What is Music? (5 Parts)

Synopsis

The 160th Royal Institution Christmas Lectures series, given by Professor Charles Taylor, a physicist and a musician, exploring the physics of music.
1. Whenever the pressure of the air is changed rapidly by beating a drum or rattling a stick in a tin can, our ear-brain system detects the pressure changes as sound. The sound travels from the source to the listener as sound waves. Asks what sound waves are really like and why some sounds are musical and others just noise.
2: Explores the features that have to be present in any musical instrument to produce a pleasing sound.
3. Musical instruments that use strings as their primary source of sounds: plucked instruments such as harps and guitars, and bowed instruments including violins and cellos. Explores the extent to which science can tell us how these instruments work.
4: Looks at wind instruments, from tin whistles to a 3000-pipe church organ. Examines the evolution of the valved trumpet and keyed woodwind instuments. Demonstrates how instrument-making technology has affected the course of musical development.
5: Keyboard instruments: harpsichords, spinets, clavichords, pianos and synthesisers. Asks how they are all related scientifically. Traces the development of the modern keyboard and the contribution of computers to today’s music. Includes a demonstration at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop of how the programme’s signature tune was composed from a series of ‘real sounds’ using modern digital technology.

Series

Royal Institution Christmas Lectures, The: Series

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Video; Videocassette. VHS. col. 5 x 60 min.

Year of production

1989

Availability

Sale; 1995 sale: £55.00 (inclusive) series

Notes

Broadcast BBC 2 on 27-29 Dec 1989 and 2-3 Jan 1990.

Subjects

Music; Physics

Keywords

musical instruments; sound

Credits

Producer

William Woollard

Cast

Charles Taylor

Sections

Title

What is music? 1

Synopsis

1. Whenever the pressure of the air is changed rapidly by beating a drum or rattling a stick in a tin can, our ear-brain system detects the pressure changes as sound. The sound travels from the source to the listener as sound waves. Asks what sound waves

Title

Essence of an instrument, The

Synopsis

2: Explores the features that have to be present in any musical instrument to produce a pleasing sound.

Title

Science, strings and symphonies

Synopsis

3. Musical instruments that use strings as their primary source of sounds: plucked instruments such as harps and guitars, and bowed instruments including violins and cellos. Explores the extent to which science can tell us how these instruments work.

Title

Technology, trumpets and tunes

Synopsis

4: Looks at wind instruments, from tin whistles to a 3000-pipe church organ. Examines the evolution of the valved trumpet and keyed woodwind instuments. Demonstrates how instrument-making technology has affected the course of musical development.

Title

Scales, synthesisers and samplers

Synopsis

5: Keyboard instruments: harpsichords, spinets, clavichords, pianos and synthesisers. Asks how they are all related scientifically. Traces the development of the modern keyboard and the contribution of computers to today's music. Includes a demonstration

Production Company

Name

INCA

Notes

Use for: Independent Communications Associates

Sponsor

Name

Royal Institution of Great Britain, The

Email

events@ri.ac.uk

Web

http://www.rigb.org/ External site opens in new window

Phone

020 7409 2992

Address

21 Albemarle Street
London
W1S 4BS

Notes

An archive of webcasts of events held at the Royal Institution, some going back to 1962. Most of the RI Christmas Lectures are available, together with other lectures given by scientists including Lawrence Bragg. Free registration is required for online access. Some of the more recent Christmas Lectures are also available for sale on DVD.

Distributor

Name

INCA (London) Ltd

Contact

William Woollard

Email

incaltd@dial.pipex.com

Web

http://www.inca-productions.com/index.htm External site opens in new window

Phone

020 8748 9600

Fax

020 8748 9607

Address

INCA House
67 Castlenau
Barnes
London
SW13 9RT