Y
A R T I S T S N O T E N
E
C
ships since the time of Aristotle and
discusses the use of color in scores
by Alexander Scriabin, Arnold
Schoenberg, John Cage, Krzysztof
olor Music is a notation system composed of niques. The years I had previ- Penderecki, Gyorgy Ligeti, Olivier
painted colors and shapes to provoke musical responses: it is ously spent painting gave me the Messiaen and other contemporary
a complex representation of my musical composition ideas in visual vocabular y in color to composers who recognized color as
a visually fixed form. The system is based on the idea that make the correlation to an a tool of expression for musical no-
tation. He also discusses the psy-
color sensations can trigger correlations to musical sound in equivalent in sound. Since I al-
chology and musical meaning of col-
a performer who is sensitive to visual experience. By combin- ready possessed a strong classical ors, along with the role of
ing visual and aural stimuli, the system and its use can result music background, with experi- performers as interpreters of Color
in an extremely powerful form of expression. ence composing for, performing Music, and the use of standard mu-
The use of color as an element in musical notation came to in and conducting orchestras sical forms as structural devices for
applying color to scores. He de-
me while in Mexico, where I was painting and composing. and ensembles in New York City, scribes his Color Music: Toccata
Before this working vacation, I had already begun to question this epiphany led me to paint and Fugue (1995) in detail.
the relationship of color and sound by using colored pencils with colors on all my musical
to designate the notes of standard notation in my string quar- manuscripts, opening up a new
tet of that period. These colored-in notes imbued the music and profound way to express my
with intense mood qualities. For example, in an ascending ideas in musical sound composition.
musical line ending on the C note above the treble staff, I Color Music notation expresses extra-musical characteris-
found that if this note were colored in, it would add to the tics that are part of its whole process and perception. The
punch of the ascending line. This addition is more than an extra elements in a combined work of art that Kandinsky
accentit is an indication of the mood sensation that is in- referred to are the extra-musical traits I also refer to in Color
herent in the color and perceived by the performer and au- Music. Color notation evokes sensations beyond the scope of
dience. In the words of the Russian painter Wassily Kandinsky one art form and takes us past the limits of a strictly musical
(18661944), the same inner sound can be rendered at the or visual experience.
same moment by different arts. . . . [E]ach art will display that In performances of my works, I insist on the projection of
extra element which is essential and particular to itself, these scores or other ways of conveying their visual aspect to
thereby adding to that inner sound which they have in com- the audience and to the performers. These visual scores are
mon a richness and power that cannot be attained by one art intended to be used as optical patterns to be equated with
alone [1]. At this time, my perceptions of color were sharp- musical sound notation and to trigger production of sound
ened by the intense tropical sunlight of Mexico; my painting by the performers. If one studies and immerses oneself in this
became more color-saturated, and I realized a heightened
sense of reality through color.
One hot, quiet afternoon in my room in Tecolutla, I began Fig. 1. Page 1 of the score of Color Music Chamber Symphony, wa-
to paint directly with paintbrush and watercolors on musical tercolor on music manuscript paper, 12 17 in, 1996. Painting
with watercolors on the music paper is both a freeing experience
manuscript paper, using colors I had in mind for the music
and an expeditious method for painting whole ideas of sound im-
notes. I dispensed with the standard notation system and ap- ages. (Photo: Michael Poast)
plied free use of color in certain areas of the staves to express
the musical sound I was hearing in my mind. This was a free-
ing experience. With this new approach, I could notate my
musical ideas as quickly as they appeared in my minds ear.
By painting directly on the musical staves, I became unified
with my compositional ideas and could paint whole ideas of
sound-images in an instant (see Fig. 1). As I am also a visual
artist, this process seemed true to my sensitivities and tech-
Michael Poast (composer, visual artist, teacher), 3461 Vernon Blvd., Long Island City,
Queens, New York, NY 11106, U.S.A.
