Make some noise

By Olivia Weinberg

In most museums and galleries, sound is pooh-poohed. The ping of a mobile phone brings a scowl; a mere giggle can prompt a prod from the security guard. The only sound that is welcome is the sound of silence. So the National Gallery is about to break a mould. “We want to give people a punch in the stomach,” says Minna Moore Ede, curator of “Soundscapes”, an immersive show that sets art to music in a bid to jumble our senses. “It’s about the converging of two worlds. You begin to hear the music in the visual, and, as a result, you start to see the visual in the music.”

She has asked seven musicians to pick a painting from the permanent collection and make a soundscape based on it. Nico Muhly, who writes opera and ballet scores and chamber music, chose “The Wilton Diptych”, c.1395-99 – a stunning portable altarpiece made for King Richard II. His response is a 40-minute composition that guides you through the artwork. “Halfway through, there’s a soft tinkling noise,” says Moore Ede. “It’s the angels.”