Pythagoras, the ancient Greek thinker known for his famous theorem about triangles, also delved into music theory. However, a recent study suggests that some of his ideas about music may not hold true.
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Pythagoras believed that the pleasant harmony of musical notes, known as consonance, was due to the simple numerical relationships between them. These relationships, called integer ratios, were thought to create beautiful chords, while deviations from them resulted in dissonance.
But a study published in the journal Nature Communications has found flaws in Pythagoras' theories. Researchers from the University of Cambridge, Princeton, and the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics discovered that humans do not always prefer chords based on precise mathematical ratios. In fact, slight deviations from these ratios were found to be more appealing, as they added depth and vitality to the music.
Additionally, the study revealed that the influence of these mathematical relationships varies with different musical instruments. Instruments less familiar to Western musicians, such as bells, gongs, xylophones, and the bonang, an Indonesian percussion instrument, do not adhere to Pythagoras' principles in the same way.
These findings challenge long-held beliefs about the relationship between mathematics and music, highlighting the complexity of human perception and musical aesthetics.
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