Cosmic Music
Author | : Joscelyn Godwin |
Publisher | : Simon and Schuster |
Total Pages | : 279 |
Release | : 1989-12-01 |
ISBN-10 | : 9781620550946 |
ISBN-13 | : 1620550946 |
Rating | : 4/5 (946 Downloads) |
Download or read book Cosmic Music written by Joscelyn Godwin and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 1989-12-01 with total page 279 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The idea that the universe is created out of sound or music (and therefore is music) is a very ancient one. In this book, Joscelyn Godwin brings together three contemporary German thinkers who exemplify this tradition in its modern variants: Marius Schneider, Rudolf Haase, and Hans Erhard Lauer. The selections draw on ancient Indian sources and mythology; Kepler's Platonic vision of a musical, geometric universe; and the evolution of the tone systems of music. While every music lover senses the power and truth that reside in music, very few actually approach music as a path to cosmic knowledge. Godwin takes literally Beethoven's assertion that "Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom or philosophy." Godwin writes, ". . .to penetrate the mysteries of music is to prepare for initiation into those fathomless mysteries of man and cosmos."