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Documentary Focuses on Link Between Mathematics and the Piano

July 23, 2010 

Pythagoras, Galileo, Bach, and Newton all tried to create a “perfect” musical harmony. Now, the story of their efforts will be told and heard in Appassionato: A Mathematical History of the Piano.

According to an article in Melodika, "The feature length documentary is an ode to pianos, music, math; and, the leaders of art and thought who dared to challenge notions of what is possible in our world." 

The film features original interviews with contemporary mathematicians and musicians from UCLA, USC, Yale, Princeton, and MIT. 

The documentary is a Kickstarter Project and is looking for additional funding to complete production. Click here for a preview. 

In an interview on The Kickstarter Blog, Appassionato creator Michael LaPointe discussed the influences behind the film and the overall connection between art and science. 

 "As a society, I think we are slowly realizing there is no division between art and science, or music and math specifically," said LaPointe." You need math to adjust the right amount of tension on the piano strings to make a sound; but also, if we think of mathematics as being black and white, then we would have never come up with the modern-day mathematical concepts we have today, such as Game Theory."

Visit the documentary's official site here

Source: Melodika (July 21, 2010); The Kickstarter Blog (July 16, 2010)

Start Date: 
Friday, July 23, 2010