Other Synaesthetes

 

A true synaesthete like Miriam Hyde and Pamela Page, was Franz Liszt (1811-1886). As a conductor, he would unintentionally confuse the orchestra by saying, "O please, gentlemen, a little bluer", or, "That is a deep violet, please, depend on it! Not so rose!" (Wikipedia 2015d).

 

A key characteristic of synaesthesia is that it is completely involuntary (Wikipedia 2015e). Alexander Scriabin was a famous Russian composer and pianist who was influenced by synaesthesia but, unlike Franz Liszt, it is highly doubted that he was a true synaesthete (Galeyev, B and Vanechkina, I 2001). In contrast to the natural synaesthetes, Scriabin composed using a thought-out colour-coded circle of fifths based on the findings of Sir Isaac Newton in his book, "Opticks" (Wikipedia 2015a). Newton's book was on the fundamental nature of light (Wikipedia 2015b) and influenced Scriabin's perception of synaesthesia which, incidentally, did not differentiate between major and minor. Scriabin also had a coloured keyboard know as the "clavier à lumières" which was a colour organ with a turntable of coloured lamps "designed specifically for the performance of [one of his] tone poem[s]".

 

Another supposed synaesthete was Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Rachminanoff's opera, "The Miserly Knight', featured a scene written in D major with a gold-filled treasure chest. Rimsky-Korsakov and Scriabin both agreed that this key linked with a golden-brown colour. Rachmaninoff didn't believe in their claims of synaesthesia to which Scriabin said, "your intution has unconsciously followed the laws whose very existence you have tried to deny" (Wikipedia 2015a).

 

There have also been many other synaesthetes such as Jean Sibelius, Olivier Messiaen (who believed Mozart, Chopin and Wagner would have composed around colour) and Joachim Raff, who claimed to see timbral colours rather than musical notes or keys. The flute supposedly gave him a bright blue impression, while the brassy trumpet sound held scarlet tones (The University of North Carolina 2014).

 

Other modern-day synaesthetic musicians allegedly include Lady Gaga (Massy-Beresford, H 2014), Billy Joel, John Mayer (Higgins-Devine, K 2015), Frank Ocean, Pharrell Williams and Stevie Wonder (The University of North Carolina 2014).

 

Certain musicians, however, are not the only speculated synaesthetes. The highly metaphorical characteristics of synaesthesia also resonate with the strong metaphors of William Shakespeare’s work, and although his synaesthetic status is unknown, his “mastery over metaphors” led many people to believe that he may well have been another synaesthete (The University of North Carolina 2014).

 

Finally, in great contrast to the aforementioned synaesthetes, there is Mr Neil Harbisson. While Harbisson wasn’t born a synaesthete, he was born colour-blind. Determined to find colour in his grey scale world, he worked with technology to design a sort of camera that is implanted into his head, continuously translating colours into sounds that he can then hear. Now his world is, more or less, in colour. Passionate, about utilising technology to its very best, Harbisson excitedly encourages everyone to expand their senses and, in turn, be able to expand their knowledge (Harbisson, N 2012).