The Ultimate Melody
"The Ultimate Melody" is a science fiction short story by British writer Arthur C. Clarke, first published in 1957.[1] The story describes the work of a physiologist who attempts to discover the connections between music and the rhythms of the electrical pulses in the brain. He believed that all "hit-tunes" were merely poor reflections of an "ultimate" melody, and he built a machine to search for this tune. By the end of the story, he succeeds, but the influence of the melody is so powerful that he becomes completely catatonic.
| "The Ultimate Melody" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Author | Arthur C. Clarke |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | Tales from the White Hart |
| Genre(s) | Science fiction |
| Published in | If |
| Publication type | Magazine |
| Publisher | Quinn Publications |
| Publication date | February 1957 |
| Preceded by | "Critical Mass" |
| Followed by | "The Pacifist" |
The piece was later published as the sixth story in Clarke's collection Tales from the White Hart.[2]
References
- "Bibliography: The Ultimate Melody". Internet Speculative Fiction Database. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
- Clarke, Arthur C. (1957). Tales from the White Hart. London: Ballantine Books. p. Forward.
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