With limited theoretical understanding of the science of sound--armed with only the ear and the mind--composers, conductors, instrument designers, and performers worked a stunning series of miracles in a period from the sixteenth century to the mid-nineteenth century. The net result of these efforts is the modern symphony orchestra--a work of consummate perfection. The symphony is a supreme example of the potential for cooperative performance of highly trained individuals with a common goal and unique, irreplaceable contributions.

 

For these innovators to arrive at their avowed destination, it was essential that they operate with no misconceptions about the nature of sound. Given that the end result is clearly the aural satisfaction of the listener, an understanding of the production and the reception of sound was critical. Only on the basis of truth could the ultimate objective be achieved. Indeed, the universe of possibilities surely drove the symphonic innovators to new accomplishments.

 

For our purposes, it is probably wise to not consider the details, but rather the scope of the accomplishment. First, it was necessary to take unbounded sound and form a structure around the organized production of sound. Clearly, music of a sort has been created since man could vocalize. With time, the concept of pitch was developed--expanding to the use of primitive scales. With time, octaves were discovered--subsequent to which basic intervals were understood and defined.

 

Intervals were not only useful for conceiving melodies, they were found to provide a compelling effect when produced together to form a chord. With experimentation, innovators found that there were a number of ways to create sounds--drawing a bow across a string, blowing on cylinders of various shapes and sizes, and striking objects of many kinds.

 

 

Discernment was a critical element in this process of experimentation. Some sounds were found to be enjoyable and compelling--others were irritating.

     

Throughout history experiments have been made to determine the most acceptable arrangement of notes in each octave: that is, how many notes there shall be and what shall be the frequency relationship between them. The discussion will obviously continue forever, since it is a matter of personal taste. However, there can be no doubt that uniformity in scale choice is convenient, as is selecting a standard pitch at which to play.  

     

Early on, the symphonic innovators made compromises and adjustments to allow for improved musical enjoyment. In all cases, there were many factors to be considered--not only with respect to pitch and tonality, but with respect to rhythm, various percussive effects, inflections, and many stylistic effects.

 

From the simple, pure tones of the voice to the complex mix of sounds that orchestral instruments are capable of producing stimulated this search for inclusion and integration. In a relentless effort to enrich music that was inherited by multiple generations, the underlying physics of sound served as the ultimate guideline.