The educational screen (c1922-c1956])

Visible Music 255 gher—nothing less, in short, than to Dlate the aesthetic thing-in-itself, to esent only those elements of visible re- II which possess superlative pictorial lue. i The blossom slowly closes, dwindles a mere speck, or perhaps fades like a ost into the misty depths of apparently mitable distance. Throughout the treat- ent of the principal theme subordinate Dtifs or accompanying figures are play- er their parts near the edges of the ime or behind the dominant subject, le background constantly changes; now is a murky gray, like the leaden hue of approaching tempest; now it reddens th the sinister glow of a great confla- ation; now it is dissolved in the azure inity of a cloudless sky. Episode suc- eds episode—usually the same theme or ernes, differently manipulated—then, all d soon, we become aware that the end che composition is at hand. (Perhaps e most astonishing thing about these olor sonatas" is the ease with which e can follow their structural develop- nt.) Every technical resource is em- Dyed in one supreme, ravishing climax; en the vision fades, the screen grows ick again and we awaken with a start from an impossibly beautiful dream. What is this power possessed by chang- f pictures of nothing in particular, to pire or depress us, to infect us with meless dread, to thrill us with panthe- ic ecstasy? What is it, after all, but e spell of music, that fragile key which, locks the doors of the subconscious, ikening dusty memories of ancient joys d sorrows? Strike a major chord on piano and the sun shines; change it minor and at once the sky is overcast, lese are daily commonplaces, but when 2 medium changes and the miracle is ought with light instead of sound the mder of it all comes back to us with a >h. M: this stage of the discussion someone is certain to ask: Why has the develop- ment of mobile color lagged so far be- hind that of audible music? The explan- ation is simple. From a scientific stand- point the problems involved in imitating the sounds of nature are mere child's play compared with the immense difficulties which must be surmounted before the musical treatment of her visible beauties becomes possible. Twentieth century electrical research has paved the way for the Clavilux and its perfected successors. Most of Mr. Wilfred's color recitals consist of four distinct but related com- positions, differing in rhythm, treatment, and thematic material, and' separated by brief intervals of darkness. During the Philadelphia series I used to amuse my- self by designating the musical tempi of the various movements. The first was undoubtedly an Allegro Moderato, the second an unmistakable Andante. Then came a weird and mysterious Adagio, fol- lowed by a swift exuberant Allegro ap- pasionata. This final movement was most wonderful of all. Two principal themes were introduced, one of them a strikingly beautiful figure rotating on a vertical axis —evidently suggested by the Maypole Dance—the other a simple vibrating col- umn of light which seemed somehow to symbolize the very pulse of life. Barring, of course, the occasional indi- vidual with nerves insensitive to rhythmic optical impressions—not necessarily col- orblind but closely akin to the person who cannot "carry a tune"—I saw few who were not visibly moved by the Clavilux recitals. Tears stood in the eyes of some and there was an obvious effort on the part of others to disguise their emotions by forced merriment. After the spell wore off it was interesting to note con- trasting reactions. Intelligent musicians, accustomed to the idea of a pure art, wholeheartedly welcomed this belated lib- eration of a sister muse. Painters as a rule displayed more caution, although