Sony G90 manual Close Encounter, Voices of Light/The Passion of Joan of Arc, D R E W Q U I N T

A Close Encounter

Voices of Light/The Passion of Joan of Arc

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rom the moment of its rebirth two issues ago, The Per -	intensely sensuous experiences. Still, for many listeners, the
fect Vision has addressed itself squarely to the difficult	repetitive nature of much of Glass’ cleverly constructed music
concept of “multimedia.” Essays from Greg Sandow	doesn’t demand attention on a moment-to-moment basis and
and HP in Issue 24 sought to define what multimedia is and is	can induce a nearly physiologic contemplative state that, I
not, and to imagine its possibilities. Sandow, in a piece that	think, allows a listener to focus more keenly on whatever else
touched on unfolding technical developments, offered the	is before him, on the stage or screen. If this seems hard on
computer game Myst as a “domesticated case of true multi-	Glass, I don’t mean to be. It would just help if our early mod-
media.” A bona fide specimen, perhaps, but not one that aims	els for multimedia transcended issues of musical and narra-
very high. HP noted the limitations of currently available soft-	tive style.
ware that present the marriage of music and images. He con-	A useful prototype could be what visual artists call “mixed
sidered DVDs of an opera “gala,” a classical concert video, a	media” – an oil painting with collage elements like fabric,
Sondheim musical, a pop music video – and found them all to	paper, or “found objects” incorporated into the canvas, for
have shortcomings. He also described two potential multime-	example. The different materials have their own textures,
dia experiences he had in the concert hall, both involving	requirements for manipulation, and associations with both
music by minimalist Philip Glass: the opera Einstein on the	artistic tradition and the real world. The challenge is to main-
Beach and Glass’ score for the film	tain their individual characteristics
Koyaanisqatsi. These were, I’m sure,	and, at the same time, integrate them.

A N D R E W Q U I N T