Three of four planned articles in a series that explores the acoustical foundations of key developments in western music over the centuries. Since they first appeared several years ago, these articles have proved valuable sources for students, academics and for those with basic musical knowledge who are curious about why music has developed the way it has.
In the first article – possibly the most widely-read item on the site – we discuss the role of the harmonic series in the perception of timbre before exploring how it has influenced the evolution of melody & harmony, as well as rhythm and tempo, since the Middle Ages. The fourth and final article Synthesis, which is in preparation, will propose ways in which the principles discussed in the first three can continue to inform musical creation now and in the future.
Read the articles here;
Pythagoras and the Music of the Future Part I – Timbre
Pythagoras and the Music of the Future Part II – Melody & Harmony
Pythagoras and the Music of the Future Part III – Musical Time
Pythagoras and the Music of the Future Part III – Musical Time (contd.)
Robert Lennon Musician & Educator 