Amid the hurry and bustle of nineteenth century life a great discovery, or re-discovery may almost pass unnoticed because so many busy people are compelled to be absorbed in their own concerns. The duty lying nearest is their duty of the hour. Eager sympathies, high aspirations, longings for scientific knowledge are all there, but are cramped and stunted through lack of time to bestow upon them. Therefore a large number of people have never seen Mrs. Watts-Hughes' wonderful Voice-Pictures, and if told of them, are vaguely skeptical concerning the manner of their production, believing it impossible for sound to produce form.
There is no trickery about their construction, though it is probable that if Mrs. Watts-Hughes had displayed her art to mediaeval England she would have been burnt as a witch!
That which can be seen by the uninitiated today, is a sheet of glass covered by a flat wash of water-color paint, usually green, and when certain notes are sung near it a wonderful effect is produced. The whole surface can be seen to become gradually transformed, until the glass upon which the paint is placed presents the appearance shown by our window panes after a night of heavy frost, with their beautiful trees and ferns and flowers, only in these pictures the beauty is enhanced by being green instead of white.
Rich red tints, royal purples and aesthetic ochres are sometimes placed upon this lovely green background, and these form themselves into shell-like flowers, when a certain note is sung through a particular kind of horn.
The wonderful blendings of color, with their minute gradations, rounded by strong bold outlines are simply marvellous, and show the magical modulation of voice and the delicate shades of tone necessary to produce the corresponding delicacy of form.
It is said when Madame Patti sings her highest note, the vocal cords vibrate at the rate of 2100 vibrations per second. This proves how wonderful a force vibration may be on the form producing plane and perhaps goes far to explain the Indian belief in "Mantrams," or "the pronunciation of certain words in such a way as to start vibrations that would control the minds of men, as well as the external forces of nature." The magic of the serpent charmer might be understood in the same way.
This voice painting is no new art. The ancient Greeks were well versed in its intricacies, though for ages the secret was lost. It has been stated that specimens have been found, in what was once the wonderful city of Pompeii, and the same kind of experiment has been made in various lands in many ages. Some have proved its truth by placing sand on drum-heads, and others by some kind paste on flat surfaces, using a violin bow to draw out mystical sounds and thus produce form.
Some years ago a celebrated dentist was explaining to a lady patient the use of some new and very clever inventions in the way of dental instruments and appliances. A few weeks later he visited Pompeii, and on his return said, "You remember those new appliances I showed you? Well! Imagine my surprise when I dug out the very same things at Pompeii, somewhat rough from their long burial, but there was no mistake about their being the same kind of tools."
There are cases in which sudden revelations flash through the intellect, and one of these seems this re-discovery, in various minds, of the relation of sound to form and color. The poet mind with its inspirations and intuitions sees deeper than those of a more material east, and often lights on a fact for which it can give no scientific reason, though the slower and more plodding step of science may afterwards confirm its accuracy and explain the laws which govern it. Wordsworth caught a truth when he said,
"And beauty born of murmuring sound did pass into her face."
It is difficult to fathom the mystical bond existing between Poetry, Music and Painting. Can it be that the clear stillness of a frosty midnight brings some echo to earth from the "Music of the Spheres" which causes the white landscapes to grow upon our window panes? In their higher altitudes, the snowflakes seem to catch heaven's music and come to us in star-like forms of perfect beauty.
Is it this music which paints the early dawn with its first faint rays of hopefulness, broadening into delicate beauty and retaining undertones of shadow to make the full glorious sunlight the most perfect thing on earth?
Perhaps this symphony of form is the symbol of that higher harmony which earthborn ears are too dull to catch! How much more meaning is thus put into the refulgent sunset splendor! It is impossible to even imagine the majestic glory of that music whose wave on wave of sound paints cloud on cloud of form, gold, crimson, grey; flame-tipped with a light our canvases can never catch and radiating a magnetic calm to still the tumult of feverish, restless hearts. At such times the over-soul seems nearer, and a wonderful peace steals into weary hearts.
If the music of the spheres paints many a picture for human eyes to rest upon, earth's music may also add a note of gladness to resting souls! It may be, that joyous, happy songs, thanksgivings and laughter, innocent mirth and light-hearted praise, ascend heavenwards to paint their glowing pictures for the joy of those who gather there! And that cries of despair, drunkenness, crime, debauchery, go to the regions of weeping and remorse. How poignant would be the sting of such pictures to one who had led many astray, on finding his works still following him and making their mark upon his place of habitation. Panoramic views, of his children, or of those he loved, led through his example, or neglect, into sin and anguish of soul, flashing vivid effects before his vision when beyond recall, and he utterly powerless to remedy this gathering of the ills of his own creation.
Sound-produced pictures prove the force of the truth, that not a word uttered or a deed done ever loses its effect, but goes on with reproducing issues throughout all the ages.
Some of the old monks appear to have had glimpses of underlying truths; visions and foreshadowings of the hidden unity existing between poetry, music and painting (song, sound and form). Music produced in them a mystical yearning, for which they could give no reason; they felt it had more meaning in it than they could catch, a power and force they could not grasp, and we are now re-learning one side more of its wonderful harmony although we are so dense and dull to its many-sided meanings.
And the human voice, how it attracts or repels even against the reason! Is it this strange power, painting its picture upon the brain and so producing an irresistible influence?
We see its effects in the expression of the face, causing its muscles to contract or relax; in the fire which lights the eyes though we cannot see the inner picture painted upon the brain. Does this in part account for those sudden affinities or aversions felt with strangers, which upon second thoughts are fought against as unreasonable, perchance uncharitable? How many people have had to sadly admit that the first impression produced, in its strong, bold outline, with no after smudge or smear to mar it, was the correct one?
Are people at all aware how strongly they are influenced by sound, to take actions of various kinds?
Was it for this reason that when the ancients formulated laws for their ideal state, they had martial music played — melodies, stirring and inspiring, such as would lead on to brave deeds? All softer strains were suppressed, lest they should unman or enervate, and no voluptuous strains were allowed to weaken their powers of volition.
And music has the same effect in this age. A tramp through our city slums, on a drizzling, dismal day, is one of the most depressing journeys possible. The poverty around, the children with bare feet and hunger-pinched faces, squalor and dirt everywhere, humanity in tatters, send the spirits below zero. But an organ-grinder strikes up an enlivening march and it is wonderful how men straighten their backs and go forward with brisker steps, women grow brighter and children begin to dance. The unconscious influence of sound forces all into action.
Watch a vast crowd swayed by the voice of an orator! Faces light up, emotions come so near the surface they can be read at a glance, and when the sound of the voice dies away they gradually return to their stolid every-day expression.
But an abiding picture may have been impressed upon the brain, and the words lie deeply hidden in the heart, and so be reproduced in the life of the people! And for this reason it is good to flood the world with good music and encourage orators to teach high thoughts, so that every action produced by these means may be of such an elevating type, that humanity shall spring from the dust, and shaking itself free from the bondage of evil customs, rise to that higher plane where the earthly is dominated by the spiritual. For it is thus possible for love and blessing to be poured upon all who come within the influence of spiritual sounds, which in turn will produce noble thoughts and holy deeds.