named Waves at Matsushima. Kōrin’s work, painted in the early 17th century, brought attention to Sōtatsu’s version.
Matsushima (松島) is a group of islands in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. There are some 260 tiny islands (shima) covered in pines (matsu) – hence the name – and it is considered to be one of the Three Views of Japan.
Views A well-known haiku describes the islands as so striking that the poet is at a loss for words:
松島やああ松島や松島や Matsushima ya / aa Matsushima ya / Matsushima ya Matsushima ah! / A-ah, Matsushima, ah! / Matsushima, ah!
Elder G provides an artistic look at Matsushima Bay.
WLBOTT: I heard a legend about Matsushima Bay. There is an arch, and if you sail under it, it will add three years to your life. Have you heard of this legend?
Elder G: Ah, yes! The legend you’re referring to is connected to the Kanranbashi or “Viewing Arches,” specifically around Matsushima Bay. This legend says that sailing under the natural rock arch or specific symbolic bridges in the area grants an extended life—adding three years or even more depending on the version. It’s a delightful piece of folklore that ties the natural beauty of the bay with the spiritual belief in longevity and blessings.
Chōmei-ana in Komonejima, about five meters in height, was known in folklore that people who passed through there in a pleasure boat would live three years longer. However it collapsed in the Sendai earthquake. – Wikipedia / By Kazunori Matsuo – Flickr: Matsushima, CC BY 2.0,
There is a large wholesale fish market in Matsushima. These videos provide an interesting glimpse into the lives of the Japanese.
Here’s a high-energy tourist visit to the Shiogama Fish Market:
