“Evolution: A Theme with Variations” is a journey through music and art from the Renaissance to the present. We hear and see a musical theme performed in stylized examples from six eras – Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, French Impressionistic, and Twentieth Century – accompanied by images of art and architecture selected from works created in these eras. A final variation combines all the above styles as it retraces its path back to a Renaissance bacchanal or dance. Another facet of creation appears throughout the film: the musician and his/her instrument, often shot alone, surrounded by darkness, to symbolize that art consists of many moments or sounds, transformed into music; each is a unique part of the whole. Instead of a voice over, which would disrupt the experience of listening closely to the music, a study guide is available to give viewers a step-by-step understanding.
