The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-03-31
TONES AND COLORS
Discovery of a Remarkable Phenom-
enon by a Scientist.
Rays of Light which Ger
tain CoIors Correspond Exactly
with Certain TOnes-USe in
k1usical Instruction.


-
IT has been the dream Of poets that
some subtle, sympathetic relation ex-
lists between tones and c%olors; that the
h~armonizing 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 its 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 common knowl-
edge that our conception of both musi-
cal tones and colors is due TO the effect
of vibrating waves of movement, but it
is something new TO learn that there is
n 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 cali harmony.
1t is amazing to learn that the seven
colors Of the rainbow exactly corre-
spond with the seven notes of the
gamut, and that red, being the domi-
nant, has to the other colors the same
comparative refrangibility, or wave
Ines as the dominant in any chord
has to the other notes in the scale. 1t
will blend artistically and pleasingly
only with such colors as represent
notes which in music may be harmon
iously used with the dominant.
1t is claimed by the discoverer of
this phenomenon in science, and he
has devoted the last 30 years TO the
study of relationship between tone and
color, hat 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 ire" yellow with
mi" green with 'fa," blue with "sol,"
purple with ia" and violet with ISL"
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 IN
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 il 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 inn
pressions of sweet sounds and bright
c%olors, 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 nave 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 is
aided by the printing of each note in
it's corresponding color. This is
claimed to show the essential unity OF
the scale in all its different positions
on 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
glance the reel character of the chord
Proceeds of "a Pond.
There is a thrifty man in England