The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-10
GEER LETTER
FOURTH INSTALLMENT OF MAS
TERLY REVIEW OF CONSOL-
DATED ENCYCLOPEDIA IL
BRARY BY WELL KNOWN IN
STRUCT0R.

BhAhY d WE'LL ANVW ~ LIN
STRUCT0R.
Following is the fourth installment Of the re-
dew of the Consolidated Encyclopedia Library
bv Miss Sarah Geer, extracts from which We're
read by the author at ane in yemin@ Of
Sept q.
Taking any tone as a key-tone. the
over and under hfths spring out reaoliy
at it's call, and these (do, upper so, lower
SOY make the three foundations OF the
three great chords. t, .,
Turning to color relations, we find that
each color calls forth its complementary
color as the key-tone called out the ffths.
AS the complementary colors stand out
In vivid contrast with staring effect and
are softened by intermediate color, so the
bare fifths stand out in hardness with
sense Of something wanted. when the
sweet intermediate third steals In and
softens and enriches it. This briefly Is
the scientific basis of the color music.
We start with red because it is the
base of the spectrum. and suggests
warmth, richness and life, and In SYM
bolic language represents love, parental
love and love divine; conversely hate,
which is vital passion. Likewise IN a
scale, the first tone produces a firm, rest
full effect and forms the foundation on
which the other tones rest and becomes
the tone of vital impression. In choos-
ing a color to represent the key-tone
children usually choose red. The key
tone calls out the clear, ringing, exultant,
upper fifth, or the unconquerable lower
fifth (sing Do, upper So and lower So,
and you will get the effect). The color
corresponding to the ringing fifth is blue,
suggesting as it does distance as we find
1t in the sky and in distant objects. Thus
&c., r~, f~- CO
The next step is to settle the character
Of Me, and Me Is a tone that speaks
to the heart" possibly you are already
sufficiently acquainted to know that it
calls forth spiritual emotion, and Is con-
sequently soothing. So to represent this
midway tone the color chosen is the color
midway between the warm red and the
cool blue. which Is yellow-the color asso
ciated with sunlight and divinity. Now
we have Do, red; Me- yellow; So, blue
which constitute the pillar tones Of the
scales. The intermediate tones are clean
Ing or eXpectant in nature, and will de-
pend. one way or another, upon the other
three tones. So Ray has q double tenden-
cy, leaning gently upward to Me or more
confidently downward to Do. In selecting
the scale color to represent Ray there is
orange, whose hue f1uctuates between red
and yellow like the undecided character
of Ray. AS its social symbol is marriage,
1t seems to suggest q union between the
vital red and spiritual yellow, so orange
will stand for Ray.
.'. The Sixth Tone.
The sixth tone of the scale has a sad,
dropping tendency, not sunny like Ray.
La, Is Respondent and half mournful. AS
violet is used in semimournng and af-
fords the transition from somber to
brighter colors, so violet shall express the
tender sadness of La as it turns to its
only source of support-So.
The seventh or leading tone Of the
scale tends sharply upward like piercing
cry of eager desire. AS we do not see
more than an interval Of a sixth in the
spectrum, there is no color corresponding
to this Tone But the violet gives a hint
of the red in upper Do and, in keeping
with the eager reach Of the tone TIE to-
ward the tonic, the color should have a
stronger fusion of red than the violet
This would be a delicate crimson. For
want Of a better color this tone is repre-
sented by a tint of violet red. Now re-
mains but one more and our scale Is com
plete.
Exactly opposite to the sharp, piercing
seventh is the solemn, awe-inspiring
fourth; it is not always gloomy, but
sometimes grandly inspiring AS this is
tone somewhat conflicting in its char
acter, sometimes suggesting awe and
despair and again inspiration and hope,
there Is chosen for the color dress of this
symbolism Is quite conflicting as the
character of the tone, that color which
tones down excessive brilliancy in arr
and on earth, green. Now you have the
whole scale, and will be able to sing in
all the colors Of the rainbow and you1
polychoic tones will charm alike the eye
and the ear Of all who see and hear YOU
You also have the science and the the
ory Of color music" You may use any
color symbol you choose-colored balls
birds or butterflies-you get the same rich
tones and half-tones and harmonies.
The birds may sing from limb or they
may light on the telegraph wires. by 6
skilful touch Of imagination the birds are
represented by very small colored circles
and the telegraph wires become a staff
and the beautiful harmonies have los
nothing. In imagination they still ar.
birds on the wires with their heads
tucked under their wings While sleep
Ing the snow fairies turned their feather!
white and they Weakened the open, whole
notes. They all look alike now, but SHARP
eyes identify them by place association.
Another Turn.
Another time the color notes are brow
mics who get into mischief, tumble int
an ink well, and when the children awaken
there they are black as ink. This is mad,
the transition from color to black notes
When the color symbols are no longe
uSeu, Inc SndTp ana nat signatures mus
be introduced to determine the place O
Do. This Is brief outline Of the plal
and purpose Of color music for children
"a reinforcing and strengthening of tn
ear sense by cooperation Of the eye sense
There is provided also fine collection
of classic songs for little children which
will be great profit and pleasure t
mothers, kndergartners and teachers ant
any one who is sweet-spirited enough t.
appreciate children's music.
In a very clever way the sense o
rhythm is cultivated in two-pulse am
three-pulse FORM After this sense grow
till they are able to feel the rhythm, the
begin to count the waves of movement
which wave-like impulses come to meal
measures Of time, then comes the sens
of separate throbs or beats in the meas
ure; instead Of counting they may cla
hands or chant Ta-a to each pulse swing
Then comes the necessity for a sympc
to represent the length Of tone. To rep
resent pulse length, lines of differen
lengths are used, and comparative .lengt
of the note Is represented by compare
tive lengths Of the lines, BY clever de
vices like this the sense Of rhythm, tim
and cadence is developed, but you nee
to see the illustrated text to get an
adequate idea.
There are some very valuable pages O
'"The Hygienic Value of Musical Study,
THE Aesthetic Value Of Musical Educa
tion," plano Technique" HARMONY