The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1908)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. 12 THE RELATION OF COLOR TO SOUND. Instructor in Chicago Art Institute Conducts Some Interesting Experiments in Proving the Theory of Parallels Between Colors and Sounds — Has Made Twenty-Six Charts Showing Colors of Various Musical Keys — His Theory Partially Explained. "Every sound has its color — every color its sound," has often been said as a mere figure of speech, and certain musical sounds have long been associated with certain colors, but it remained for Louis W. Wilson, instructor in the theory of color at the Chicago Art Institute, to offer a scientific basis for these relations. Mr. Wilson has been associated with the Art Institute for twenty years, and has been an instructor for fifteen years. For some years his original theories in reference to color and harmony were thought a bit too daring, but now the results of these experiments are accepted as having scientific value and are taught regularly by Mr. Wilson to his pupils at the institute. He first experimented with the so-called "after image," which for years has been an interesting branch of experimental psychology. It consists in gazing at a color spot until the eyes have become fatigued; then, as the eyes are closed, the image of this spot will under different conditions still be seen, but of a different color. Helmholtz, one of our greatest scientists, determined this color to be the complement of the first color seen. There have been variations of this after image, however, which have been so confusing that the true complement has been a subject of much dispute. Complementary colors are any two which, when taken together, will produce white or gray. White light, of course, is composed of all the colors so that a color is the complement of another if one contains the color qualities that the other does not contain. "Thus, red contains no yellow or blue qualities," says Mr. Wilson, "and therefore in the right proportions of yellow and blue we find the complement of red, which is blue green. Red, yellow, and blue, however, are not necessarily the primary colors." Mr. Wilson points out that the negative after image merely is the combination of all the spectral colors with the exception of the one used to stimulate the nerves of the eye, and the unsteadiness of this after image, oscillating as it does, is composed of the principal overtones of the stimulating color. Thus, after the image of yellow is blue violet, but on a close study it is found to sway between blue and purple and sometimes it will be found to be rimmed with a faint orange. In music if the note F is sounded the principal overtones or partials of this note will be heard. They are the third, A, and the fifth, C, while in the chord of the seventh, E, is also introduced. As Mr. Wilson arranged his parallel, yellow corresponds to F, while blue, purple and orange correspond to A, C and E. Mr. Wilson claims that when Sir Isaac Newton named the colors of the solar spectrum he did so with regard to establishing the diatonic scale of color, and that he meant a fundamental purple by the color he named indigo; this color appears at both ends of the spectrum. The theory of parallels between color and sound, as worked out by Mr. Wilson, is not a mere scientific curiosity, but is essentially practical in its application, says the Chicago Sunday Tribune. He has made twenty-six charts showing the prevailing colors of the various musical keys. In every picture there is one and only one strongest color. This establishes the key, and, having been selected, the relation of the other colors is easily found. "The student of music always has had a perfectly tuned instrument at his command," says Mr. AVilson, "but the student of art has been compelled to tune his own instrument. He has had nothing but raw colors to depend upon, and only by experiment could he learn the colors that blend harmoniously. But the parallels between color and music are easily learned, and they have such fixed and universal values that the student makes wonderful advancement by learning them. "Association of definite colors with our surroundings has stood in the way of a working basis heretofore. A certain note in music may mean little or nothing to us in an emotional way; so a single color has but little significance. A combination of musical sounds, however, may mean a great deal, so also will a grouping or combination of colors. "We have been told that purple is the royal color, red the color of passion, orange the color of anger, yellow and white of purity, green of patriotism, blue of constancy, violet of thought; but the esthetic use of these colors in combination may possess vastly different phases of nature, the appearance of the time of day, the seasons, etc. "A single sound has no great musical quality. Quality depends upon the taking together of a fundamental tone with its so-called partials — that is, the accompanying tones heard when a note is sounded, and in color the overtones or colors which the eye reaches for when it has been stimulated by some one color." This Mr. Wilson has taught for the last eight years in his classes. One practical form of application was to take some color, say green, and instead of painting it flat and hard, it was broken with its various overtones — that is, by spotting on this green ground violet and red as the two principal overtones. This has been done by the impressionists, "but .with so little understanding," says Mr. Wilson, "that it has led them into the most weird extravagances." Mr. Wilson bases his parallels upon the mathematical correspondence between color vibrations and sound vibrations. His theory is, however, too technical to be explained in this article. While the colors in a certain harmony have fixed values, there is nothing mechanical about the work taught by Mr. Wilson. Given the same color scheme for a particular harmony, each artist would interpret it according to his own individuality, but B minor would be inevitably sad and A major just as surely gay. In figuring his correspondences or parallels, Mr. Wilson has used definite mathematics. He has found that the light waves producing the different colors vibrate at a certain rate in proportion to the sound waves that produce certain notes in music, and that the overtones of the colors harmonize precisely with the overtones of sound. During the years in which he has been perfecting his theories Mr. Wilson also has made many interesting experiments on the effects of color and sound upon human consciousness. One of these experiments was to place a subject in a gray cabinet and leave him there until the nerves of the eye were completely rested so far as color sensations were concerned. Then different colors were flashed into the cabinet and the resulting nervous stimulation established. By this means it was possible to ascertain definitely just what effect each color has on the nerves as well as the incidental effect on the emotions as regards depression or exultation. Every experiment that he made went to confirm his color formulas for the different keys in music. Mr. Wilson was cautious in making definite statements as to the future possibilities of painting music. But taking his sketches of the different keys as a suggestion, it would seem to be possible to illustrate a song both in regard to the words and music, and if the colors could be reproduced in a moving picture machine the combined effect of the harmony and the related color combinations would be both unique and pleasing. If the musical composition were written in different keys the effect would be decisive. A picture as well as a piece of music is pleasing in proportion to the beauty of the mental images it calls up. It becomes powerful when these mental images are sharply defined. INSIDE THE STORE. Interior arrangement should be considered from two points of view — convenience and effect. Convenience includes not only your convenience in finding goods called for, but the convenience of your customers in buying. Lack of system in arranging records means lost time and frequently lost sales. Poor facilities for demonstrating phonographs does the phonographs an injustice and discourages buyers. Effect — that is, the impression created by a well arranged stock — is often sacrificed in the interest of convenience. It need not be and it should not be. Surroundings often speak louder than the salesmen and often more effectively, says the Edison Phonograph Monthly. A poorly arranged store may undo the work of good advertising, good window dressing and good salesmanship. DECEMBER EDISON RECORD HANGER. The hanger bearing the list of Edison Standard and Amberol records for December is 18x25 inches in size and makes a most impressive showing when hung in the dealer's window and would prove most effective for capturing holiday trade. Selling a $75 talking machine to a man who can only afford a $25 machine may mean greater profit in the beginning, but kills all chance of future trade with him. The Original House We were the FIRST JOBBER of the Edison Phonograph and Victor Talking Machines in Philadelphia and have ever since maintained our position of FIRST." We are FIRST in securing anything new, FIRST in making prompt and satisfactory shipments, and FIRST in caring for your interests. WE INTEND TO CONTINUE FIRST AND IF YOU ARE NOT DEALING WITH US "GET NEXT." PENN PHONOGRAPH CO. 17 South 9th Street Opposite Post Office PHILADELPHIA