Darwin’s Theories, Speaking Musically

29 December 2009

This year marked the 200th anniversary of what may be the most important science book ever written: Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species.

Darwin was British, and throughout 2009, the English have been particularly proud, issuing a Darwin coin, official stamps and a variety of celebratory exhibitions.

But none of the Darwin-mania was lost on this side of the pond, even in musical circles. David Balakrishnan, violinist and founder of the Grammy-winning Turtle Island Quartet, composed a piece titled Tree of Life, inspired in part by Darwin’s groundbreaking book. It’s a large-scale multimedia composition (commissioned by the Lied Center at the University of Kansas), mixing theatre, dance, video, spoken word, a wind ensemble and the Turtle Island Quartet itself.

[Source: NPR: American Public Media]

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Posted by Oscar Retterer

Celebrate Darwin’s Origin

24 November 2009

150 years ago, on this date, The Origin of Species was published. This seminal scientific text started a revolution in our understanding of the world around us and generated a storm of discussion. It is a reflection of its idea’s power that it is still causing reactions today.

The book remains a fascinating read 150 years later. The full text is available free from Project Gutenberg.

Watch Darwin’s Lost Paradise, a dramatic reconstruction of the voyages of the Beagle and the origin of Darwin’s theory, in English or in French on Athena Web. Also free; registration is required.

Leave a Comment » | Education, General, Media Distribution, Open Access | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by Oscar Retterer

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