A vocal lecturer at the NWU has decided to explore the concept behind the German word ‘sehnsucht’ setting the worlds of visual art and music on a collision course.
As a result, four artists were each assigned a minimum of four songs with the task of illustrating elements of ‘sehnsucht’.
Marna de Wet, Kevin du Plessis, Jean Lampen and Eljana van der Merwe each contributed to what the famous author, C.S. Lewis described as an “inconsolable longing in the human heart.”
The arts project, devised by Dr Conroy Cupido, reached an exciting culmination during the annual dean’s concert on Tuesday evening.
Cupido, a baritone, was accompanied on piano by his colleague, Tinus Botha performing the selected songs. The text of the songs, as well as photographs of the artworks, were presented, allowing the audience to fully take in a magical sensory experience.
There was also an exhibition showcasing all the artworks for those unable to attend the concert, with descriptions delving into the thought processes behind each masterpiece.
Each of the artworks below depicts various elements of ‘sehnsucht’ in the music of Dvorak, Vaughn Williams, Quilter, Schumann, Strauss and Brahms.
