Music, Science and Flights of Fancy in Musurgia Universalis

In this lunchtime talk, lecturer and philosopher Dr Jenny Judge unpacks the philosophical theories Athanasius Kircher tried to revive and defend in Musurgia Universalis, his 1650 compendium of music theory from the Rare Music Collection, evaluating their success, while also illuminating Kircher as a strikingly unique scholar. Jenny provides insights into how as long as there has been science and philosophy, the brightest among us have felt the power of music and struggled to make sense of it.

Presented in partnership with the PGAV’s Analog Art program, Archives and Special Collections’ Spotlight Series features archivists, librarians, curators, researchers, academics and artists. Each session spotlights the wonders these collections hold and creates an informal space for engaging in critical conversations, reflective discussions, slow looking, creative workshops, talks and much more.