This text is part of the Leonardo special project on Synesthesia and Intersenses, guest ed-
ited by Jack Ox and Jacques Mandelbrojt. Synesthesia is the phenomenon in which the
stimulation of one sense modality gives rise to a sensation in another sense modality; for
example, some synesthetes see colors when they hear music. This special section is de-
voted to the exploration of the nature and history of this phenomenon, as well as the dis-
cussion of intersense relationships, artworks and experiences .
2000 ISAST LEONARDO, Vol. 33, No. 3, pp. 215221, 2000 215
S
Y
N
E order on the Hanes chart, devised from
S
T tests done at Johns Hopkins University
H
E [6]. Intensity of sound relates to the
S stimulating quality of red and its effect of
I
A raising our blood pressure. Reds steady
pulsation of rhythm reflects our height-
ened heartbeat when we perceive it. Dark
blue, a serene color, evokes the feeling of
low, sustained tones and slow rhythms. If
dark colors appear heavier, then dark
blue recedes in space and descends by
weight and, hence, will be low in pitch.
Color meaning associated to sound
meaning can be altered by different
shades of the same color. For example,
light blue evokes more flowing rhythms,
Fig. 2. Page 1 of the score of Color Music: Toccata and Fugue, watercolor on music manu- higher pitch and faster tempos than dark
script paper, 10 17 in, 1995. Toccata, borrowed from the Baroque keyboard style, im- blue. The subtle gradations of color rela-
plies a free form. Musicians read the color score from left to right. Instrumentation, from tionships in a musical score thus regulate
the top, is flute (doubling with piccolo), clarinet (doubling with bass clarinet), percussion the nuances of musical interpretation.
and piano. (Photo: Marianne Neuber)
Psychological effects of color are di-
rectly related to optical principles. In the
dark, a red light will seem nearer to us
color notation, one will find it reveals a nervous system, blood pressure in- than it really is, and a blue light will seem
most precise, valid language for express- creases, respiration rate and heartbeat farther away. The eye adjusts its focus in
speed up. . . . [P]ure blue on the other a different way for the long, red waves of
ing my musical ideas.
hand, has the reverse effect , blood
pressure falls, heart beat and breathing light than for the short, blue waves. Blue
both slow down [3]. waves make the eye react quickly, and the
MUSICAL MEANING eye compensates by relaxing, giving the
OF COLOR The conclusion follows that red is an impression of blue receding in space.
exciting color, and dark blue is calming. Musically, blue would indicate calmer
In the physical world, we are bom-
Victoria Ball states in The Aesthetics of tempos and flowing musical lines. Red,
barded by different colored light waves.
Color that dark colours appear heavier on the other hand, with its long waves of
As we perceive these with our eyes, they
than light ones. Hue will support the light, rivets the eye. In this holding pat-
stimulate mental processes and arouse
impression of weight. For example, red tern, it establishes an intense building of
particular emotions associated with
or black objects are judged heavier than steady pulsations of rhythm.
them. These waves range from long, red
yellow or blue. Ball also cites tests asso- This is an initial approach to a color
frequency waves through short, blue
ciating color with sound, reported by score, within this framework of color
ones. Virtually all the colors we see are
the psychologist D.M. Howells, in which sensations. The performers creative
mixtures that take on the appearance of
the results led to the conclusion that forces and abilities both to immerse
the brightest color in the mixture. Col-
where colors and sounds obtained the themselves in color notation and to in-
ors that are mixed or shaped into com-
same feeling, the subjects associated terpret the composers vision are neces-
plex patterns tend to convey greater,
them in an unforgettable manner [4]. sary ingredients to realize these Color
more complex meanings. When refer-
If we apply this test data to a general Music pieces.
