With Textile Fantasies, Canadian composer Monica Pearce engages in an unusual exercise in artistic synesthesia. While we have more often heard of synesthesia (a neurological phenomenon in which two or more senses are associated) between music and color, this is the first time I have been offered a link between musical sounds and tactile textures.
The problem with this kind of proposal is that the perception of one (here the composer) may not make sense to the other (the listener). In this case, I effectively understand the ringing and luminous nature of Chain Maille, the protective metal shirt of medieval warriors. I also get a good sense of the dotted nature of Houndstooth and the floating softness of Silks. Leather, on the other hand, doesn’t seem lyrical enough. I would have imagined smoother, more organic sounds.
That said, if you make the effort to step back from the expectations raised by the textiles mentioned, you will notice a cycle of pieces for keyboard (piano or harpsichord) and percussion of great originality, with a wealth of stimulating soundscapes and exciting instrumental colors.
Whether or not you try to perceive the degree of similarity between the textiles evoked and the music inspired by them, Textile Fantasies will take you on a journey into sound worlds that are as fascinating as they are curious and highly seductive.
