(PDF) Musica Universalis: From the Lambdoma of Pythagoras to the Tonality Diamond of Harry Partch
Philosopher/mathematician/musician Pythagoras of Samos (ca. 570—ca. 490 BCE) is credited with the historic discovery of the relationship between musical harmony and mathematics, and his teachings about the divine nature of music and numbers live through to today in the concept of musica universalis or “the music of the spheres.” Although Pythagoras left no writings behind, his ideas found expression in the works of Plato, Iamblichus, Nicomachus, Boethius, and others. In the 20th century these ideas inspired the works of American microtonal composer/theorist Harry Partch, along with German “harmonicists” such as Hans Kayser and Rudolf Haase. By tracing a line between the Lambdoma of Pythagoras and the Tonality Diamond of Harry Partch, and through comprehensive review of Pythagorean harmonic concepts embedded in various ancient philosophical texts along with modern works on microtonal music theory, we examine the connection between the two disciplines, and ponder whether a study of eithe