Or: Why an acoustic piano is never really completely in tune...


How Music and Mathematics Relate


Also of interest from "The Great Courses":


Understanding the Fundamentals of Music


How to Listen to and Understand Great Music


The 30 Greatest Orchestral Works


Great Masters: Mozart - His Life and Music


And many more...

I have several of these. They go on sale periodically, so if you are willing to wait you can usually get a deal.

Most of the music courses are taught by Professor Greenberg, who is very entertaining.

The music and math course is new - and on sale.

Sam

Trapper
That one looks interesting for sure; I've purchased several Great Courses and enjoy them a lot. I purchase the audio tapes so I can listen driving to work...it's a time consuming drive so I enjoy a break from the radio or Sirius stations. I'm still finishing two on consciousness (teaching a course on speech and thought and need all the help I can get) but let me know if you finish the music and math an recommend it..

I also listen to these while running on my ipod, but the music and math course is only available on DVD.

Sam

I've completed the course on Mozart and am working my way thru the "How to Listen Great Music..." course, both taught by Prof. Greenberg, who is excellent - would like to get the course on Mozart's operas next, and then the "Understanding Fundamentals..." - there are others too such as the study of Haydn and his life & music, etc.

So many courses, so little time - I recently discovered that some of their offerings are available free at our local library! What a fortuitous circumstance, of which I will most certainly avail myself!

I'm halfway through the 30 Greatest Orchestral Works.
When I watched How to Listen to and Understand Great Music, at first I thought prof. Greenberg was a bit crazy with a sick sense of humor. Now I can't start my day without one of his lectures.

And he just finished recording a new course, "The 23 Greatest Solo Piano Works"! Can't wait!

Here is another open online course through Yale University:

Listening to Music

I have not gone through the complete course. It's a basic survey course that many might enjoy.

If anyone goes through the Music and Math course, please post a review. Looks like it might be interesting!

Thanks TJ! I've never heard of The Great Courses, but they look fascinating. I want the Beethoven Sonata one! It also gave me some great gift ideas for people that are impossible to buy for.

(But I am blaming you for the half hour I lost while meandering around that site! )

Aimee - you lost time, but you gained knowledge - and a plan for a course(s) to take - and gift ideas - and a rare chance to discourse with me about all this - still feeling the need to lay blame?

TJ

Actually, the idea of giving these courses as gifts is itself a good idea - a "gift", as it were...

I see that the "How Mathematics and Music Relate" and the "Understanding the Fundamentals of Music" courses are currently available as a special set at a greatly reduced price...

I always believed music and maths were related. Like religion . . . but mever more so than with jazz which has less of an emotive content. Imo.

I love Greenberg's rants.

I could have read a million and one articles on the Key Signature, and the Circle of Fifths etc and still not have a proper understanding on these concepts. Because of the examples and more importantly his strict use of terms (pitch vs note) he's really clear and concise.

But no Chopin in the Great Masters series? What's going on there?

The Yale course has some useful info too. I must watch them again.

Mathematics is music for the mind.
Music is mathematics for the soul.

-Author unknown, spotted in a Music by Computers book from the '70s.

The part where I got to talk to you made it allllllllll worthwhile!