What helped Einstein understand the universe? It was likely neither physics nor mathematics, but music. Perhaps without music, the Theory of Relativity might never have existed. How much did Einstein love music? It wasn't just a casual hobby; his passion bordered on professional level. He didn't play music as a mere pastime; he truly used it as a tool for thinking. Einstein not only played the violin but took it incredibly seriously, dedicating immense effort to it. He started at age six and never stopped until his death. His technical skill was certainly among the top tier, if not that of a professional performer. Einstein’s greatest idol was Mozart; he even remarked that Mozart’s music wasn't 'written' but discovered in nature, much like physical laws. To Einstein, Mozart’s music was perfect and objectively existent, just like the laws of physics. Music was directly involved in his scientific thought process; he admitted he 'thought in music.' Whenever he hit a wall in his work, he would play the violin, and often, his mental blocks would vanish, leading to new theories. While some dismiss this as mysticism, the essence of music is structure—it is physics. This includes temporal structures (rhythm), proportional structures (chords), symmetry (harmony and melody), and transformational structures. These are identical to the laws of physics. Einstein constantly searched for invariants, symmetry, and relationships in physics, and he found their correspondences in music. He even used music to judge others. His favorite activity was playing chamber music; if your rhythm was off or you couldn't grasp his musical logic, he would consider your thinking undisciplined. In short, if you didn't understand music, you probably couldn't earn Einstein's respect.
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