Bernard Chazelle on Bach: Discovering the Musical Cosmology of Bach; Mathematics and the Musical Rules of the Universe

A fascinating On Being recorded interview: Bernard Chazelle interviewed by Krista Tippett

"Computer scientist Bernard Chazelle has an original take on what music works in us — especially the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. Just as mathematicians talk about discovering rather than inventing great equations, so, he says, Bach set out to “discover” the musical rules behind the universe. After hearing this conversation, you may never listen to any piece of music — whether Bach or Jay-Z — in quite the same way again".

With thanks to the Sub Rosa blog

Bernard Chazelle's blog postings on music - from Bach, to Thelonius Monk, Charlie Parker, Bob Dylan, Robert Johnson and The Rolling Stones.

On B B King and blues scales

It would be interesting if he would also write about the Epirot miroloi, and about the 'roads' in Arabic music, the maqam, in terms of exploring further his ideas about the "musical rules of the universe" and the effects of certain sounds on our brains.