A Perfect Harmony
Music, Mathematics and Science
Published on 5. June 2025
288 pages
978-0-86154-986-3 (ISBN)
Description
A melodic odyssey through the interwoven worlds of music, physics and mathematics
From the earliest of civilisations, humans have found ways to make music, whether through makeshift drums or artfully drilled bone flutes. But how did music - effectively little more than a series of certain tones and rhythms - become so integral to the human experience?
Untangling the curious links between notes and number, musical perception, psychology and physics, David Darling examines the fascinating science behind music, from its Palaeolithic origins to the present.
Revealing surprising connections and busting pervasive myths, A Perfect Harmony asks:
Why do musicians tend to be better at maths than non-musicians?
Why do we find some pieces sad and others happy?
Will playing Mozart to babies predispose them to genius?
Could an AI write the perfect symphony?
From the earliest of civilisations, humans have found ways to make music, whether through makeshift drums or artfully drilled bone flutes. But how did music - effectively little more than a series of certain tones and rhythms - become so integral to the human experience?
Untangling the curious links between notes and number, musical perception, psychology and physics, David Darling examines the fascinating science behind music, from its Palaeolithic origins to the present.
Revealing surprising connections and busting pervasive myths, A Perfect Harmony asks:
Why do musicians tend to be better at maths than non-musicians?
Why do we find some pieces sad and others happy?
Will playing Mozart to babies predispose them to genius?
Could an AI write the perfect symphony?
Reviews / Votes
'Darling is one of Britain's finest maths writers, [and shows] how inextricably numbers are intertwined with artistic creativity... fascinating.' -Financial Times 'It comes as no surprise that many scientists were also musicians. A Perfect Harmony serves to solidify just how interlinked the fields are... Darling's observant musical odyssey across time reinforces that "music and maths are endlessly entwined... nourishing one another" and have done so for millennia. After all, at its simplest music is melody and rhythm, and rhythm cannot exist without maths.' -New Statesman'This deftly written book about the powerful intersections between music, maths and science... he packs in plenty of intriguing facts and anecdotes on a whistlestop tour of musical history... an engaging, accessible guide to a fascinating subject.' -BBC Music Magazine, ???? 'Darling is not only a talented science writer with an expansive back-catalogue to his name but he is also an accomplished musician, and his enthusiasm for all things musical spills off the page... if there's a writer who can genuinely and credibly inhabit both sides of the arts-science cultural divide, it's Darling... Engaging and entertaining.' -Physics World
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
File size
2,81 MB
ISBN-13
978-0-86154-986-3 (9780861549863)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
David Darling is a science writer, astronomer and music producer. His books include the bestselling Equations of Eternity. Together with Agnijo Banerjee, he is the co-author of the Weird Maths trilogy and The Biggest Number in the World. He lives in Dundee, Scotland.