ring to dark or bright colors, we de-
framework for the performance of Color Within this context of colors and their
scribe their value or the quantity of light
Music, we find that musicians interpret musical equivalents, it is impossible to
they reflect. Dark colors reflect less light
color scores similarly each time. These establish a one-color/one-note chart for
than bright ones. Colors not only have
studies indicate that intense, light lemon- the performers. Color is relative. As the
the characteristic of hue, but also of
yellow is associated with high pitch, painter Josef Albers (18881976) stated,
value. With a simplified approach we
piercing sound and loud dynamics. Light Colors present themselves in continu-
can draw some conclusions. Kandinsky
colors ascend, initiating high-pitch pro- ous flux, constantly related to changing
states that the sound of colours is so
duction from the musician. Yellow is a neighbors and changing conditions
definite that it would be hard to find
highly reflective color, and the more a [7]. As I compose, color relations are in
anyone who would try to express bright
color reflects, the more it advances. This flux, but once I complete the compos-
yellow in the bass notes, or dark lake in
imparts its piercing sound quality. The ing process, the scores are painted in a
the treble [2]. Color experiments have
expansive feeling of yellow also gives the fixed form. In this process I painton
shown that color affects us physically.
sound the quality of loud dynamics [5]. manuscript paper, on three-dimensional
Max Luscher in his book The Luscher
Cadmium red would be played in the (3D) cut-out shapes or on other sur-
Color Test, observes from experiments
mid-range of an instrument, with intense faceswith my inspiration being the
that when individuals are
sound and steady rhythmic pulsations. flow of music as I hear it in my mind as
required to contemplate pure red for R.M. Hanes, in his article The Long and
varying lengths of time, [the experi- well as the visual impact. The colors and
ments] have shown that this color de-
Short of Color Distance, places red be- shapes symbolize harmony, counter-
cidedly has a stimulating effect on the tween yellow and blue in an ascending point, musical line, tempos and so forth,
important part of the expression of who was both a painter and a composer, are linked to complexes of colour, and I
Color Music. The visual and aural pro- was also aware of the associations be- use them in full knowledge of this [19].
duction creates an enhanced, interre- tween color and sound. In his Die Gyorgy Ligeti, another contemporary
lated, intensified work of art. gluckliche Hand (19101913), he in- composer (b. 1923), says, I am inclined
cluded specific indications of colors to to synesthesic perception. I associate
be projected onto an on-stage screen sounds with colours and shapes [20].
HISTORY OF VISUAL COLOR
and made very detailed color sketches His electronic piece Artikultion (1958)
NOTATION for this production [14]. Schoenberg has an accompanying colored score de-
Aristotle (384322 B.C.) noted the con- and Kandinsky knew each other and had vised in 1970 by the painter Reiner
nection between color and sound in his a lively correspondence concerning Wehinger.
De Sensu. In it, he states, we may regard their art and the relationship between The composer John Cage (1912
all colours as analogous to the sounds various art forms [15]. Kandinsky com- 1992) used color in his score for Aria
that enter into music [8]. Color was posed a stage production called Der gelbe (1958): pitch was notated by the vertical
part of the beginning of our notational Klang (The Yellow Sound), incorporat- position of colored lines and the layout
system and was used as a guide to repre- ing music, movement and light [16]. of the lines defined 10 styles of singing
sent music. In early notation, for in- The contemporary Polish composer [21]. The artist Alexander Calder
stance, about 900 A.D., a thin red line was Krzysztof Penderecki (b. 1933) wrote (18981976) has been referred to as a
ruled above the text and called F. Every with colored markers on his sketches for composer as well as a visual artist. As an
neuma above this red line was a higher works including the opera Die Schwarze artist, he experimented with different
pitch and each one below the line was a Maske (19841986), Utrenja (1969 art forms and produced more than 12
lower pitch. Years later, a yellow line was 1971), for chorus and orchestra, and interdisciplinary works, which included
