art music and scientists

[music]

I wonder if anyone besides me has noticed what appears to be a fairly strong correlation between loving science/math and loving art music ("classical" music, jazz, and so on)?

 

And also, what is your favorite music?

[Appolinaria]

I can break down my taste in music into these categories;

 

• Shoe-gaze and 80's rock. Things like Spacemen 3, New Order, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Cure, Echo & the Bunnymen. Something about it reminds me of being a lonely, romantic youth wandering the halls of my high school on a rainy day. This is because it's all I listened to at the time.
• Classical Indian music. There is something so magical and otherworldly about sitars.
• Electronic Music. Only kinds that either A.) Sound like you're floating through space. Even though space would really not sound anything like that. But you get what I mean. or B.) Use tons of disco samples.
• Australian electronic bands. I have a strange affinity for these for no apparent reason.
• Also music involving steel drums. Not only did Disney movies terrorize and brainwash me, but I think I owe my steel drum fascination to the Little Mermaid. But I'm not sure. This could just be me being paranoid.
• Almost forgot 8-bit music.

Edited June 6, 2012 by Appolinaria

[timo]

I've experienced an interest and talent for music in mathematicians, mostly. I was under the impression that this correlation between math and music is well known.

 

Myself, I mostly hear Punk (for its simplicity that makes it suitable as background noise) and a wide variety of Techno: mostly Ambient and Drum'n'Bass, but sometimes also the stereotypical Techno with a straight hard baseline (when writing code or doing similar brainless but work-intensive jobs on the computer). Classical music bores me to death, which is a bit unfortunate since some of my European colleagues play in an orchestra (it bores me so much I don't even come to their concerts despite the social aspect of it).

[imatfaal]

Joy Division, Nick Cave, REM, and for chill out Nick Drake. Unlike the others I am also a great fan of classical music; bit of Opera, lots of Bartok, and early choral music. Study and writing music tends to be one or two albums on loop - whenever I reread anything I have written I will be able to recall the music I had playing whilst working. I find that if I have a varied selection I tend to stop working and start listening too much - but a few well known albums looping stops me hearing extraneous noise without being intrusive.

 

Last album really played to death Villagers "Becoming a Jackal"

Most played song in itunes before I ditched itunes - Aretha Franklin - "Chain of Fools"