White Noise
The colours of music

Led by James Wishart, University of Liverpool School of Music
Saturday 27 June 2009, 12.00–13.00

What exactly is a blue note? White noise? Can a flute really sound silvery? Demystifying the relationship between colour and music through synaethesia - when the hearing of a certain sound induces the visualisation of a certain colour.

Like visual artists, musicians also manipulate the laws of physics for their own legitimate artistic and emotional effect. What does it mean when composers talk about colours and timbre? How and why do performers change their sound minutely and is this the same as progressively darkening a patch of lilac to one of indigo? When musicians or listeners talk about seeing or hearing colours, what does this mean? When pianist Alexander Skryabin designed a colour keyboard, what actually happened? Did composer Olivier Messiaen really hear his chords in exotic hues? Come and explore these ideas ­ with interesting visual and audio examples, including some with live musicians!

In partnership with Liverpool University Continuing Education (LUCE)

Tate Liverpool  The Auditorium
£5 (£3 concessions)
Advance enrolment is essential for this event. You may enrol by contacting Continuing Education and Professional Development in the Centre for Lifelong Learning on 0151 794 6900 or email conted@liverpool.ac.uk, quoting reference number 14690


This event is related to the Colour Chart: Reinventing Colour, 1950 to Today exhibition