An Exploration of the Relationship between Mathematics and Music
Shah, Saloni
2010
MIMS EPrint: 2010.103
Manchester Institute for Mathematical Sciences School of Mathematics
The University of Manchester
Reports available from: http://eprints.maths.manchester.ac.uk/ And by contacting: The MIMS Secretary School of Mathematics The University of Manchester Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
ISSN 1749-9097 An Exploration of ! Relation"ip
Between Ma#ematics and Music
MATH30000, 3rd Year Project
Saloni Shah, ID 7177223 University of Manchester May 2010
Project Supervisor: Professor Roger Plymen
! 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface! 3 1.0 Music and Mathematics: An Introduction to their Relationship! 6 2.0 Historical Connections Between Mathematics and Music! 9 2.1 Music Theorists and Mathematicians: Are they one in the same? 9 2.2 Why are mathematicians so fascinated by music theory? 15 3.0 The Mathematics of Music! 19 3.1 Pythagoras and the Theory of Music Intervals 19 3.2 The Move Away From Pythagorean Scales 29 3.3 Rameau Adds to the Discovery of Pythagoras 32 3.4 Music and Fibonacci