“I had an extremeÂly slow-dawnÂing insight about creÂation,” writes eclecÂtiÂcalÂly mindÂed musiÂcian David Byrne in the openÂing chapÂter of his new book How Music Works. “That insight is that conÂtext largeÂly deterÂmines what is writÂten, paintÂed, sculptÂed, sung, or perÂformed.” This comes as only the first in a series of illuÂmiÂnatÂing ideas Byrne lays out in the text, a far-reachÂing medÂiÂtaÂtion on artisÂtic creÂation through the field that hapÂpens to be his speÂcialÂty. ApproachÂing music — you know, the stuff he made at the front of the TalkÂing Heads and conÂtinÂues to make in solo albums and colÂlabÂoÂraÂtions with the likes of BriÂan Eno and St. VinÂcent — from as many angles as he can, he writes about its techÂnolÂoÂgy, the busiÂness of it, its social eleÂments, its role in his life, and what sciÂence and nature have to teach us about its mechanÂics. For more on that last bit, watch the above conÂverÂsaÂtion from Seed magÂaÂzine, which sits Byrne down with Dan LevÂitin, neuÂroÂsciÂenÂtist, musiÂcian, and author of This is Your Brain on Music. Though it preÂcedes the pubÂliÂcaÂtion of How Music Works by about five years, the chat covÂers great stretchÂes of highÂly relÂeÂvant ground.
WatchÂing this back-and-forth, I could swear to seeÂing some of the conÂcepts develÂoped in How Music Works takÂing earÂly shape in Byrne’s head. He and LevÂitin disÂcuss the wideÂspread susÂpiÂcion of delibÂerÂate craft in an ostenÂsiÂbly emoÂtionÂal form like rock and roll; the way music genÂerÂates pleaÂsure by takÂing detours and disÂruptÂing patÂterns; the relaÂtionÂship between underÂstandÂing songs and acquirÂing lanÂguages; the senÂsoÂry simÂiÂlarÂiÂties between lisÂtenÂing to music and drinkÂing wine; the nature of trance states; and the long-standÂing yet seemÂingÂly now changÂing social funcÂtion of music. Byrne admits that music actuÂalÂly helped him change his own behavÂior: “I used music as a real tool to find my way into engagÂing socialÂly,” he says, and this ties in with everyÂthing the two have spent the past hour talkÂing about. IntelÂlecÂtuÂal though their musiÂcophilÂia may seem, they nevÂer forÂget about the pre-ratioÂnal eleÂments of the musiÂcal expeÂriÂence. The guidÂing notion of their conÂverÂsaÂtion might have been summed up by Carl Sagan: “It is someÂtimes said that sciÂenÂtists are unroÂmanÂtic,” he wrote in anothÂer conÂtext, “but is it not stirÂring to underÂstand how the world actuÂalÂly works? It does no harm to the romance of the sunÂset to know a litÂtle bit about it.”
RelatÂed conÂtent:
OlivÂer Sacks Talks Music with Jon StewÂart
David Byrne: How ArchiÂtecÂture Helped Music Evolve
ColÂin MarÂshall hosts and proÂduces NoteÂbook on Cities and CulÂture. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall.
What David says about poetÂry havÂing a sonÂic qualÂiÂty made me think of the poetÂry of GerÂard ManÂley HopÂkins, whose “sprung rhythm” is as much a part of his poems as are the words.