Two hundred and fifty years ago today saw the birth of one Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. You may have heard of him.
Over on the opendotdotdot blog, Technology Guardian's friend and contributor Glyn Moody puts forward the possibility that Mozart was a hacker, not just a composer.
Computers may not have existed in the eighteenth century, but the musical machines called orchestras and choirs are conceptually identical to synthesisers, which are themselves specialised music computers. Just as programming code specifies how a computer should act (and a MIDI file controls a synthesiser), so musical code – in the form of a score – directs what instruments and voices should do and when.
Not sure how far I agree, but still it's a nice attempt to co-opt this musical legend into the geek world. Rock me Amadeus indeed.
