From Bach fugues to Indonesian gamelan, from nursery rhymes to rock, music has cast its light into every corner of human culture. But why music excites such deep passions, and how we make sense of musical sound at all, are questions that have until recently remained unanswered. Now inTheMusic Instinct, award-winning writer Philip Ball provides the first comprehensive, accessible survey of what is known--and still unknown--about how music works its magic, and why, as much as eating and sleeping, it seems indispensable to humanity. Deftly weaving together the latest findings in brain science with history, mathematics, and philosophy,The Music Instinctnot only deepens our appreciation of the music we love, but shows that we would not be ourselves without it.The Sunday Timeshailed it as a wonderful account of why music matters, with Ball's passion for music evident on every page.
Preface Author's Note
1. Prelude: The Harmonious Universe An Introduction
2. Overture: Why We Sing What is music and where does it come from?
3. Staccato: The Atoms of Music What are musical notes and how do we decide which to use?
4. Andante: What's In a Tune? Do melodies follow rules, and if so, which?
5. Legato: Keeping it Together How do we decode the sound?
6. Tutti: All Together Now How do we use more than one note at a time?
7. Con Moto: Slave to the Rhythm What gives music its pulse?
8. Pizzicato: The Colour of Music Why do instruments sound different, and how does that affect the music?
9. Misterioso: All In the Mind Which bits of the brain do we use for music?
10. Appassionato: Light My Fire How does music convey and elicit emotion?
11. Capriccioso: Going In and Out of Style What are musical styles? Is music about notes, or patterns, or textures?
12. Parlando: Why Music Talks to Us Is music a language? Or is it clol£
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