Music Explained as Science and Art, And Considered in its Analogical Relations to Religious Mysteries, Ancient Mythology, and the History of the World

Ever since Pythagoras demonstrated the mathematical basis of music and its powerful effect on the soul, the Western esoteric tradition has been deeply involved with both the science and the art of tone. Fabre d'Olivet (1767-1825) was the first to restate the Pythagorean ideas in modern terms, and to show the way for music to regain its spiritual heritage. This demands a complete reevaluation of what most people consider to be the nature and the purpose of music. Fearless in his criticism of the trivialization of music in his own time, Fabre d'Olivet recalls its ancient glory in China, Egypt, and Greece. He finds that music is rooted in the same principles as the universe itself, and that it is intimately connected with the destiny of humankind. Fabre d’ Olivet spent his life pursuing the esoteric wisdom concealed in the Hebrew scriptures, Greek philosophy, and the symbolism of ancient nations as far back as Atlantis. A man of astonishing insights and strange revelations, he is increasingly recognized as an essential link in the golden chain of Western theosophy. But his importance is not only historical: like his contemporary, Beethoven, he is a prophetic figure with a message for our own age. Joscelyn Godwin provides us with the first English translation of this work and a fascinating biography of d’Olivet. Professor of Music at Colgate University, New York, Godwin is also the author of Harmonies of Heaven and Earth and the editor of Music, Mysticism and Magic and Cosmic Music. His introduction, notes, and appendixes make this the fullest presentation in any language of Fabre d’Olivet’s musical thought.