On Saturday 10 October the Solent Symphony Orchestra is putting on two concerts at Portsmouth Anglican Cathedral: Peter and the Wolf at 3pm and Firebird at 7.30pm, both with guest author & illustrator James Mayhew.
James tells us more about the concerts and himself.
How did you first combine your art with music?
Like many of us, I heard Peter & The Wolf as a child, and I was fascinated by the way Prokofiev’s brilliant music told so much of the story. Then, when I was about ten or so I first heard Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade. I wanted to listen to it because I loved the art on the cover of the LP (it was an illustration from the Arabian Nights by Edmund Dulac). I started to draw and paint along to that record, it just seemed so incredibly visual. I became really fascinated in the idea of music as an aural illustration, and also the concept of synaesthasia.
Some years later, as a published author and illustrator of children’s books, I was invited to join a local orchestra, the de Havilland Philharmonic, for a family concert. I was extremely nervous as I’d never really seen myself as a stage performer, although I’d worked in schools a lot, and I was used to painting illustrations in front of hundreds of children. So we did Peter & the Wolf and Stravinsky’s Firebird, and I developed a whole new way of working that that was bold and fast, allowing me to keep up with the music. Somehow it all worked, and since then, more and more orchestras or ensembles have invited me to collaborate on a huge range of repertoire.
Why should someone come to your “illustrated concerts? What can they expect to experience?
I think combining art and music makes the music really accessible. The paintings are choreographed to emphasise what the music is expressing, the climaxes, the different shifts in tempo or emotion… Too often people go to concerts and the music washes over them, or they lose concentration. The music is a “nice tune” but sometimes, that’s not enough. Programmatic music can tell a story too, so providing that context really helps. I really believe that having a visual memory of the music makes it much more meaningful. It’s a great first concert experience for the young and the old.
I stand at an easel and paint illustrations that reflect the story in the music. It could be Stravinsky’s Firebird, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons or Holst’s The Planets… there are so many wonderful pieces of music inspired by stories, myths and legends. The art is then projected up onto a screen for all to see. I also give brief storytelling introductions, so that it all comes together as an immersive combination of the arts.
What have been the greatest challenges so far?
Some of the music is very short – Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals for example. It’s not easy to draw Wild Asses in less than a minute!
But the technology is the biggest worry – every venue is different, and although it’s quite a simple set up – camera/projector/screen – if the lighting isn’t right or the leads don’t connect or there is some technical issue, it can be a real problem. I am always very prepared and bring a variety of materials so I can always have a last minute rethink before a show, if necessary. But it’s stressful, as you want it all to work well so the audience get the best experience.
What for you are the particular pleasures of collaborating with other musicians?
I had piano lessons as a child and I loved learning about music… but I’m not a musician. So these collaborations allow me to share the stage with wonderfully gifted performers. I’m in awe of them! And to feel the music humming through the stage, through my feet and my whole body, to be in such proximity, is a real thrill. I’ve also discovered new and exciting repertoire, and many fabulous folk tales and legends.
How do you work?
I begin by really getting to know the music and then researching the inspiration behind it. I love folk tales and myths from other lands, so that’s a really enjoyable part. I develop my own versions of these tales, and start to think how I can interpret these stories or themes as images.
In a performance the images don’t reveal themselves straightaway… I like to keep the audience guessing. So I may begin with a vision of the final outcome, and then work out how to reach that point, in synchronicity with the music. So I sort of go backwards and consider what I paint and when. Some music is so powerful you just know, you sense what to paint, what colours, what forms. Its important to me that the images feel like they suit the music, and enhance it.
Are there any composers for whom you feel a particular affinity?
Yes! I obviously love composers who wrote programmatic music. Sibelius is perhaps my greatest hero – The Lemminkainen Legends, in particular The Swan of Tuonela – are extraordinary creations. All of his Kalevala inspired music is pretty incredible. Then there is Rimsky-Korsakov, who I feel is rather underrated as a pioneer of “musical illustration” – so much of his music is inspired by myths and fairy tales. Scheherazade, of course, but also his gorgeous Antar symphony (a personal favourite), and the suites from his operas, like The Snow Maiden, The Golden Cockerel, Christmas Eve and The Invisible City of Kitezh, etc. Magical, sparkling music, and very tuneful and accessible.
Which works do you think work best with live art? Why?
Anything with a strong narrative theme can work well. Scheherazade could have been written for what I do. I loved painting to Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantasique. Many ballet scores work well – The Firebird is my favourite. Then there are works like Mussorgsky’s Pictures – great fun, but incredibly difficult because the music is so short. I love it, but some of those “pictures” are only a minute long!
Which performances are you most proud of?
I am really proud of the events I’ve done in schools and inspiring kids from all backgrounds. I work with a local violinist Caroline Speca, and together we can reach children who don’t get taken to concerts. We really believe in visiting all demographics and giving all children the opportunity to experience this world of story, music and art.
What are your most memorable concert experiences, either as a performer or listener?
A last minute performance of Pictures at an Exhibition at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh with the RSNO and Gemma New was pretty special. I was doing a schools tour with the orchestra, based on my book Once Upon A Tune, with different repertoire (The Sorcerer’s Apprentice etc), but they were also performing Pictures one evening as well, and I said, “As I’m here, why don’t I paint the Mussorgsky too?”. They agreed, and it was such a blast. Musically it was spectacular, and the audience weren’t expecting me, so I think it was a bit of a surprise! As one critic wrote…
“If the audience took one memory home at the end of the evening, it could only have been the extraordinary sight of the artist James Mayhew painting his interpretation of Mussorgsky’s Pictures in real time as the music was being performed. Seldom could any artist expect to encounter such a storm of appreciative applause.” – Christopher Lambton ~ The Arts Desk
As a listener there are so many great memories, but I suppose the first classical concert I ever went to is one I remember with great affection. I grew up in the country, far from any concert halls. Then, as an 18 year old student, I went to London for a graphic design seminar. I’m afraid I missed that entirely, because I saw that the RPO were performing Scheherazade at the Royal Albert Hall. Nothing was going to compete with Rimsky-Korsakov!
What advice would you give to those who are considering a career in the arts?
Be unique! I think it’s harder than ever in this digital world, with AI etc. Certainly publishing is harder than ever before. I don’t work digitally – all my illustrations are created by traditional techniques, and the images exist in the real world. I’m a little bit proud of that fact. Many publishers say I’m the only one who still works that way… I guess that makes me sound like a dinosaur – but I’m no luddite, I just genuinely enjoy the process that traditional tools bring. If that makes me different from everyone else, I think that’s an advantage. But it is tough in the Arts, so you probably need a side hustle!
Visit his website.
