Symbol of the Soul: The Inner Life of Music and Mathematics

Author: Edward Rothstein (USA)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-10-01
Features: In this elegant exploration, Edward Rothstein, the chief critic of The New York Times, shows us the inner life of mathematics and music, how they work on us, what it feels like to immerse ourselves in them, and where they will lead us. As Rothstein embarks on this extraordinary journey, he explains how mathematics gives meaning to space, how music creates stories, how people study numbers, and how melody exerts its power. He explores the musical works of Bach, Beethoven, and Chopin; describes the mysteries of mathematics and the intricate theories of topology. Rothstein discusses the "Gordian rectangle," as well as the development of Romanticism; uses rhetoric to praise the Hebrew Bible, and admires the swaying of telephone cords; both celebrates the importance of style in mathematics and laments the still-debated nature of "high art."