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In the Forum: Playback Listening
In the Thread: It takes balls to shop (never mind the nuts)
Post Subject: Color hearing and foreign languages...Posted by Romy the Cat on: 1/2/2007

The substitution of tonal semantics to visual semantics is well researched phenomena.  I think Russian composers and musicologist in end of the 19 century of the 20 century went further then anyone else into the subject.

From an emotional perception of tone in renaissance (for instance)

C-dur - cheerful and warlike
D-dur - joyful and VERY warlike
E-dur - quarrelsome and irritable
Es-dur - cruel and stern
F-dur - violent and hasty
G-dur - tender and joyful
A-dur - joyful and pastoral
B-dur - majestic and joyful
H-dur - stern and sorrowful

through the German evolved sensual recognition of tonality in 19 century, Russians went for a direct association between colors and tones. Rimsky-Korsakov of course was the key in there and the Scriabin symphonies for light installation and orchestra were in the very summit. I think there is something race-biological in Salve because it is know that they generally very inclined to color hearing. Ironically the morons with medical diplomas recognize color hearing as chromesthesia and suggest treating it with prescription medications.  :-)

Still, I feel, although it perfectly comfortable with explanation of musicality by visual association but there is catch in it. This association comes to existence ONLY when we try to explain music (even for ourselves)… but any explanation is in fact a conversion of poor musicality into…. literature.

So, I do not think that there is anything wrong with visualization of music … but only if a person can not communicate on native musical semantic, phonetic and vocabulary. If the person’ awareness can operate in the realms of pure mural abstraction then any visualization of music become unnecessary. People who study foreign languages in the beginning translate what they hear into their native language. Then, the better they command the foreign languages the faster they inner-translate the messages and eventually they switch into  direct use of foreign languages, without any intimidate translation…

Rgs,
Romy the caT

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