Sunday 23 February 2020 Mathematical Institute

Bach, the Universe & Everything | The Beauty of Mathematics

Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment

Due to some late cancellations, we now have a handful of tickets left for today’s concert.  These can be purchased by cash or card at the venue from 4.30pm; our box office table is near the main entrance of the Mathematical Institute.

‘When we see images of the strange mathematical beasts lurking at the heart of the natural world – fractal landscapes, the Fibonacci series, the strange attractors that beat at the heart of chaos – it is always the dizzying spirals of Bach that come to mind.’ Douglas Adams

Fresh from two successful seasons in London, Bach, the Universe and Everything visits Oxford for three dates in partnership with the University of Oxford’s Mathematical Institute.  Bach was known for being a ‘mathematical’ composer’, with intricate structures and symmetries in his music reflecting deep truths about the universe.

To explore this, each concert mixes some of Bach’s greatest music and a ground-breaking talk from a leading figure from the world of mathematics.  With a bit of communal singing and conversation, it’s a place where you can bond with music lovers and unravel the mysteries of our universe.

‘For over 30 years the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment has combined highbrow musicology with a tremendous sense of mischief ‘ New Scientist

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Music: Bach Der Herr denket an uns (The Lord hath been mindful of us) BWV 196

Speaker: Dr Vicky Neale, Whitehead Lecturer at the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford

The Science: You’ve heard that some people find mathematics as beautiful as Bach’s music, but you’re not really sure why. Dr Vicky Neale is here to convince you it is, as she explores the intoxicating mysteries of prime numbers.

The Music: This is one of Bach’s first cantatas, written when he was in his early twenties for a friend’s wedding. It features a striking soprano aria, and an overall theme of ‘partnership’, with two factions of instruments uniting to become one.