Duet: An Artful History of Music

Summary

When, how, where, does a mark become a musical note? What alchemy occurs to transform a symbol into sound: a song; a symphony; a chorus?

Music is interwoven into the fabric of our lives. We listen to it, some of us play it, but throughout history, humans have also attempted to capture it visually, from the musical images of Ancient Sumer, to Frozen's Elsa standing on the side of a mountain, her voice making crystals in the air. In this startlingly original history of music, Eleanor Chan takes us on a journey through sound that encompasses the 35,000-year-old flute found in a German cave, Kandinsky's kaleidoscopic paintings, illuminated manuscripts, and haute couture.

Classically trained musician and art historian Dr. Eleanor Chan opens up a world of sound and vision, exploring different ways to think about listening and seeing. Ultimately, this book asks the listener what it is, and what it might mean, to truly see music.