BWV 4
Human beings, from our beginnings, have been pattern-seeking creatures. We look at the stars and find constellations. We organize pitch and rhythm and discover music. We are drawn to symmetry and balance, whether in faces, architecture, poetry, or the stories we tell.
Patterns are not merely pleasing, though. They help us remember. Plainchant in the Christian Church developed, in part, to aid in the memorization of biblical texts, psalms, and prayers. Culture is largely preserved through patterns: the stories, the rituals, and the songs we pass down. These things can hold a community together across centuries. At the most fundamental level, our instinct for pattern helps us answer the question: What comes next?