The maths of bellringing
John Harrison
- Regions:
- Surrey, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire
- Notice Period:
- Short (maybe less than one month's notice)
- Type:
- Subject enthusiast, experienced speaker
- Fee:
- Unknown: Depends on the group
- Category:
- Science
- Updated:
- 14th October 2022
- Tagged:
- Bellringing | Mathematics
All forms of music has some mathematical structure (scales, chords, rhythm). The music of English-style change-ringing has no chords and no variation of rhythm, but it is underpinned by elegant and fascinating mathematics. The continually changing sequences use what mathematicians call permutative group theory (also found in cryptography and the solutions to Rubiks Cube).
Mathematicians developed group theory in the 19th century, but ringers were applying its principles 200 years earlier. I explains the principles behind change ringing, which come from the physical constraints of swinging bells, the desire for patterns that can be executed from memory, and from the concept of truth, which is unique to change ringing.
I also explain the 3-D models that I built in 1968 to represent change ringing sequences.
See: jaharrison.me.uk/Talks/#MathsRing
About John Harrison
My career was half Chartered Engineer and half Chartered Ergonomics & Human Factors Consultant but I have many other interestes including: photography, fell walking, bell ringing, railways, bricks, human perception and maths. My talks draw on these wide interests and I have given over 250 talks to over 150 different groups. I'm based in Wokingham, Berkshire and can give in-person talks in the surrounding area. I'm also happy to do online talks. Details of each of my talks are on my website at: jaharrison.me.uk/Talks
Other Talks on SpeakerNet by John Harrison
- Living Heritage
- English-style bells and bellringing
- The Settle to Carlisle railway
- Bricks and Brickwork
- Iceland - land of ice and fire
- The Pennine Way
- I'll Take the High Road
- More than meets the eye
- The Human Factor
- Footpaths - an endangered species
- An evolving garden
- The music of bellringing
- The Technology of Bellringing
- The maths of sea waves
- The evolution of electronic displays
- On Growth and Form
- Wheels within wheels
- Lidar in Gorrick Wood
- Changing landscape
Send a message to the speaker
If you are interested in this talk and wish to contact the speaker, please complete the following form: