Music is math, and math is language. Music is based on patterns, rhythms, and ratios, the same ideas that make up math. Notes and beats follow patterns that can be measured and explained with numbers. Math is a language because it helps us share ideas clearly with anyone. Put together, music becomes a kind of math that can express feelings and meaning without using words.
I chose the following 10 pieces because together they have a balance of emotion, geography, and human experience. Here are some points for each of my selected Voyager Golden Record tracks to help explain why I think they should be the top 10.
- Wedding Song (Peru)
This track is a celebratory song focusing on happiness and future. It represents joy, love, and community which are universal human experiences. It is about new beginnings and hope, aligning with the spirit of the Voyager mission. It has good steady rhythm and repetition of sounds.
- Bach, Well-Tempered Clavier Book 2, No. 1 – Glenn Gould
This song uses simple piano tones that sound relaxing and joyful. It shows human creativity, skill, and intelligence. The clear patterns in the music reveal the link between math and sound.
- Tchakrulo – Georgian Choir
This song contains a powerful choir, sounds meaningful and uplifting. It’s a wonderful example of complex vocal harmony and teamwork. It’s emotional conveying strength and resilience. It represents cultural unity and the shared human voice.
- Navajo Night Chant
This track honors Indigenous knowledge and ceremony. It’s steady rhythm and repeating patterns reflect the human connection between music, nature, and well-being. The song’s structure invites participation, allowing others to join in and share the experience.
- Melancholy Blues – Louis Armstrong
In this song the trumpet is powerful yet relaxing at the same time, feels like a story is being told through all the different variations in the music rather than through words. It captures the soulful heart of jazz. The improvisation shows human individuality and expression. It feels timeless and personal.
- Johnny B. Goode – Chuck Berry
This song tells a story of adventure. It’s energetic and represents the birth of rock ‘n’ roll, a defining musical revolution. It conveys optimism, exploration, and the human desire to reach for something bigger, the same concept that drives a space mission.
- Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground – Blind Willie Johnson
This song is about sorrow and times of difficulty. It represents loneliness and endurance showcasing human struggle. The few words in the song let the emotion and music speak for themselves, in a way anyone can understand. It balances the other songs by showing a different side of human emotion.
- El Cascabel – Lorenzo Barcelata and the Mariachi México
This song is vibrant and rhythmic, it’s instantly joyful and danceable. It shows Mexico’s cultural pride and skill in music, and how music can bring people together to celebrate.
- Beethoven’s 5th Symphony
This song is one of the most recognizable pieces of classical music worldwide. It represents triumph over adversity. It demonstrates the sophistication and emotional power of an orchestra.
- Tchenhoukoumen, percussion Senegal
This song highlights musical traditions of West Africa, where rhythm and drumming are central to community life. It’s complex percussion patterns communicate emotion and energy without words.