Neuroscience, History and the Arts Synesthesia: Is F-Sharp Colored Violet?

Assessing the Role of Emotional Mediation in Explaining Crossmodal Correspondences Involving Musical Stimuli

“…Here, then, in the context of the debate concerning the absolute vs relative nature of crossmodal correspondences (see Spence, 2019a), it is interesting to note how often absolute matches between the timbre of different instruments are made with specific colours/tastes/flavours (e.g., Crisinel and Spence, 2010;Karwoski et al, 1942;Spence et al, 2015). While many such matches originate in the writings, or responses, of self-confessed synaesthetes (e.g., Kandinsky, 1925Kandinsky, /1979, that is certainly by no means always the case (Ione and Tyler, 2004). For instance, Kandinsky (1914Kandinsky ( /1977, in his book Concerning the Spiritual in Art wrote that: "a light blue is like a flute, a darker blue a cello; still darker a thunderous double bass; and the darkest blue of all -an organ.…”

Conversion of amino-acid sequence in proteins to classical music: search for auditory patterns

“…There are strong associations between music and perception. Heightened interest in a historically known condition called synesthesia (or synaesthesia) has also spanned multiple fields of study including science, music, and history [12]. The condition has prompted a collaborative approach among various disciplines aimed at developing a more comprehensive picture of this syndrome.…”

“…Commonly one hears a certain pitch that consistently evokes a particular color. Synesthesia is considered an unusually strong cross-modal association in the brain and has been observed in children and adults [12]. Another example of a collaborative, cross-disciplinary effort includes research pertaining to sound-induced photisms.…”

Auditory synesthesias

“…Sachs in 1812 in Latin (Ione and Tyler, 2004), was a medical dissertation on two albinos with synesthesia (the author himself and 404 P. AFRA his sister). The author refers to his colored sensations evoked by vowels, consonants, musical notes, sounds of instruments, numbers, dates, days of the week, periods of history, and stages of human life (Ione and Tyler, 2004). Another well-known early scientific report of synesthesia is an essay by Galton in 1883.…”