The text Cretien van Campen gave an in-depth look at synesthesia; that is, a visual musical experience evoked immediately and involuntarily by auditory stimuli.
Some aspects of synesthesia are similar between synesthetes, however, the experience remains strongly personal. No two synesthetes will see the same color patterns and forms when listening to the same music. Also, one of the characteristics of synesthetes is that there is no way that they can “turn off” the visual associations, they can only be sent “to the background”.
After looking at characteristics of synesthetes and of their experiences, the text then looks at ways one can turn those visuals into physical manifestations. For example, an organ was invented which, instead of controlling sound, controls color tone, saturation and lightness of lamps. This was one of the ancestors of more elaborate light performances that effects modern musical performances. The result of such shows are the unification of the arts as well as the enhancement of the musical experience when accompanied with light. Also, synesthesia was the inspiration for many artists to create pieces with light and movement.
Links
Wikipedia
Seeing Music
Berlin club with amazing color/light effects [bad video... sorry]
Lights On
Daft Punk’s awesome light shows. When I read about “lines” and “colors” I thought of this immediately.