VISIONSOUND - BEN DOWLING/MARK WAGNER: The Path of Peace (DualDisc: Audio CD/Multimedia DVD)

Visionsound - Ben Dowling/Mark Wagner

The Path of Peace (DualDisc: Audio CD/Multimedia DVD)

© 2007 Ben Dowling (634479472091)

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The Sacred Marriage of Music and Art - A Visionsound collaboration between the 5.1 ambient piano music of Ben Dowling and the evolving wide-screen imagery of painter, Mark Wagner. Released on DualDisc (CD/DVD on one disc). A CD Baby Editor's Pick.

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THE PATH OF PEACE
AMBIENT MULTIMEDIA ARTS - VISIONSOUND® DUALDISC

A sensual and elegant multimedia collaboration of music and fine art

Pianist Ben Dowling & Painter Mark Wagner

In the first DualDisc (CD/DVD) of an ambient art series, Visionsound presents "The Path of Peace." A technology-enabled artistic collaboration, the disc combines the contemplative piano music of Ben Dowling with original paintings and drawings by Mark Wagner.

The Path of Peace runs counter to the fast pace of contemporary life at the same time it represents an important new phase in the evolution of integrated arts. The work itself features 53 minutes of both audio-only (CD) and surround-sound audio with wide-screen multimedia (DVD) - in slow, engaging and beautiful motion. If ever there was an environment needing quiet, unhurried loveliness, The Path of Peace fits the bill perfectly.

Keyboard artist Ben Dowling, whose roots are in classical and jazz, has developed a unique, minimalist piano technique specifically for this work. A “singing” melodic touch and novel pedal work are joined with a spatial sense that crosses effortlessly between diatonic and modal harmony. “I needed to develop a different way of playing to take advantage of the 5.1 surround field—since surround-sound is allergic to too much motion,” explains Dowling. “For years I’ve tried to capture the open, suspended quality of the piano – like the experience of improvising in a dark concert hall. Finally, the technology is here that can make that possible.”

Visual artist Mark Wagner is one of the few traditionalists awarded a National Endowment of the Arts grant for early experiments in computer-generated art. Using oil, chalk, pencil and even hot glue, Wagner synchronized his own creative vision with Dowling’s music in a slowly unfolding, multi-layer video-scoring style. “As I started placing my images to Ben’s music, I noticed that I began to slow down,” says Wagner. “The slow pacing creates an enchanting quality. It’s a little bit like looking at an ocean for a few days. After a while, it begins to work on you.”

“The music for The Path of Peace was designed to cause an environmental shift,” confirms Dowling. “So when Mark and I discussed the project as a whole, we focused on the potential of beauty to positively impact people’s lives.” Wagner adds, “The idea of creating something counter-culture and counter-anxiety is very appealing to me. I want to be part of the medicine - the way of beauty, the path of peace.”

The artists envision practical applications for personal inner peace in health, therapy, hospice, incarceration and post-traumatic care as well as, more broadly, consciousness raising for an increasingly sensory overloaded and warlike world. “These are times when it’s vital for artists to consider the environment for which we create,” says Dowling. “This is a work about peace, that doubles as a great way to get there.”

The Path of Peace balances artistic brilliance in vision and sound with technical mastery and innovation, captured in a product design that beautifully embraces a profound and timely idea.

About Visionsound Innovative Arts

The aptly named Visionsound has contributed to many key developments in integrating music and technology, winning many accolades and awards. From R&D for the Korg synthesizer company, to the creation of unique sound for top entertainment clients including Michael Jackson and Madonna, Visionsound is at the leading edge of integrative developments. New media and interactive projects include: the Golden Eagle winning documentary A Place to Stand, featuring Patrick Stewart for the United Nations 50th Anniversary, and Powershift, featuring Cameron Diaz for the California Science Museums environmental initiative.

For a streaming video demonstation and information on the artistic process in creating it, please visit www.visionsound.com

Visionsound® - Art as the Cure™

reviews

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  • Fantastic
    author: Ros Betts

    That's the word for this one. Took me to an inner fantasy world in my meditation.

