Editorial
Stylized mid-century modern illustration of a platinum-haired woman with a short buzz cut, wearing a black turtleneck and dark sunglasses, seated at a desk against an orange and teal background. Behind her is an oversized cowboy boot with a visible spur, a vintage rotary telephone, and several hanging bells, all arranged in a retro composition with circular halftone patterns.
Letter from the Editor
L

ong before I knew anything about Pythagorean theory, ratios, acoustic law, or perfect fifths, I was exposed to and influenced by them. As a child, I frequently heard the term “out of proportion.” and sometime later I learned about Pythagoras and the medieval educational structures called Trivium and Quadrivium.

By the time I went to college, my course was set to explore the relationships of math, music, and symbols, focusing on non-representational symbols in various disciplines, but primarily in philosophy and music.

The March issue of Olive pursues the Perfect Fifth as it appears in music, music theory, and poetry. In subsequent issues, I will ruminate on how the term Perfect Fifth is used in other domains. For now, however, please stick with me, even though I know reading and thinking about Perfect Fifths will forever change your “listening experiences.”

Included in #13 are expert opinions, reasons why we like perfect fifths, an essay from Brenda, and cinquains “in the style of” and original. Illustrating this issue is artwork in the style Hieronymus Bosch.

Be brave and read on for The Perfect Fifth in Music!

Judy Green
editor and contributor
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