The Spitalfields Mathematical Society was a club for working men which met in taverns around Christ Church from 1717 to give “the public at large an opportunity of increasing their knowledge, on terms so easy, as to be within the reach of every individual, who has a taste to cultivate, or curiosity to gratify.” It thrived for over a century before merging into the Royal Astronomical Society in the 1840s, educating “many weavers, and the rest were typically brewers, braziers, bakers, bricklayers”.
Although the professions of our local community have since changed, we’re all about educating and inspiring so are drawing on this ethos to present Professor James Sparks from the University of Oxford talking about the mathematical genius of Bach, illustrated through a performance of the Goldberg Variations, with accompanying interactive maths puzzles for the audience.
Alexandra Wood Director/Violin
James Sparks Presenter and Mathematician
City of London Sinfonia
DOORS OPEN AT 7pm
RUNNING TIME: 90 minutes with no interval
Download the programme here
NB: Christ Church Spitalfields is organised over two main floors: Nave and Gallery. On the booking page, ‘Ground floor’ indicates a seat in the nave; ‘first floor’ indicates a seat in the Gallery with good sightlines; and ‘second floor’ indicates a restricted view seat in the Gallery. All sections are unreserved, so seats will be allocated according to availability within your section when you arrive at the performance.
