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English translation: infinite musical planes

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase: infinitos planos musicales
English translation:infinite musical planes
Entered by: Charles Davis

09:31 May 30, 2014
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Poetry & Literature
Spanish term or phrase: infinitos planos musicales
An artistic description, while contemplating the extensive landscape:

Deseamos mantener la mirada atenta a los colores y a los planos sucesivos que ofrece la variada topografía del lugar, con los sentidos abiertos a los sonidos del campo, también organizados en infinitos planos musicales.

My rough version so far would be:
We want to remain attentive to the colours and unbroken plains that the diverse topography of this location offers, open (up) our senses, also arranged into infinite musical plains, to the sounds of the countryside.

Not entirely happy with "topography" in this type of text, and trying to find a way to fit in the music/sound that the author has done in Spanish.

The text continues: Visión y audición, en esta tierra, alcanza dominios lejanos, enlaza planos distantes.

So, she is focusing here on senses of sound and sight.

Any ideas, appreciated (while I wade through the rest!)
Rachael West
Spain
Local time: 02:53
infinite musical planes
Explanation:
I'm very conscious that resorting to so literal a translation goes against the grain, but I think it's really got to be this. If it sounded awful we'd have to do something else, but I don't think it does.

I would argue that all three words have got to be these. I don't see any problem with "musical" anyway. You could actually use "tonal", since this word has both visual and musical connotations, but there's no need; "musical" will do fine.

"Infinito" means, potentially, both an infinite number of and infinite in extent. "Endless" would cover it, but it sometimes carries a suggestion of something wearisome, and "infinite" seems to me to have the right tone: infinite space.

As for "planos", I think there is a double allusion here which should be kept if possible, and I think it's quite possible. On the one hand, "plane" is a property of a visual scene (the "picture plane" or planes within a picture), and on the other, it's commonly used in Spanish for a level within a musical texture. My son's piano teacher is always going on about "planos tonales", meaning, in plain language, making the melody stand out against the accompaniment. You can talk about "planes" in music in English too:

"The closing Hymne à l'amour contrasts calm, almost playful material with several more violent and dramatic outbursts; the different musical planes are made distinct by timbre and carefully shaded dynamics."
http://www.answers.com/topic/new-etudes-12-for-piano
Selected response from:

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 02:53
Grading comment
Well sometimes you can't see the trees for the wood. Thanks for your help!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3infinite musical planes
Charles Davis


Discussion entries: 10





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
infinite musical planes


Explanation:
I'm very conscious that resorting to so literal a translation goes against the grain, but I think it's really got to be this. If it sounded awful we'd have to do something else, but I don't think it does.

I would argue that all three words have got to be these. I don't see any problem with "musical" anyway. You could actually use "tonal", since this word has both visual and musical connotations, but there's no need; "musical" will do fine.

"Infinito" means, potentially, both an infinite number of and infinite in extent. "Endless" would cover it, but it sometimes carries a suggestion of something wearisome, and "infinite" seems to me to have the right tone: infinite space.

As for "planos", I think there is a double allusion here which should be kept if possible, and I think it's quite possible. On the one hand, "plane" is a property of a visual scene (the "picture plane" or planes within a picture), and on the other, it's commonly used in Spanish for a level within a musical texture. My son's piano teacher is always going on about "planos tonales", meaning, in plain language, making the melody stand out against the accompaniment. You can talk about "planes" in music in English too:

"The closing Hymne à l'amour contrasts calm, almost playful material with several more violent and dramatic outbursts; the different musical planes are made distinct by timbre and carefully shaded dynamics."
http://www.answers.com/topic/new-etudes-12-for-piano

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 02:53
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 296
Grading comment
Well sometimes you can't see the trees for the wood. Thanks for your help!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Yes! Exactly, the double allusion works very well here. The musical reference makes perfect sense. Thank you!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  philgoddard
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, Phil ;)
agree  Carol Gullidge: although, to be honest, I think the only difficulty here lay in the confusion between "planes" and "plains"!
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, Carol :)
agree  Thayenga: Have a great day, Charles. :)
1 day 3 hrs
  -> Thanks, Thayenga! Same to you :)
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