Top, Alinari/Art Resource; Associated Press
HARMONY OF THE UNIVERSE
Einstein, who learned to play the
violin as a child and often turned
to music in difficult times, was
especially fond of the sonatas by
Mozart.
Posted on 01/31/2006 3:12:46 AM PST by Pharmboy
Top, Alinari/Art Resource; Associated Press
HARMONY OF THE UNIVERSE
Einstein, who learned to play the
violin as a child and often turned
to music in difficult times, was
especially fond of the sonatas by
Mozart.
Last year, the 100th anniversary of E=mc2 inspired an outburst of symposiums, concerts, essays and merchandise featuring Albert Einstein. This year, the same treatment is being given to another genius, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, born on Jan. 27, 250 years ago.
There is more to the dovetailing of these anniversaries than one might think.
Einstein once said that while Beethoven created his music, Mozart's "was so pure that it seemed to have been ever-present in the universe, waiting to be discovered by the master." Einstein believed much the same of physics, that beyond observations and theory lay the music of the spheres — which, he wrote, revealed a "pre-established harmony" exhibiting stunning symmetries. The laws of nature, such as those of relativity theory, were waiting to be plucked out of the cosmos by someone with a sympathetic ear.
Thus it was less laborious calculation, but "pure thought" to which Einstein attributed his theories.
Einstein was fascinated by Mozart and sensed an affinity between their creative processes, as well as their histories.
As a boy Einstein did poorly in school. Music was an outlet for his emotions. At 5, he began violin lessons but soon found the drills so trying that he threw a chair at his teacher, who ran out of the house in tears. At 13, he discovered Mozart's sonatas.
The result was an almost mystical connection, said Hans Byland, a friend of Einstein's from high school. "When his violin began to sing," Mr. Byland told the biographer Carl Seelig,
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Ping in C sharp minor...
Mozart!
Dear Pharmboy,
Thanks for the ping!
Classical Music Ping List ping!
If you want on or off this list, let me know via FR e-mail.
Thanks!
sitetest
Huh. And Alfed Einstein (who may or may not have been related to Albert) was a renowned Mozart scholar.
Please ping the autism list because many people have claimed in the past that Einstein was an Asberger's (victim?). I think that it is interesting about how much this music affected him.
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