this page honors Johannes Kepler (1571-1630)

In his book The Harmony of The World (published in 1619), Johannes Kepler developed his imaginative ideas from all four of what were known at the time as the mathematical sciences: arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music. The quotations are from his book.


"[W]e … speak of melody, that is harmonious intervals which are not abstract but realized in sound."

♫ ♪ Song without words for four flutes, kalimbas, synthesizer, fretless bass, and percussion: Choose a format to play or download: MP3 | MIDI.

"For it is not only in sounds and in human melody that they yield their charm, but also in other things…."

♫ ♪ Fugue for two flutes, synthesized kalimba, and fretless bass: Choose a format to play or download: MP3 | MIDI.


"[H]armonic proportions also occur at their own time, and thus subsist not in BEING but in BECOMING."

♫ ♪ Song without words for four flutes in C and G, synthesizer, percussive organ, kalimbas, fretless bass, and percussion: Choose a format to play or download: MP3 | MIDI.

"[W]e express the ideas of the intervals alone, which have been implanted by nature, in music…."

♫ ♪ Fugue for two flutes, synthesizer, and fretless bass: Choose a format to play or download: MP3 | MIDI.


"[T]he whole nature of harmony … is to be discovered among the celestial motions."

♫ ♪ Dub mix for two synthesized kalimbas, synthesizer, percussive organ, fretless bass, and percussion: Choose a format to play or download: MP3 | MIDI.

"[I]t is also settled that all the planets are eccentric … they change their distances from the Sun…."

♫ ♪ Fugue for flute, two kalimbas, and fretless bass: Choose a format to play or download: MP3 | MIDI.


"For harmony is a certain relationship of unity: therefore they are united if they are all at one…."

♫ ♪ Dub mix for two flutes, kalimbas, fretless bass, and percussion: Choose a format to play or download: MP3 | MIDI.

"Let this Titan [the sun] have what belongs to him … the brilliant circle at the heart of the cosmos…."

♫ ♪ Fugue for flute, two kalimbas, and fretless bass: Choose a format to play or download: MP3 | MIDI.