New-York tribune., 1912-06-09
MORE ABOUT MUSIC AND coLoRs.

,rb. following letter, called forth by Mr.
Reginald De Koven's expressed purpose to
try all experiment 20 show the association
between musical tones, the tlnbres or or
chestral instruments and colors, is inter
esting, not only because II Is written oy
an ardent music lover and experienced oD-
server Of mental phenomena, but also be-
cause it would seem 70 indicate that the
correlation Of sound and what might Do
called imaginative imagery may manifest
Itself sporadically in some persons ana
hs sbituallv in others The story OF the Dress
makor feeling her pugnacious instincts
aroused b. music recalls the remark OF a
Hungarian gentleman who could not listen
~ the "Rokoczy March" without feeling his
finger witch and his soul filed with
desire to seize 2. club, A sword, gun
anything with which TO 60 out 70 conquer
the world.
To the Editor Of TIE Tribune.
Sir: Th. discussion started by last Sun
days interview in The Tribune, wherein MI
De Koven set forth his theory about sounds
and colors, followed to-day by III. Z, Il.
article, f. extremely interesting. "lsn
thew and everybody that has right "ouli
go ahead and talk the subject over. AZ
nrst It seemed such nonsense 10 mcLnoss
goes: and Vet there stands out IN my
memory vivid moment when everything
turned TO gold at my nrSt nearing OF ii!s
brass in Liszt's les Preludes." Not sold,
glitteriug Eod-soft. translucent What !
thought OF was the soap bubble or my chlld-
hood UheA not far on. when It turned
from IT'S first water color 10 tnat glooe or
watery gOld-feucht verklart. | never saw
that again I'm hearing the "Preludes. !
never before nor since have seen any other
color In music--lt is music, and that Is
enough. But there is the fact: musical
tones. or a combination of them. did that
one time make vivid and lovely impress
sion of color on a fresh. unpreparod, youth
ful mind So when ] want 70 say, accord
ing To all my subsequent light, that the idea
of tone and color equivalents Is only irag-
mary, | have 10 pause and think: II ~
could be once for me, why not al the time
for others?
Perhaps this bears on the question: I had
an acquaintance. friend, but 50 totally
different that We simply couldn't travel
along the same mental roads. I had great
esteem for her uprghtness and fortituoe;
puzzled admiration for her energetic, but 20
me erratic. yet vigorous and effective men
tai processes and conclusions which took
her to the antipodes OF mine. Matters
social. literary, artistic. could not discuss
with her. In spite OF that she seemed to
nave some torL Oh SplIItutl lIlulllltidl4oi!
which mad0 me feet humble spiritually.
She had no music. but she told me that
when sho listened to speaking IN public al
ways, and often In private, shc saw
stream OF colors Interviewing IN endless
variety following the words and voice; and
that she understood what was meant to be
conveyed as well that way as by tho
spoken word. She also said that at con
cert she saw the music in floods of color
rather than heard II. She was perfectly
sincere, l am very sure. She so insisted
that l. being 80 musical" must see those
wonderful waves OF color that accompanied
sound that II had not been born with n
dread of foolng myself / might have
thought / did SEQ them. But the more
enthusiastic her descriptions the clearer II
became that didn't see the faintest slim-
mer OF them.
Once had a dressmaker. about six feet
high, with yards OF blond hair. l asked
her TO hurry up with my dress because
wanted to wear It TO a concert. She tow
cred over me and said:
Music makes me- feel wicked!