Music and math: The genius of Beethoven - Natalya St. Clair
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/music-and-math-the-genius-of-beethoven-natalya-st-clair How is it that Beethoven, who is celebrated as one of the most significant composers of...
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It may sound like a paradox, or some cruel joke, but whatever it is, it's true. Beethoven, the composer of some of the most celebrated music in history, spent most of his career going deaf. So how was he still able to create such intricate and moving compositions? The answer lies in the patterns hidden beneath the beautiful sounds. Let's take a look at the famous "Moonlight Sonata," which opens with a slow, steady stream of notes grouped into triplets: One-and-a-two-and-a-three-and-a. But though they sound deceptively simple, each triplet contains an elegant melodic structure, revealing the fascinating relationship between music and math. Beethoven once said, "I always have a picture in my mind when composing and follow its lines.&qu...
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It may sound like a paradox, or some cruel joke, but whatever it is, it's true. Beethoven, the composer of some of the most celebrated music in history, spent most of his career going deaf. So how was he still able to create such intricate and moving compositions? The answer lies in the patterns hidden beneath the beautiful sounds. Let's take a look at the famous "Moonlight Sonata," which opens with a slow, steady stream of notes grouped into triplets: One-and-a-two-and-a-three-and-a. But though they sound deceptively simple, each triplet contains an elegant melodic structure, revealing the fascinating relationship between music and math. Beethoven once said, "I always have a picture in my mind when composing and follow its lines.&qu...
