Music and Science: Reaction Paper

Throughout the duration of the course, we’ve discussed the various ways in which science and technology are embedded in the different strata of society; we’ve seen how it affects and propels the development of civilizations, as well as the part it has played in the construction and curation of knowledge across space and time. In line with this is the part science has played in the history of music-- both as a mechanism for the improvements of music technology and as a source of inspiration.

One of the compositions we took up in class in relation to science and music is Gustav Holst’s seven-movement orchestral suite The Planets. Originally a duet for two pianos, it was inspired by Holst’s fascination with astrology and astronomy, with each movement symbolizing a planet (as discovered during that time period), with the exception of Earth. Another piece is Camille Saint-Saens’ Aquarium, with fluid melodies that call back to underwater life and movement. It is part of a 25-minute long larger piece called The Carnival of the Animals, which is supposed to represent the different animals that can be found in a zoo; each specific movement represents one habitat, with motifs that reference the actual animals.

As the decades and centuries progressed, the influence of science on music continued in other forms. Obviously without the advancements of science and technology, things such as extended plays, the mp3, and vinyl would not have existed today. Science as a subject matter is also readily apparent in different musical pieces and styles-- for example, the awe and fear towards space travel provides context and setting for David Bowie’s classic Space Oddity; artists such as Daft Punk take inspiration from electronic technology and data processing and use them as motifs in their music; even artists such as Janelle Monae build their performative personas around technology, which in Monae’s case involves robots.

Overall, I think the evidence for science’s role in the development of music across space and time is readily apparent, despite the assumed distance between the two fields. It shows that science permeates every aspect of our lives, even art, and that the empirical and objective can exist side-by-side with the artistic and subjective. It’s not necessary to dichotomize the two, simply because without the influence of one the other would not be able to exist. Looking at science in music is an interesting topic, and one I think should be further involved in a wider discourse of science’s place in our lives.

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Luisa Narciso