How can music vary so widely, but be so universally enjoyed? What might Beethoven and the Beatles have in common? And how is it that any music sounds so great in the first place? In this course we’ll discuss the elements of (Western) tonal harmony, why the twelve-tone scale works so well, and the science of harmony and resonance. We’ll also talk about the psychological, gripping effects of music, and the (surprising) interrelation of musical paradigms across centuries