[microsound] Bach and mathematics

[Ismael Valladolid Torres]

Recently we have discussed about an article in a very popular spanish
blog talking about the relationship between J.S. Bach's music and
mathematics. It's very common to relation both, but that relationship
has always made feel uncomfortable, mainly because of two reasons.

- Many people suffer because they feel they don't understand art (as
if art were understandable at all!) and they often search for ways to
"measure" art. This makes them feel comfortable, as thus they can call
"artist" to someone that simply makes use of his know-how to make
something apparently difficult for the rest. Internet people often
treat Escher as the best painter ever. Escher's drawings were tricky
and enjoyable, but i.e. usage of color by people like Picasso, Miro,
Malevich, Kandinsky, etc. is for me far more difficult and real art.

- Also many people talk about mathematics when they simply see
repetitive patterns and simetry. For many people "mathematics" is
simply "arithmetics", and for me mathematics is a far deeper science.
Why people only talk of mathematics referring to baroc music like
Bach's and not referring to Liszt Transcendental Studies, which sure
also contain a lot of mathematics and a lot more sophisticated ones?

Nonetheless I'd like to know the truth about the relationship between
Bach and mathematics, even if he really worked as a mathematician as
some say. Also of course I'd like to know your opinion about the
relationship between Bach's music (and others' music!) and
mathematics.

Any comments, ideas, welcome, so thanks in advance.

Cordially, Ismael
-- 
Ismael Valladolid Torres      Hey there! ivalladt is using Twitter.
  <ivalladt at gmail.com>        http://twitter.com/ivalladt

t. 0034912519850              Facebook: http://profile.to/ivalladt
m. 0034609884094 (Yoigo)                http://groups.to/lamediahostia

Google Talk/Jabber/MSN Messenger: ivalladt at gmail.com
      Jaiku/Twitter/Skype/Yahoo!: ivalladt
                         AIM/ICQ: 264472328     GnuPG key: DE721AF4