A model of Tim Bavington’s sculptural translation of Aaron Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man.”
Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012 | 5:22 p.m.
Tim Bavington’s sculptural translation of Aaron Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man”—designed to serve as a backdrop for outdoor Smith Center concerts—will be installed this month in Downtown’s Symphony Park. The Last Vegas artist is known for correlating the 12-tone music scale with a 12-color palette to create large (striped) paintings that are loose translations of rock songs (the Stones to The Darkness). This is Bavington’s first sculpture.
Materials: Steel pipes and automotive paint.
Dimensions: 80 feet long. The tallest pipe stands 26 feet from the base.
Height: The varying height marks dynamics in the music, beginning in forte, ending in forte fortissimo.
Width: The width of the poles loosely marks the durations of the notes.
Palette: Derived from sign painter palette (1-Shot Enamel). The root note (B-flat) of the song is blue/green. The third (D) is orange. The fifth (F) is magenta.
Ground lights: The meter keeping time. Lighting placed every two feet represents 40 bars.
Interpretation: Bavington regards the piece as a translation of the music: “The colors might get bent, just as with Hendrix, a note might get bent.”
The last pole: The unpainted pole represents a musical rest at the end of the piece.
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