ruled a little higher and called C. Kosmogonia (1970), for soloists, chorus choreography and stage-sets. In his stage
Color played an important part in this and orchestra [17]. Paul Schiavo writes production Socrate (1937), with music by
process; red, black and white notes, that the French composer Olivier Eric Satie, he used shapes and colors as
among others, indicated a change in Messiaen (19081992) described his performers and dramatic elements,
quality [9]. The use of these colors fixed Piece for Piano and String Quartet (1991) bringing together the elements of time,
a certain tone to a certain note, but the as a perceived correspondence be- space and sound. Calders influence has
range of pitch above or below these lines tween sound and color, which the com- been acknowledged by the composer
of color was general and relative. poser experienced as something close to Earle Brown (b. 1926), who says, In the
Throughout history, composers have synesthesia (he claimed to see colors mobiles of Calder I found the organiza-
been fascinated by the use of color to when hearing music and, conversely, felt tional precision which I wanted, but
notate sound. The music historian H.H. that certain colors suggested harmonies more important, I discovered the possi-
Stuckenschmit writes, Eye music, or the to him) [18]. Messiaen included names bility of a work of art never being the
use of compositional techniques which of colors in his score Couleurs de la cite same twice yet always being the same
the ear cannot (or cannot immediately)
register, is nothing new. From the can- Fig. 3. Page 8 of the score of Color Music: Toccata and Fugue, watercolor and ink on music
nons of Netherlands Renaissance po- paper, 10 17 in, 1995. Second movement. The Fugue subject, a red triangular shape, is
lyphony to the time of J.S. Bach, the altered in purple, oranges and yellows, designating mood changes and various voices.
composers eye was always an adjunct to (Photo: Michael Poast)
his ear [10]. Wolfgang A. Mozart
(17561791), in his Horn Concerto No.
4, wrote musical notes on the original
manuscript with red, green, blue and
black inks [11]. In the second move-
ment, the horn line is notated in red,
then green (the complement of red),
then black and finally blue, with the or-
chestral parts all in red above the blue
horn line.
The idea of the color organ goes back
to 1734, when Louis-Bernard Castel first
attempted to build one [12]. The instru-
ment was played by pressing a keyboard,
which threw onto a screen any desired
combination of colored lights. The com-
poser Alexander Scriabin (18721915),
in his tone poem Promethe us (1910),
used a color organ to project colored
tempo, lighter values would expand or veal its meaning. 12. Hugh McDonald, Color and Music, The New
speed up tempo. Hue also affects Groves Dictionary of Music and Musicians (London,
U.K.: Macmillan, 1980) p. 585.
tempo. For example, red, with its longer
waves and expansive quality, would be CONCLUSION 13. A. Scriabin, Prometheus, op. 60, tone-poem for
orchestra and projected color lights (1910) p. 22a
faster in tempo than blue. Yellow would Bringing together various means of ex- of original score in British Museum Library.
have an even greater expansive quality, pression, such as color, shape and
14. These were shown in Notable Notes, an exhibi-
speeding the tempo further. sound, combines energies to form the tion that included Schoenbergs original manu-
Multiple tempi exist. For example, distinct language for musical notation scripts, Joseph Helman Gallery, 20 W. 57th Street,
New York, NY, U.S.A., December 1997January
within a green shape, extending over that I call Color Music. The physical re- 1998.
many staves, different performers may ality of this visual and aural production,
15. Arnold Schoenberg, Schoenberg and Kandinsky:
vary in their tempo realizations. Shape which I compose by painting a musical Letters, Pictures and Documents, John C. Crawford, ed.
plays a crucial role in keeping the musi- score, creates an enhanced, interrelated (Boston, MA, and London, U.K.: Faber and Faber,
cians together. The musicians must ob- and visceral total work of art [33]. 1984).
serve strict adherence to the shapes, Joan Truckenbrod, in her article, In- 16. Kandinsky [2] note by Richard Statton, p. viii.
their size and their relationship to one tegrated Creativity, reflects on the writ- 17. K. Penderecki, sketches in full color for his op-
another on the page. Certain areas in ings of Marshall McLuhan, who argued era and orchestral pieces with chorus. Cited in text,