Crazy name, crazy guy

I'm reading Science & Music by Sir James Jeans (what a fantastic name). It was first published in 1937. I bought the Dover reprint in 1976 for £1.75, which is roughly what the book still costs secondhand on abebooks.com. Or if you must have a new copy you can get it from Amazon.

It's good writing of its period, which does mean that it now feels a little stiff. And surely 'shew' instead of 'show' was obsolete long before 1937? Never mind, he covers the physics of music admirably, without ever becoming too forbiddingly technical. Helmholtz's theory of harmony, which attempts to determine the amount of dissonance produced by any given pair of pure tones, is intriguing. And I love Jeans's speculations about the music of the future: watch out for the 53-note scale.

Following my trip to Sarrant last month I have now got hold of a copy of Clochemerle. Published at almost exactly the same time as Jeans, but much much racier..... more to follow.