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

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