Introduction

Having viewed my fair share of religious art collections, I find most artists rely upon a realistic and contextual clues in their depictions of Christ and events surrounding His life. That is why I was compelled to stop when I discovered this piece, Triplus No. 3 by Ron Richmond:

As I pondered the significance of this work of art, I could not help but play the tune from the first movement of Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor "Quasi una fantasia", Op. 27, No. 2, by Ludwig van Beethoven in my mind. The composition also carries the more popular name of the Moonlight Sonata. Another semi-famous composer, Hector Berlioz, referred to this movement as a melody of “lamentation”, a name I found quite appropriate considering the significance and somber message behind the painting.

Analysis

The above picture merely displays a small portion of the entire painting, a fairly realistic depiction of still objects on a wooden floor in a room. It appears to have been painted from an actual scene the artist constructed. The borders of the painting fade to black in conformance to a more modern and contemporary style of realistic painting. The focal point of the piece lies in the center of the painting, where three bowls are placed upon an alter of white fabric. In each bowl contains a different element as referenced by Moses 6:60, “For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified.” These theme of these three elements seemed to resonate within me as I considered the primary theme of the truncated sonata movement Beethoven presents us with.

In the exposition, the listener hears the initial monophonic texture of the three-note baseline arpeggiated chord. Each note of this chord could connect and relate to each element and bowl in the artist’s painting. Homophonic textures from the left hand in this piece provide a piercing resonance in the timbre of the music. Each piercing, melancholy note represents another painful and significant remembrance of the sacrifice that Christ made for each one of us. The pure white cloth these sacrificial bowls are placed upon represents the simplistic purity and innocence the Lamb of God embodied, and likewise the Moonlight Sonata captures that simplicity in a sublime way.

The accompanying ostinato triplet is made prominent not through variations in rhythm, but rather in dynamic emphasis. The majority of the piece is played in pianissimo, with the loudest parts reaching mezzo-forte; however, it is the accented notes that come through the flowing accompaniment to distinguish itself and captivate its audience. The flowing sound of the piece comes from Beethoven’s notation at the movement’s opening to hold the sustain pedal throughout the entirety of the sonata. This mood and color is reflected in the artwork as well as the white pierces out from the red backdrop, a solemn symbol of the price that had to be paid for the salvation of mankind.

Conclusion

In summary, I felt a strong connection between this piece of music and work of art. The intensity of the art is strong through color contrast, which is also represented in sforzando and accented notes in the movement. Yet at the same time, both pieces convey this intensity in a simplified manner. While the colors contrast, they also compliment, and the homophonic texture of the Moonlight Sonata also conveys this sadly consonant feeling. Repetition and symmetry in the artwork are also reflected in the music through rhythmic ostinato and the use of the Sonata form itself.