  • Wow!
    author: Kathy Parsons

    ”The Path of Peace” is an incredible collaborative project that merges the music of pianist/composer Ben Dowling and the visual artistry of Mark Wagner onto the first DualDisc of an ambient art series. One side of the disc is a CD of Dowling’s solo piano music only, and the flip side is a DVD multimedia presentation of the music and Wagner’s original drawings, paintings, and video scoring. Combining music and artwork is not a new concept, but this disc pioneers new technology in collaborative arts. The music was designed to generate an environmental space in the hopes of slowing the pace of people’s lives and providing a healing respite to relieve anxiety and stress at all levels. The artists envisioned practical applications “for personal inner peace in health, therapy, hospice, incarceration and post-traumatic care as well as, more broadly, consciousness raising for an increasingly sensory overloaded and warlike world.” To quote Dowling, “These are times when it’s vital for artists to consider the environment for which we create. This is a work about peace that doubles as a great way to get there.” “The Path of Peace,” seven years in the making, was begun when Dowling was experimenting with recording original piano compositions using 5.1 surround-sound technology. He discovered that the music needed to be very slow and spatial to be most effective in this format, and developed a new style of playing for himself that embraces the technology. The piano sound on this recording is stunning - clean, clear, and resonant. After composing the music, Dowling started working on his own visual imagery for the project, finding himself overwhelmed. When visiting Wagner on a family vacation, Wagner showed Dowling his artwork and told him about his experimental work using iMovie on his Mac. Dowling explained his own project and Wagner ran with it, creating the visual images to combine with Dowling’s haunting music. “As I started placing my images to Ben’s music, I noticed that I began to slow down. The slow pacing created an enchanting quality. It’s a little bit like looking at an ocean for a few days. After a while, it begins to work on you.” Most of the visuals are abstract or non-objective, allowing the viewer to interpret them in their own way or to simply experience the colors and shapes as they evolve to the music. The visuals move very slowly and peacefully - sometimes gradually panning in and out, sometimes moving in a circular motion, sometimes in layers. The effect is hypnotic and intoxicating, soothing beyond anything I can describe. I have experienced the project several times, finding myself drawn in and suspended in time. Even on my small laptop computer, the effect is mesmerizing. With a bigger screen and better speakers, it’s even more compelling. The CD by itself is exceptionally good, but the project as a whole is phenomenal and needs to be experienced. I give “The Path of Peace” my highest recommendation, and hope to interview one or both artists very soon. Treat yourself and your loved ones to an extraordinary sensory experience! Wow!

  • Its wonderful. Beautiful music! Beautiful artwork!
    author: Cheryl SNyder

    Well worth the money -- play the DVD over and over and the background music is very relaxing and helps to mellow the mood. First heard it used at a meditation service at the Center for Spiritual Living in Boise, Idaho, and was so glad to find out I could get my own. Very nicely done. Beautiful music, beautiful artwork!

  • Love it
    author: Karen

    I took a chance on this and am sooo glad I did!

  • Groooovie
    author: Diana Razumny

    you make my heart sing, you make evvvverything groooovie, wild thang

  • Bravo!
    author: Jeff Oster

    What a joy it is to see and hear two great artists combining creative forces to bring this art into reality. We are fortunate to be blessed with this wonderful work!

  • author: Tamara at CD Baby

    Highlighting melodies that are so plaintive and mood-shaping, you would expect to hear them in a film score, The Path of Peace effortlessly moves through twelve mesmerizing tracks of new age piano. It is quite an accomplishment these days to stand out as a new age artist, particularly on piano, partially because of over-saturation of artists doing similar things, but largely because of the repetitive and indistinctive direction that New Age can tend to lean. Visionsound, however, finds that subtle space between music that is relaxing and suggestive but also with enough personality and substance to be engaging and affecting. Steering away from the cliche application of arpeggios and instead, creating a liquidy, gentle and natural sense of flow and movement, this disc evokes deep and rich imagery, awakening the imagination and stirring the inner eye. With the same emotive nd touching quality found in a piano soundtrack, The Path of Peace serves perfectly as a background for contemplative, reflective times.

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