Overview

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 unrelated frequencies 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?

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Reviews

'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

Author Information

David Darling is a science writer, astronomer and musician. 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.

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