Music and place in “The Spring Tune”

Interpretation as improvisation

Abstract

This video essay explores interpretation as improvisation. Our point of departure is an inquiry into the relationship between place, sound, and music in Tove Jansson’s novella “The Spring Tune”. The novella is first interpreted and adapted into music by a young student. This adaptation is then central to both literary conversations between the girl and her mother, who is a literary scholar, and visual explorations through the camera. The result is an adaptation (the video) of an adaptation (Henia’s musical composition), where the first-mentioned adaptation also documents and explores the musical one. Through these creative processes, the video essay and the guiding text reflect on the nature of interpretation – an elaboration whereby we understand the interpretations involved as improvisations.