Robert P. Taylor's Musicians: Reflections of Music Making

Helen Cha-Pyo, Conducting Messiah Rehearsal Thurs 26 April 2001

The 26 April very rapid drawing of Helen on a page of "Let Him deliver Him, if He delight in Him" in the Messiah score reflects the mocking, hollow feeling of that chorus. Helen was rehearsing the sopranos through some bit of their part as I drew her and the angry mockery of the words and music seemed to take control of my pencil, resulting in this scratchy, aggressive image. I have done many drawings of Helen (see inset left or All Helen below), but none of the others even resembles this. Sometimes the tempo or tone of the music energizes my act of drawing, just as it can energize a performer (insets left and right). In the case of my drawing of musicians, it's not very predicable, and rather startles me when it occurs.
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