I gave my presentation today, and got lots of helpful feedback. A lot of my classmates seem interested and enthusiastic about what I'm doing, and I've been told to check some things out.
Michael Maier:
German alchemist (1568 - 1622). I googled him and have found something he's written called 'Música hermética', which seems promising.
John Hall suggested I check out Sun Ra and the Arkestra. I listened to a sample and it's very Jazz (I don't like Jazz!) And like the crazy Stockhausen, Sun Ra claims: "I never wanted to be a part of planet Earth, but I am compelled to be here, so anything I do for this planet is because the Master-Creator of the Universe is making me do it. I am of another dimension. I am on this planet because people need me". (http://www.elrarecords.com/sunra.html). Seems interesting but I'm not sure if I'll need this....
Mark also informed me that one of the IT guys had taken a few courses on astronomy so I emailed him and he seems happy to help if I need any information.
Michael Maier:
German alchemist (1568 - 1622). I googled him and have found something he's written called 'Música hermética', which seems promising.
John Hall suggested I check out Sun Ra and the Arkestra. I listened to a sample and it's very Jazz (I don't like Jazz!) And like the crazy Stockhausen, Sun Ra claims: "I never wanted to be a part of planet Earth, but I am compelled to be here, so anything I do for this planet is because the Master-Creator of the Universe is making me do it. I am of another dimension. I am on this planet because people need me". (http://www.elrarecords.com/sunra.html). Seems interesting but I'm not sure if I'll need this....
Mark also informed me that one of the IT guys had taken a few courses on astronomy so I emailed him and he seems happy to help if I need any information.
Everyone has been really positive and some of the more complicated questions got me thinking. I was challenged about the idea of radio astronomy as sounds. Technically it is light, converted into sound, so it's not really the sound of the universe. I should firstly make it clear that I'm not advertising these sounds as the modern day version of the music of the spheres; the two are very different. Secondly, just because we can't hear this without the aid of technology, who's to say it can't be heard by other alien species (sorry to get all L. Ron Hubbard on you, but why limit what's possible to the confines of human ability when we're talking about the Universe?). This made me think of a radio programme about dolphin echo location and the idea of using sound as a means of visualising something. But humans can't make use of SONAR without technology.
The sounds attained through radio telescopes aren't just converted for the fun of it. Yes, the radiowaves received in the form of light, and this data is used to study astronomy.
But perhaps my stronger argument here is not the notion that we are 'listening to the universe', but rather that we are 'tuned in' to it, and that astronomers also use this converted sound as scientific data - so I am using what astronomers consider scientific data as a musician. It's one to be careful about.
