Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1903-06-26
TONES AND. COLORs.
of q Remarkable Phenom-
enon by a Scientist. -
Rays Of Light Which Produce Ger
tain Colors Correspond Exactly
with Certain TOnes-Use In
Musical Instruction.

It has been the dream of poets that
some subtle, sympathetic relation ex-
harmonizing of one and the artistic
blending of the others appeal to the
same sense of the beautiful; that
sweet sounds and pleasing color
effects are very much akin. 1t has re-
manned for a Philadelphia professor to
trace this phantasy to it's source; to
materialize the vague impressions of
dreamers and to reduce them to a mat
ter of science, says the New York Her
aid. 1t has long been ommon knowl-
edge that our conception of both must
cal tones and colors is due to the effect
is something new to learn that there is
a close and exact sympathetic rela-
tionship between the notes of the scale
and the colors of the spectrum; that
the same system of nature governs
each and that discords. arise in ILL
matched hues from infringement of
the same rules which govern the COM
bination of sounds according to the
science we call harmony.
1t is amazing to learn that the seven
colors of the rainbow exactly CORE
spond with the seven notes of the
gamut, and hat red, being the domi-
nant, has to the other colors the same
comparative refrangibility, or "wave
lines," as the dominant in any chord
has to the other notes in the scale. It
will blend artistically and p~leasingly
only with such colors as represent
notes which in music may be harmon
iously used with the dominant.
It is claimed by the discoverer of
this phenomenon in science, and he
has devoted the last 20 years to the
study of relationship between tone and
color, that the rays of light which pro-
duce red, at the base of the spectrum,
correspond exactly with sound waves
responsible for "do," the keynote at
the base of the tonic scale. Orange
corresponds with "re," yellow with
"mi," green with "fa," blue with 'sol,"
purple with "la" and violet with "si."
Before scientific experiments and re-
search established these facts, argues
the professor, impressionists, poets
and painters felt this close union be-
tween tone and color. Artists knew
that a warm splash of red, giving an
impression of prominence and near
ness to the eye, would dominate the
whole picture. "Do," the tonic in
music, is recognized as the centripetal
force. Opposite in effect is the cool,
limpid blue, which is in agreement
with "sol," the clear, ringing fifth" of
the scale. the tone of centrifugal force,
while midway and in perfect harmony
is "mi," the yellow, the sweet but I'M
obtrusive "third" of the scale. These
three colors combined form a most
pleasing group, while the correspond.
ing tones form the tonic chord, the
basis of all harmony.
This remarkable science, or theory,
whichever it may properly be called,
has been put to practical purpose in
the artistic and, musical training of
little children, at an age when their
minds are especially susceptible to i'm
pressions of sweet sounds and bright
%colors, when the intelligence is mainly
working through the medium of their
senses.
For this purpose an ingenious ar
rangement of colored balls and sticks
has been devised, by which the first
instincts of harmony are instilled into
children who have scarcely learned
their alphabet. At the same time they
become acquainted with the artistic
arrangement of colors.
While certain sequences or COM
binations of colors are being exhib-
tied, sympathetic melodies and chords
are heard, and the little ones quickly
learn to associate the two. After
awhile they will sing tunes hitherto
unlearned or unheard by them, mere
ly following the exhibition of the diff
ferent colors. which to them have be-
come associated with and expressive
of tone. For instance, should the fol-
lowing sequence of colors appear:
Red, Red, Orange, Violet, ked, Orange.
Yellow, Yellow, Green, Yellow, Orange,
Red,
Orange, Red. Violet, Red,
they would ~instinctively recognize the
melody of "My Country, IT'S of Thee"
and heartily Join in singing. To have
taught this by musical notation would
have been impossible.
When they have grown older the or
binary method of musical tuition il
aided by the printing of each note in
its corresponding color. This il
claimed to show the essential unity of
the scale in all its different positions
OF the staff, to give a pictorial repre-
s%entation of the modulations from KEY
to key and greatly to simplify the
study of harmony by showing at a
glance the reel character of the chord.
Proceeds Of q Pond.
There is a thrifty nan in England
who makes his living out of a pond
; The water is about 10 acres in extent
and close to a village street. For sew
eral years he has worked it. for profit