Inventor of visual music Nourathar, and the electric light "color organ"

Hallock-Greenewalt named her new color-music Nourathar, an adaptation of the Arabic words for light (nour), and essence of (athar). Unlike earlier inventors of color-music such as the painter A. Wallace Rimington, Hallock-Greenewalt did not produce a strict definition of correspondence between specific colors and particular notes, instead arguing that these relationships were inherently variable and reflected the temperament and ability of the performer. Her earliest attempts at creating this art entailed construction of an automated machine where colored lights were synchronized to records. This produced an unsatisfactory result, leading to development of an instrument that could actually be played live. Her color organ, which she named "Sarabet" after her mother, required her to invent a number of new technologies. She received nine patents from the US Patent office for them. Among these devices was a non-linear variety of rheostat, a patent that was infringed by General Electric and other companies. She sued them for infringement and won in 1934. The Sarabet went through a series of refinements between 1916 and 1934. In 1946 she published a book on her invented art of "light-color playing" called Nourathar: The Fine Art of Light-Color Playing.

Current-translating mechanism; Light color instrument; Means for controlling light; System in illumination & particularly to apparatus thereof; Instrument for light & color play; Motoractivated switch; Control system for light & color players; Lighting appliance;Method of & means for associating light & music; Rheostat; Notation for indicating lighting effects; Illuminating means

Category:
Arts - Visual Music

Completion Status:
yes

Patent Number:
1793284;1945635;1654873;1949101;1731772;1854547;1714504;1820899;1481132;1357773;1385944;USRE16825E;1345168

Co-Inventor:
none