Harmonious triads

Viac o knihe

Historically, music was considered both an art and a science, with its elements—like the mathematics of tuning and celestial harmonies—primarily studied as science until the seventeenth century. By the nineteenth century, while scientists had shifted focus from the music of the spheres, they remained dedicated to understanding performing musicians and their instruments. Myles Jackson explores the interplay between physicists, musicians, and instrument makers in nineteenth-century Germany. Musical instruments served as experimental systems for physicists, whose research directly enhanced instrument manufacturing and aided musicians' performances. Music also acted as a cultural resource, fostering connections and collaborations. Jackson details experiments in acoustical vibrations that led to new musical instruments and improvements in the reed pipe, crucial for organ builders. He examines collaborations aimed at standardizing beat and pitch and the debates surrounding the standardization of aesthetic qualities. The role of choral societies as a means of social life and cultural unity is also highlighted. Finally, he addresses a key question of the era: Could physicists quantify musical skill using universal mechanical principles? Jackson’s historical analysis reveals how music and physics influenced and shaped each other during this transformative period.