Konrad and Alexandra (PDF) - Rolf Gross

the colors mixed and changed depending on the mood or the interpenetration of the voices.A light, song-like passage followed, accompanied by a wavy green line that first rolled into a large spiral, and thencollapsed into a yellow spot as the four instruments reached another cumulative chord. Abruptly the music stopped andimmediately broke into a second chord, which turned the yellow spot into a rapidly expanding, irregular, blue shape thatthreatened to devour her entire field. In the last moment, the viola shot like a violet arrow diagonally across the blue field.Alexandra took a deep breath; this colorful show was extraordinary.The violin held the high note keeping the blue suspended and covering her entire field of vision. Across this foil threeshapes chased each other, a large black disc connected now with the cello, a red rectangle driven by the viola, and anarrow dark blue object for the second violin.The mood changed to a violently dissonant interplay in the low registers between the cello and the viola, evokingmagenta and green fields fighting for dominance. The episode was resolved by an orange invasion of the second violin,which soon took over.In the end the cello began to play the original row of twelve tones, the first violin reentered, pure white. Together the fourinstruments repeated the first three bars of the piece decreasing to a pianissimo. One after the other they died away untilthe first violin ended on the highest note of the tone row in brilliant blue.For a minute the audience remained in stunned silence. Alexandra, with a deep sigh, opened her eyes. She felt Konrad’seyes on her, and when she turned around, saw him smile with raised brows. His lips formed a question, but his voice wasdrowned by the general pandemonium.Shouts of "Bravo!" and the pointed applause by Friedrich and several other young people were overpowered by the"Boos!" of the majority. Everybody was talking at the same time."Did you see colors?" Konrad shouted into the general din. Alexandra nodded. The excitement of the audience hadreached tumultuous proportions.Herr Dahl rose with raised hands. "Ladies and gentlemen, please, let us exercise restraint and come to a civilizeddiscussion!"Slowly the audience calmed down.Herr Strauss rose. Not much taller and although younger looking, ten years older than Schönberg, said, "As conductor,may I introduce a consideration into this debate? I believe that the goal of music should be to produce a hearing pleasurefor other people, maybe even ‘the masses’ which Herr Schönberg denigrated earlier. I cannot expect my concert-goingaudiences to follow or understand music like that of Herr Webern’s. I am even prophesizing that this kind of music willnever become popular. Although I understand what you are trying to do, I regret its results. Why write music which hassuch narrow, personal appeal, is so forbiddingly individualistic that nobody can follow it?"Schönberg, his right hand in the pocket of his jacket, had listened with an inclined head. He took his hand out andgesticulated with both arms excitedly at Strauss. "Herr Strauss, for the beauty of it! If you would take the time to examinethis piece closely you would also be struck by its beauty."He dropped his arms in despair. "However, it has been made abundantly clear to me during the past years, that mymusic is unplayable, unlistenable, and unsuitable for general concert audiences. I had hoped that some of you would beable to see the beauty of Herr Webern’s piece."Kandinsky asked to have a word. Ill at ease, he fidgeted with his words. "I have had two entirely unexpected encounterstonight. First I wish to thank Herrn Schönberg for trying to show us how radically abstract music could lead the way to acorresponding revolution in painting. To me Herr Webern’s music suggests a new kind of abstract painting, a symbiosisof music and painting. We have to learn to see music and vice versa to hear colors. Maybe then we will be able to hearand see the fundamental beauty in art again."He then declared rather pompously. "The other revelation took place during an encounter with a young lady in thisaudience." He turned to Alexandra, who blushed. "It was of a more fundamental, philosophical nature. Mrs. Dadiani-Rostsuggested that we needed to reestablish the balance between the Apollinische and the Dionysische to recover dasGeistige in der Kunst. I for my part have resolved to finally read Nietzsche’s Geburt der Tragödie. I feel that Mrs. Dadiani-Rost’s comments are eminently applicable to tonight’s theme. Finally, may I thank Mrs. Dahl for having made thisexceptionally interesting evening possible."His remarks were unanimously applauded. Small groups formed in which Webern’s music was heatedly discussed.Kandinsky asked to be allowed to join the circle around the Dahl siblings and Konrad and Alexandra. He wanted to knowif Alexandra had seen colors in the music. Noticing Alexandra’s pensive look, he apologized for such a personalquestion. Was he allowed to invite her and her husband for another evening to discuss this matter? It was of greatimportance to him.Alexandra pulled herself from her pensive silence. "I am a complete novice to Western music, there is so much I do notunderstand, but I did see colors of a purity and intensity that I have not seen before. Were anyone to try to paint what Isaw in this music, he could fill a large canvas with colorful shapes and designs. However, they were completely abstract,they had no resemblance to real objects."Kandinsky, very excitedly asked whether she would dare to paint such a picture.95