Numinous The Music of Joseph C. Phillips Jr. |
rothko (1999)
rothko (1999)
3 woodwinds, Trumpet, Trombone, Vibraphone, Marimba (or Guitar or Harp), Piano, Percussion, 2 violins, 2 Cellos, Bass
(substitute parts available for woodwinds)
12 minutes
American painter Mark Rothko (1903-1970) was one of the leaders of the Abstract Expressionist movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s. While not an ‘action’ painter like Jackson Pollock or Franz Kline, Rothko’s mature works were typified by large sensuous, rectangular fields of solid colors (usually two or three) quietly ‘floating’ over a color field background. Some critics spoke of Rothko’s paintings as ‘decorative’, because his technique focused on color, but that was not Rothko’s aim. Rejecting any semblance of figuration in his paintings, Rothko developed his original approach to painting for emotional clarity; “The elimination of all obstacles between the painter and the idea, and the idea and the observer” was his one of his primary goals. Like Ansel Adams in landscape photography, Rothko’s paintings hoped to create in the viewer a transcendental experience-a universality that takes one away from any particular time and place.
(Photo of Mark Rothko painting)
3 woodwinds, Trumpet, Trombone, Vibraphone, Marimba (or Guitar or Harp), Piano, Percussion, 2 violins, 2 Cellos, Bass
(substitute parts available for woodwinds)
12 minutes
American painter Mark Rothko (1903-1970) was one of the leaders of the Abstract Expressionist movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s. While not an ‘action’ painter like Jackson Pollock or Franz Kline, Rothko’s mature works were typified by large sensuous, rectangular fields of solid colors (usually two or three) quietly ‘floating’ over a color field background. Some critics spoke of Rothko’s paintings as ‘decorative’, because his technique focused on color, but that was not Rothko’s aim. Rejecting any semblance of figuration in his paintings, Rothko developed his original approach to painting for emotional clarity; “The elimination of all obstacles between the painter and the idea, and the idea and the observer” was his one of his primary goals. Like Ansel Adams in landscape photography, Rothko’s paintings hoped to create in the viewer a transcendental experience-a universality that takes one away from any particular time and place.
(Photo of Mark Rothko painting)
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Thanks and credit to all the original photos on this website to: David Andrako, Concrete Temple Theatre, Marcy Begian, Mark Elzey, Ed Lefkowicz, Donald Martinez, Kimberly McCollum, Geoff Ogle, Joseph C. Phillips Jr., Daniel Wolf-courtesy of Roulette, Andrew Robertson, Viscena Photography, Jennifer Kang, Carolyn Wolf, Mark Elzey, Karen Wise, Numinosito. The Numinous Changing Same album design artwork by DM Stith. The Numinous The Grey Land album design and artwork by Brock Lefferts. Contact for photo credit and information on specific images.