How music has influenced mathematics, physics, and astronomy from
ancient Greece to the twentieth century
Music is filled with mathematical elements. The works of Bach are often
said to possess a math-like logic, and Arnold Schoenberg, Iannis
Xenakis, and Karlheinz Stockhausen wrote music explicitly based on
mathematical principles. Yet Eli Maor argues that it is music that has
had the greater influence on mathematics, not the other way around.
Starting with Pythagoras, proceeding through Schoenberg, and bringing
the story up to the present with contemporary string theory, Music by
the Numbers tells a fascinating story of composers, scientists,
inventors, and eccentrics who have played a role in the age-old
relationship between music, mathematics, and the physical sciences.
Weaving compelling stories of historical episodes with Maor's personal
reflections as a mathematician and lover of classical music, this book
will delight anyone who loves math and music.