4Friday: Einstein, Mozart, Black Holes, and ASLAP

This week I've been subbing with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, performing "Icarus at the Edge of Time", a fascinating multimedia piece that explores a modern retelling of the Greek myth based on the science of relativity and black holes. That got me thinking about Einstein, the theory of general relativity, and the nature of time and music.

1

100 years ago, Einstein produced his theory of general relativity. During the difficult times of his life, Einstein often turned to the music of Mozart for inspiration. Here is a fascinating article from the New York Times that explores that relationship between scientist and composer.

2

It is rumored that Einstein's favorite work was Mozart's Sonata for Violin and Piano in E minor, K. 304. Here is a vintage performance of it by Nathan Milstein, violin, and Leon Pommers, piano.

3

Here is the official trailer of "Icarus at the Edge of Time", a multimedia performance based on the children's book by physics and math professor Brian Greene with music by Philip Glass, script collaboration with David Henry Hwang, and video by and Al+Al, telling the story of a young boy who flies towards a black hole. If you get a chance to catch a performance of it, by all means do so! Wonderful music, story, and visuals that will leave you awestruck with the mysteries of the universe as depicted by Einstein's theory of general relativity.

Visit http://www.worldsciencefestival.com/icarus-edge-time/ for a list of upcoming performances.

4

John Cage's Organ²/ASLSP (As SLow aS Possible) is currently being performed at St. Burchardi church in Halberstadt, Germany. Having begun in 2001, each note takes 2 to 3 years to be played. The final note will play in the year 2640. Here is the official website of the performance: http://www.aslsp.org/

And here is a performance of one of the notes.