New-York tribune., 1912-05-26

II light opera fame. is even now plotting
4 worse strangle hold on vour senses than
you have ever been through vet-I don't
ARE who you are
Mr.. De Koven's theory. which he Is going
o try out upon an audience at the New
Amsterdam Theatre In the near future. Is
hat there is a curious combination of
music and colors that has never Oeen tried
mot this side Of the days OF colorful
Carthage, at least but which, II properly
worked out, will run the emotions W and
sown the scale as they have never been
run before.
L seems that our eye and ear have A
relationship that UP 10 the present We
have never suspected. suspicious as We are
now about these scientific things Their
relationship Is such that when the ear
hears musical sound the eye sees a color.
Don't argue now: listen Did your eyes
never see things that were not there, and
perhaps for reasons less beautiful than
The hearing Of. say a violin?
Mr.. De Koven claims that the color one
sees depends on the tone quality of the
sound. Each instrument has its color.
The sound OF a drum is blue. that of a
trumpet red, etc.
Now with the addition of the well known
Tact that our spirits are Influenced by
colors, we are almost ready to begin the
orgy-that Is. the emotion matinec. OF
course. there is no doubt. is there about
tne influence Of cOlors over spirits? Is
mere any one who does not prefer d blue
aAd gold day 10 a gray and brown ono?
VI Is there any one who, having joyfully
oF0ered brown Boston beans. does not
suner sharp fall OF spirits when he is
brought pale New York ones? No. there
s no argument in the air about the broth
erhood Of spirits and colors
The composer. who partly in a scientific
and partly in a Columbus-likc spirit is
going TO make this cold blooded raid on
our delicate sensitiveness. has written .
special piece OF music with which 10 make
tne experiment. 1t Is called THE Crimson
iuIip, In the words OF his own an
houncement the forthcoming afternoon OF
color Inusic-and what then? at the New
Amsterdam Theatre Will begin as follows:
The interviewer color and music plots
call for dark auditorium at the opening
Wnen the roll of muffied drums will give
the electrician the cue 10 food the house
with broad mass OF neutral blue-the
color suggestion. Darkness again. TO be
pierced by a great shaft Of orange light
as the full orchestra is heard following
delicate pianissimo. Then a blaze of scar
et will be evoked by a fanfare Of trum
pets which will fade of into a theme taken
Up by the clarinets and accompanied by
rosy pink The pink will fade out slowly.
bringing into plaintive voice the harp and
tne vtolns" mo colors given while
delicate purple ever deepening IN intensity
VIII recall the sympathetic emotional
voice OF the violoncello.''
This Il is explained. is only hint OF
tne revelations OF the new coloI vmphony
There is 10 be also a slate screen
set little further back o. lc foot
lights than the curtain usually hangs, and
on This the main play OF colors from wings
gallery and Quadruple footlights will be
thrown. A white screen is not hung be-
cause II would not take all the colors that
will be used
With this much announced and no more
-Se rest will be sprung on the audience
-sen II gets INTERPRETATION is running
not as 70 the possibilities OF the whole ~
fair
For one thing. panic reigns among the
eectricians and calcium light artists upon
'SSHH!que at tIS b"ItChOooiN0 o'4N
win the color screens half the symphony
VIII depend. They are TO be furnished
with musical scores OF "The Crimson
luHp' with directions written in above
ana below the notes which will tell what
eoiors 10 shoot Oh the screen. and when.
Sut although the impresarios OF spot
Asht and switchboard are notoriously quick
a. catching by ear and whistlinS with
laH operate variations all the melodies Of
the day, their otherwise skilled eye has
never been called upon 10 read musical
HoFes They are planning nov 10 stand
WIN book IN hand ana count the waves OF
lns conductor baton. thus measuring off
&ea bar and thereby knowing their lati