Title: A non-technical introduction to the physics behind music
Product review: Although I'm personally a fan of Helmholtz's somewhat datedOn the Sensations of Tone, "Science and Music" is in my collection because it condenses the essential physics (and a little bit of the biology) underlying music. Right from the elementary definitions of pitch/frequency/period, Sir James Jeans covers the theory of vibrations, the characteristics of strings & pipes, harmony & discord (including Helmholtz's theory of dissonance) - with a quick tour of [intonational] temperaments, and other miscellaneous topics.The serious reader is probably better off digesting Helmholtz's detailed classic which could, however, prove to be a tedious read for the more casual reader. "Science and Music" instead presents a 'high-school' overview of the physics behind music. The non-technical way in which this book conveys its ideas also allows easy access for those students of music who have a minimal exposure to physics.
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