Mary Lattimore and Emile Mosseri – In Focus: Sound – Microcompositions

While photographs are inherently silent objects, they can conjure sensations in our minds, including sound. To explore this sensory connection, Getty invited composers to respond to works in the collection by creating 1-minute microcompositions as part of a series of 5 created for the exhibition In Focus: Sound.

Julia Margaret Cameron’s deeply evocative photograph portrays a woman representing the mythic figure of Echo, who touches her throat to indicate her loss of speech. Echo’s voice was taken from her by the angry goddess Hera, who doomed her to only repeat words spoken by others. The wistful emotion evoked by the model’s youth, her meaningful gesture, and direct, yet calm gaze inspired harpist Mary Lattimore and film composer Emile Mosseri. They translate the image’s haunting quality into a moody and diffuse microcomposition.

Lattimore, who often composes based on visual images or memories, modifies the twinkling tones of the harp with electronic effects of loops and decay to conjure Echo’s presence. She sent her musings to Mosseri, who overlayed spooky, cinematic layers of sound with the synthesizer. This track is the result of their wordless musical conversation.

Mary Lattimore is a harpist based in Los Angeles.

Emile Mosseri is a songwriter, composer, and producer based in Los Angeles.

Experience the "In Focus: Sound – Microcompositions" through our playlist:

View Julia Margaret Cameron’s "The Echo" in Getty's collection online:

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