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M.C. Escher is known for his mind-bending prints that frequently created impossible geometry or meshed perspectives in unexpected ways. I remember learning about tessellations in a middle school math class and being mesmerized by the repetitive interlocking of non-abstract shapes that fit perfectly with each other as they sprawled across a page, and discovering Escher's unique vision for using tessellation in his art.
In each of his three Metamorphosis woodcuts, Escher utilizes tessellation to transform images and objects from one thing to another. The second and third woodcuts are vast, spanning many feet. Scanning from left to right, most transitions are gradual as reptiles become insects, fish, and then birds, before a series of red-topped boxes turn into the Italian city of Atrani. In a more sudden transition, a bridge from this city extends to a tower, which is actually a rook on a chess board. The beginning and end of this work of art mirror each other, relating to a motif of infinity that is often found in Escher's work.
Beginning on a single note that gradually trills, the textures of this piece seek to capture the fluidity of Escher's work. For much of the first few minutes, seldom is more than one note played at a time as the pianist creates a wash of sound that swoops and dives across the entire range of the keyboard. The rhythm builds in intensity and momentum, rarely flinching as it grows to higher and higher peaks, reflecting the unyielding repetition found in Escher's work. After finally reaching a breaking point, the intensity retracts and the music returns to the opening trills and gestures, completing the full circle that Escher uses in Metamorphosis II and III to emphasize the idea of endlessness and infinity.
Metamorphosis After Escher was commissioned by the North Carolina Music Teachers Association and written for Annie Jeng.
Duration: ca. 8'30"
The excerpted image of Metamorphosis II is copyright by the M.C. Escher Gallery.
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