Harmonious and Dissonant Proportions 2: Downtown Oakland, California
Along with a host of other grey-haired or balding, and portly rock fans, I saw the British progressive rock band, King Crimson. For those who are curious, they had their first hit album in the days when you still had vinyl albums, in 1969. They were always slightly edgy and avant-garde, delving into dissonant classical forms and eclectic rhythms and (dare I say it, as I struggle to make a valid connection), employed both harmony and dissonance in their music. Their guitarist, Robert Fripp, is now in his seventies. They were the sort of band that you wanted to people to know that you liked, as it branded you as a rebellious and bohemian 17-year-old intellectual. This was certainly the image I was seeking at that age; I wasn’t good at rebellion, but I alluded to it by being seen with a King Crimson album tucked under my arm at high school. Anyway, here you go…
This video is from about three years ago, but it is pretty much the setup I saw, with three drummers up front, and the musicians in the back. Unusually for a rock band, there was no dynamic light show, and the stage persona the musicians projected was one of a concentrated introspection. There was one small change occurred during this song, which is from an album called Red; appropriately, the lights went red during this song and then went back to white again once they had finished. No songs were introduced, there was no banter with the crowd. However, the rhythmical interplay of the drummers as they overlaid different and obscure time signatures provided a fascinating and mesmerizing visual dynamism. I’m thinking that this minimalism was deliberately created to contrast with the usual gaudy visuals a rock audience is accustomed to, not simply as a gimmick, but rather so that audience would focus on the musical rhythm and motion as much as melody, harmony, and counterpoint…
…speaking of harmony, (and finally getting to the point of this post) as I was walking from the parking lot to the Fox Theatre in Oakland, I was struck by the lively café culture of that part of the center of town. It probably doesn’t suit the more liberal inhabitants of the city to acknowledge that a process of gentrification is going on there, and furthermore, that the city is benefitting from it. That part of town felt safe due to the buzz of so many walking around and hanging out in cafés and restaurants.
The architecture of the buildings is interesting. Unlike the subject of my article of two weeks ago (Bedford Park in West London), these are not Victorian. They were built, I am guessing, in the first part of the 20-century, and have a neo-classical/art deco feel to them. They are just old enough for the architects who designed them to have some feel for harmonious proportion.
Remember the key feature of proportion as described last time – differing magnitudes of parts that relate to each other in such a way that, typically, the ground-level story is greater than the second, and the second greater than the third. Where there are multiple stories, as here in Oakland town center, the architects have done a number of things to retain the impression of proportion without reducing the windows every time (which would have forced them to make those of the upper layers so small that they would be the size of a postage stamp.)
This is the theatre where King Crimson played. What we see here is a large ground floor and then two small, shorter stories above, indicated by the window size. Because the artist doesn’t want the third story to be shorter than the second, he suggests the idea visually in a different way, by splitting the windows on the third floor into two parts, and so making them visually less important than those below.
Below are some office buildings and civic buildings in proportion, and also some new buildings which are not. As you look at them, remember from the last article the key elements to look for:
Here are some more photos to study in light of this:
It’s a shame that the grand view of the city, above, obscures some of the buildings lower down that are harmoniously proportioned. The overall impression is of sterility and blandness. Anyway, back to street level…
Source: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2019/10/harmonious-and-dissonant-proportions-2.html
Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.
"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.
Lion’s Mane Mushroom
Mushrooms are having a moment. One fabulous fungus in particular, lion’s mane, may help improve memory, depression and anxiety symptoms. They are also an excellent source of nutrients that show promise as a therapy for dementia, and other neurodegenerative diseases. If you’re living with anxiety or depression, you may be curious about all the therapy options out there — including the natural ones.Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend has been formulated to utilize the potency of Lion’s mane but also include the benefits of four other Highly Beneficial Mushrooms. Synergistically, they work together to Build your health through improving cognitive function and immunity regardless of your age. Our Nootropic not only improves your Cognitive Function and Activates your Immune System, But it benefits growth of Essential Gut Flora, further enhancing your Vitality.
Our Formula includes:
Lion’s Mane Mushrooms which Increase Brain Power through nerve growth, lessen anxiety, reduce depression, and improve concentration. Its an excellent adaptogen, promotes sleep and improves immunity.
Shiitake Mushrooms which Fight cancer cells and infectious disease, boost the immune system, promotes brain function, and serves as a source of B vitamins.
Maitake Mushrooms which regulate blood sugar levels of diabetics, reduce hypertension and boosts the immune system.
Reishi Mushrooms which Fight inflammation, liver disease, fatigue, tumor growth and cancer. They Improve skin disorders and soothes digestive problems, stomach ulcers and leaky gut syndrome.
Chaga Mushrooms which have anti-aging effects, boost immune function, improve stamina and athletic performance, even act as a natural aphrodisiac, fighting diabetes and improving liver function.
Try Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend 60 Capsules. Today Be 100% Satisfied Or Receive A Full Money Back Guarantee Order Yours Today By Following This Link.