Perfectly Imperfect: Music, Math and the Keyboard

Explore the fascinating intersection of music, mathematics, and keyboard instruments in this 54-minute keynote address from the ACM SIGPLAN FARM'23 conference. Delve into the world of Western classical music as concert pianist and harpsichordist Gloria Cheng uncovers the mathematical principles underlying musical composition and performance. Examine the evolution of harmony, from Pythagoras' acoustical demonstrations to the heated debates over tunings and temperaments in the Baroque era, and the microtonal experiments of modern composers like Harry Partch and Iannis Xenakis. Investigate the development of rhythm, tracing its progression from simple time signatures to the complex polymeters and irrational meters employed by Conlon Nancarrow and Thomas Adès. Through recorded examples and live keyboard demonstrations, gain insight into how mathematical concepts shape the expressive power of music, while acknowledging the ineffable quality that allows this acoustic phenomenon to profoundly move listeners.