Mathematical Harmony
Joan opened the door and stepped into the entryway, where an elderly man in a plain wool robe stood. “What is this place? The sign outside says ‘Chapter House.’”
“We are the Order of Saint Cecilia.”
“You’re a monastic order?”
“Musicians actually.”
Joan cocked her head and stared at the man.
“Let me show you.” The monk beckoned Joan to enter.
Joan followed, and he led her down a short hall, through another doorway, and into the main room of the Chapter House. Deeply colored kaleidoscopic stain glassed windows were on five of the six sides of the building. In the center was a huge organ. At first Joan thought there was someone sitting on the bench about to play, but as she got closer, she realized rather than a person; it was an automaton.
“Yes, come see how this works,” the monk said.
Joan crossed the room and stood next to the organ.
“Look closely, this is our concert orchestrion.”
The monk walked to a big cabinet and opened the door. Inside was a collection of large, pinned cylinders; he moved his hand along over the cylinders. “Here!” He exclaimed as he pulled one out.
Walking back, the monk opened a cabinet door on the front of the organ and inserted the cylinder. Closing the door, he walked to the side of the organ and picked up a crank handle. Inserting it into the organ, he started winding it.
“This is a French model built in the 1760s. Archytas, a Greek theorist trained in the Pythagorean School, had developed a way to transpose music mathematically into knowledge. King Louis XV commissioned this model to be built.”
“Really,” Joan said. “I’m not sure I believe you.”
“Each of these cylinders is a book transposed by the cypher into an orchestral piece for this organ. All you need is to listen, and you will get the same understanding as if you had read the book.”
Joan looked excited. “Yes, show me.”
The monk flipped a switch, and the haunting, airy music started.
Joan listed and understood.
