The Music Of The Spheres Book
Regulo Akers
Some thinkers suppose that the motion of bodies of that size must produce a noise, since on our earth the motion of bodies far inferior in size and in speed of movement has that effect. Also, when the sun and the moon, they say, and all the stars, so great in number and in size, are moving with so rapid a motion, how should they not produce a sound immensely great? Starting from this argument and from the observation that their speeds, as measured by their distances, are in the same ratios as musical concordances, they assert that the sound given forth by the circular movement of the stars is a harmony. Since, however, it appears unaccountable that we should not hear this music, they explain this by saying that the sound is in our ears from the very moment of birth and is thus indistinguishable from its contrary silence, since sound and silence are discriminated by mutual contrast. What happens to men, then, is just what happens to coppersmiths, who are so accustomed to the noise of the smithy that it makes no difference to them.
Aristotle rejected the idea, however, as incompatible with his own cosmological model, and on the grounds that "excessive noises ... shatter the solid bodies even of inanimate things", and therefore any sounds made by the planets would necessarily exert a tremendous physical force upon the body.[5]
Boethius believed that musica mundana could only be discovered through the intellect, but that the order found within it was the same as that found in audible music, and that both reflect the beauty of God.[7]
In the final book of Harmonices, Kepler explains how the ratio of the maximum and minimum angular speeds of each planet (i.e., its speeds at the perihelion and aphelion) is very nearly equivalent to a consonant musical interval. Furthermore, the ratios between these extreme speeds of the planets compared against each other create even more mathematical harmonies.[11] These speeds explain the eccentricity of the orbits of the planets in a natural way that appealed to Kepler's religious beliefs in a heavenly creator.[10]
While Kepler did believe that the harmony of the worlds was inaudible, he related the motions of the planets to musical concepts in book four of Harmonices. He makes an analogy between comparing the extreme speeds of one planet and the extreme speeds of multiple planets with the difference between monophonic and polyphonic music. Because planets with larger eccentricities have a greater variation in speed they produce more "notes." Earth's maximum and minimum speeds, for example, are in a ratio of roughly 16 to 15, or that of a semitone, whereas Venus' orbit is nearly circular, and therefore only produces a singular note. Mercury, which has the largest eccentricity, has the largest interval, a minor tenth, or a ratio of 12 to 5. This range, as well as the relative speeds between the planets, led Kepler to conclude that the Solar System was composed of two basses (Saturn and Jupiter), a tenor (Mars), two altos (Venus and Earth), and a soprano (Mercury), which had sung in "perfect concord," at the beginning of time, and could potentially arrange themselves to do so again.[11] He was certain of the link between musical harmonies and the harmonies of the heavens and believed that "man, the imitator of the Creator," had emulated the polyphony of the heavens so as to enjoy "the continuous duration of the time of the world in a fraction of an hour."[10]
Kepler was so convinced of a creator that he was convinced of the existence of this harmony despite a number of inaccuracies present in Harmonices. Many of the ratios differed by an error greater than simple measurement error from the true value for the interval, and the ratio between Mars' and Jupiter's angular velocities does not create a consonant interval, though every other combination of planets does. Kepler brushed aside this problem by making the argument, with the math to support it, that because these elliptical paths had to fit into the regular solids described in Mysterium the values for both the dimensions of the solids and the angular speeds would have to differ from the ideal values to compensate. This change also had the benefit of helping Kepler retroactively explain why the regular solids encompassing each planet were slightly imperfect.[10] Philosophers posited that the Creator liked variation in the celestial music.[12]
For there is a musicke where-ever there is a harmony, order or proportion; and thus farre we may maintain the musick of the spheres; for those well ordered motions, and regular paces, though they give no sound unto the eare, yet to the understanding they strike a note most full of harmony. Whatsoever is harmonically composed, delights in harmony.
In celestial mechanics, orbital resonance occurs when orbiting bodies exert regular, periodic gravitational influence on each other, usually because their orbital periods are related by a ratio of small integers. This has been referred to as a "modern take" on the theory of musica universalis.[14] This idea has been further explored in a musical animation, created by an artist at the European Southern Observatory, of the planetary system TOI-178, which has five planets locked in a chain of orbital resonances.[14][15]
A concert band arrangement by Philip Sparke has also used the name "Music of the Spheres" and is often used as a set test piece, with a notable studio performance recorded by the YBS Band while led by maestro Professor David King.
During the 2008 BBC Proms Doctor Who segment, a short interactive mini-episode starring David Tennant and written by showrunner Russell T Davies titled Music of the Spheres was played. This sees the Doctor attempting to compose Ode to the Universe, basing his works on the Music of the Spheres. This piece continues the metaphysical theories of the musica universalis by arguing that the audience themselves are part of the composition.
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Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Crawl! Deathmatch! (Intro), Wizard Van, Shadows on the Wasteland, Razor Blades in Apples, Alembic Key - Soundscapes for DCC100, The Music of the Spheres is Chaos, Neon Lords Theme, Music from Down We Go, and 12 more. , and , . Purchasable with gift card Buy Digital Discography $55.50 USD or more (25% OFF) Send as Gift about This track is inspired by Goodman Games' DCC100 The Music of the Spheres is Chaos. Although it's my second DCC song, it was the first to be written and recorded. Being a DCC fanboy, I'd heard rumblings about this adventure since 2019. Then I heard Harley Stroh talking about it on the Spellburn podcast. His obsession was contagious. At the time I didn't know Harley or anyone at Goodman Games. They sure as hell didn't know me. Nobody asked for the song but I sent it to Harley anyway. I got very lucky that he and Joseph Goodman were so receptive to it. One thing led to another and we offered it as a flexi-disk as part of the DCC100 Kickstarter. Special thank to Stephan Poag for the art and to Matt Hildebrand for doing such a great job with the look and layout of the flexi. $(".tralbum-about").last().bcTruncate(TruncateProfile.get("tralbum_about"), "more", "less"); lyrics In the days of eons past
A brotherhood of kings gone mad
Wanting to consume the gods
Philosophized to change the odds
Deep into a mountain they bored
Then down below with a treasure hoard
A thousand slaves to sacrifice
There they built a strange device
The music of the spheres is chaos
A symphony composed to drive men mad
What you want, what you fear
What may come when you spin the wheel
The gleaming domes above the earth
Have all collapsed and lost their worth
But down below the flames still burn
And waits a key that must be turned
The music of the spheres is chaos
A symphony composed to drive men mad
What you want, what you fear
What may come when you spin the wheel
Your life is on trial
And all the while
The wheel keeps on turning
But way down below
The elements flow
A maelstrom is churning
In chaos
The music of the spheres is chaos
A symphony composed to drive men mad
The music of the spheres is chaos
A symphony composed to drive men mad
What you want, what you fear
What may come when you spin the wheel $(".lyricsText").last().bcTruncate(TruncateProfile.get("tralbum_long"), "more", "less"); credits released September 1, 2023
All instruments by Loot the Body
Mixed and Mastered by Francesco Petrelli
Art by Stefan Poag
Layout by Matt Hildebrand
DCC RPG is a trademark of Goodman Games
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