Big Bangs: Five Musical Revolutions

In this work the author guides the reader through five developments in the history of western music; starting with the invention of notation by an 11th century Italian monk, taking in the invention of equal temperament (the gaps between notes), the invention of the piano and that of opera and ending with the story of the first recording made in history - "Mary Had a Little Lamb" by Thomas Edison. The author aims to make these complicated musical advances both clear to the layman and interesting, as well as offering a sense of culture of trial and error and competition, be it in 11th century Italy or 19th century America, in which all progress takes place. Musical history is littered with also-rans - not least the Lyraflugel and the Enphonicon Harp-piano - so each "big bang" is chosen on the grounds that music was never the same after its invention, allowing this biography of 1000 years' endeavour to offer a window on the crucial moments in our musical culture - discoveries that made possible everything from Bach to the Beatles.