Conville & Walsh
literary agency
How Music Works
- Author: John Powell
- Category: Non-fiction Other / General Science
- Publisher: Penguin (UK) / Little, Brown (US)
- Pub date: 26 August 2010
- Length: 272 pages
About How Music Works
Thoroughly accessible, and occasionally revelatory ... It’s hard to imagine how Powell could have done a better job
- SPECTATOR
Discover the answers to these and many other questions in John Powell’s charming, straight-talking and ear-opening guide to what music is and how exactly it works. Written by a composer with a PhD in physics, How Music Works is a unique and entertaining guide.
Opening up the world of acoustics and the science of music to deepen our appreciation and understanding of what we listen to, How Music Works covers subjects from the difference between how we hear a musical note and any other kind of sound, to a brief history of the scale system, why a run of arpeggios sounds ‘romantic’ and why a flute sounds different to a clarinet. The perfect book for players and listeners alike
About the Author
Dr John Powell is a professional scientist who is also a classically trained composer. He holds a PhD in high power laser applications from Imperial College (London University) and a Master of Music degree from the University of Sheffield. He is presently a Special Professor at the University of Nottingham (UK) and a Visiting Professor at the University of Lulea (Sweden), as well as running his own laser cutting company in Nottingham. In combination with these scientific research posts, Dr. Powell has also taught musical acoustics at university level and his musical compositions have been performed at various UK venues.
Dr Powell has a passionate interest in all aspects of music and music education. His musical and scientific interests have come together in HOW MUSIC WORKS which explains the inner workings of music to general readers with no scientific or musical training.