How can math help us express something as utterly human as emotions in music? 1632-11-24 is the date of birth of Dutch philosopher Benedict Spinoza. In Spinozas time, Europe was in a state of constant war, where people with power wanted to expand their possessions, invading other territories. Spinozas philosophy can be seen as a reaction to these things, providing a framework to cope with them. Well that was back then. Or what? Now, with the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine, it seems that history is repeating itself. How can we preserve humanity in all this? Can math and numbers in music help us get in touch with our humanity? Sometimes, distancing yourself from yourself might be a path to getting closer to yourself, by getting closer to the world around you. Paradox?
Listen to the improvisations here: https://soundcloud.com/chcordes/sets/improvisations-on-spinoza04