Huawei set to unveil unique version of Schubert’s Symphony No. 8 with live performance in London
Huawei has – for the first time ever – combined the power of AI and human expertise to compose the final two movements of Schubert’s Symphony No. 8. Commonly known as the ‘Unfinished Symphony.’ The ‘Unfinished Symphony’ has remained incomplete for 197 years and despite numerous attempts it remains one of the most intriguing pieces of unfinished symphonic music of all time.
Huawei’s completed version of Schubert’s Symphony No. 8 was created by running an Artificial Intelligence model benefitting directly from the processing power of the dual NPU (Neural Processing Unit) in the Huawei Mate 20 Pro smartphone – designed specifically with AI-based tasks in mind. Analysing the timbre, pitch and meter of the existing first and second movements of the symphony, the AI model then generated the melody for the final, missing third and fourth movements. Huawei then worked with Emmy award-winning composer, Lucas Cantor to arrange an orchestral score from the melody that stayed true to the style of Schubert’s Symphony No. 8.
Lucas Cantor, Composer said: “My role was to draw out the AI’s good ideas and fill in the gaps to ensure the final output was ready to be played by a symphony orchestra. The result of this collaboration with AI proves that technology offers incredible possibilities and the significant and positive impact it can have on modern culture.”
The final, Huawei-completed piece will be brought to life with a live performance at the iconic Cadogan Hall in London on Monday 4th February and I’ll be there to witness it – so make sure you check back!