Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-04
LISTENING TO SILENT MUSIC
III FREDERIC J. uASISIS
III FREDERIC J.

WASHINGTON. March 3--A few
days ago choral society In this city
gave its annual program OF vocal mu-
sic The accompaniment to the sing
me voices WAS OF 4 most unusual sort.
instead Of being furnished by piano or
organ and other musical Instruments,
the accompaniment was silent, iuau,li-
bic: II WAS in fact not music at all.
The voices were accompanied 10y the
play OF difcrcnt-colorcd lights pro-
jcctcd on white screen. This color
music. as its inventors and developers
term il. is watched instead OF being
listened to, II has spectators in
place Of an audience" il takes hold
on the human consciousness through
the eye instead OF the car.
Coior-music is a new and distinct
art. coming To Il certain prominence
now in tho twentieth century. after
everyone had been taking il for grant
cd that all tho arts were known and
practiccd for the last 5000 years The
new art holds promise OF being able
To give considerable pleasure. and an
exhibition Of. tins silent music" is well
worth watching. There was some dis
agreement among tho spectators at
the local exhibition, some OF them Civ
light -harmonies and color-mcl odics
were sweet to the eye ~ is music
to tho car. while others were disposed
to rank them considerably lower. while
admitting titat they were unusual and
pleasing.
How well one likes color-music prob
ably depends largely on the individual
temperament. Some people arc pas
sionately devoted to music as the
world has known IL for the last few
thousand years. while others have lit
tie aud no great love for IT, cs-
pcciaIly in it's heavier forms These
latter may well find something much
10 their taste in oolor-music. especial
~ il they are lovers Of color.
y word more as TO just what color
music is. Imagine screen much az
is used in moving picture theatcrs,
and projected on that screen, iclds OF
rich. bright colorS. blending ono into
another. fading and changing. grow
Ing faint and dying ont. swelling again
TO live brilliant hucs. The colorS and
their intensity vary from moment to
moment: tho effect is instantly rcmin-
isccnt of music. 80 that it is not diff
Iculi To soc how tho now art got its
name And IL is meant TO he enjoyed
Just as music il enjoyed. not intel
loctuaiiy. hy reasoning out what II ~
all about and what each movement OF
/, stands for, but simply by soaking
ii in
Love OF Color liz Natural.
coiorS in themselves arc very pleas
lin. things: ono does not have 10 he
an artist 10y profession To delight IN
them The universal love of flowers
~. III large measure, u love OF color;
i liking for sayly colorcd objects Is
found in All savage tribes. and bears
about tho same relation TO tho moro
4, sS.tt tpI .,.f. n yiN
the matter that the music uf the tom
tom and tho bamboo pipe bears TO
Beethoven or Wagner Love Of color
Is just as natural and deeply rooted
a taste a. love of music. Further
more every QUO knows that colors can
greatly add TO. or dctract from each
others beauty when they arc side by
side. according To whether or not they
harmonizc. OF go together One
hears people speak Of two tints that
blend. or Of others that fight" or
scream at each other" Colors have
harmouics aud discor,ls. just mu
steal notes have. And in these two
facts-thc primitive and dccp-rootc IL
love Of color. and tho fact that colors
can harmonizc To rc-cnforcc each 9TH
cr's boauty-thc art OF color-music has
its roots.
hibi,ion "f il causes about a. much
bcw ildcrmcut as enjoyment or criti
ri.m. Pcopl. don't know just what
they arc expected to do with IL, 50
TO speak. They try 10 analyzr it,
aud guess what il tries 10 express
and being unable Ia succeed. they are
likely 10 call tho whole thing silly.
They cannot sec what the play of
color is trying To toll. because il is
not necessarily trying To tell anything
in particular. Its purpose is In he
beautiful. and give pleasure in
elemental love az color. and stirring
tho emotions that can be stirred by
color. which arc present III every ono.
AS ono enthusiast over the new art
recommended to akeptic vino was
about to sec his first exhibition: Don't
think about il at adjust let it come
10 You tho way you'd listen 10