The Listening Service

The Power of Three

11.25.2018 - By BBC Radio 3Play

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From medieval English music to the Everly Brothers - what is it about the musical interval of the third that sounds so attractive? Why does a major third tend to feel positive, and a minor third tend to feel sad? Nature or nurture? And what about their dark cousin, the tritone - the so-called "Devil in Music" - what on earth can be that sinister about a couple of notes? Tom Service is joined by Dr Adam Ockelford to try and find some answers.

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