THE TONE-COLOR ARCHIVE
The Tone-Color Archive includes materials pertaining to tone-color symbolism in metaphysical tradition. The practical philosophies of tone-color metaphysics derive from the Pythagorean “music of the spheres," Indo-Tibetan tantra and Vajrayana Buddhism, alchemical and theosophical septenary symbolism, ceremonial magic, and other correspondence traditions. Tone-color theories can be found in nearly every metaphysical tradition on the globe; while they form the basis for much “new age” philosophy still today. Meanwhile, its sensual symbolism has continued to have a profound influence on artists in American and beyond. We meet its influence in opera and other musical forms, color organs, children's education, light art, mnemonic traditions, alternative healing practices, and much more.
The archives include extremely rare items, such as original papers and illustrations of theosopher and optometrist W.W. Harmon, illustrated charts of Bahá'í Faith teacher William Frank Fraetas' The Alphabet of Life, a thoroughly annotated opera singer's copy of composer and theosopher Edward Maryon's Marcotone: The Science of Tone-Color, noted anthroplogist Charles Staniland Wake's self-published tone-color geometry chart for Geometry of Science, as well as pianist and light artist Mary Hallock-Greenewalt's Nourathar, among other materials. The archive also includes many significant tone-color works from early American numerology, child music education, and metaphysical tone-color healing practices.
RELATED MEDIA
Secret Sound: Sarah Joanna Balliett, Edward Maryon, Torkom Saraydarian
AMP Journal: C.S. Wake (1)
The AMP's W.W. Harmon Collection includes handwritten, typed, and illustrated documents of theosophical cosmology and tone-color geometry by theosopher and optometrist W.W. Harmon, a student of William Quan Judge, an excommunicated member of the Bahá'í Faith, and an early advocate of color in movies.
An extremely rare set of illustrated charts from William Frank Fraetas' "The Alphabet of Life." Fraetas' work had a massive influence on American abstract painting as well as laryngology and vocal pedagogy in opera.
A 1st edition copy of Edward Maryon's Marcotone: The Science of Tone-Color. This book was owned by opera singer Jessie Pamplin who studied w/Maryon, and it is filled with her study notes, personal messages and notations from Maryon, as well as autographs of Rabindranath Tagore, Sadakichi Hartmann, and others.
Here we have the 1st edition of "Nourathar" and a personal letter of light artist Mary Hallock-Greenewalt. This collection also includes a rare vinyl recording of Hallock performing Chopin on the piano.
Among the AMP's many rare texts on tone-color therapies, are these by Ernest "Rainbow" Stevens. These works include philosophical reflections on vibration and tone in relation to colors and color patterns, including supplemental colored pages of "thought rhythms." The text on the right is bound in faux crocodile skin.