Bach’s Compositions: In Search of Musical Entropy

Someone directed me to an article in Smithsonian Magazine, “Secret Mathematical Patterns Revealed in Bach’s Music” (February 16, this year). It reports on a study that attempted to quantify the “information entropy” or “surprise” in some of Bach’s compositions. But the study’s way of describing musical surprise is limited, and it will identify as surprising certain kinds of musical passages that really are not.

Here’s a summary from Smithsonian:

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Jason Lee Steorts

Jason Lee Steorts is a former managing editor of National Review.

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Someone directed me to an article in Smithsonian Magazine, “Secret Mathematical Patterns Revealed in Bach’s Music” (February 16, this year). It reports on a study that attempted to quantify the “information entropy” or “surprise” in some of Bach’s compositions. But the study’s way of describing musical surprise is limited, and it will identify as surprising certain kinds of musical passages that really are not.

Here’s a summary from Smithsonian: