Evening star., 1948-04-19
This and That
BIZ Charles Z. TrncetDel

Birds make music: therefore they like music
1t is as simple rs that.
Any one can prove this by opening window
and permitting music to flow forth.
The effect will be double, Of course, If one
feeds the birds.
There will then be more Of them around
and the response will be louder.
1t Is impossible for the birds to listen to
photograph, radio or what may be called real"
music without singing in reply.
The quality Of sound increases at once, in
q noticeable manner
Robins song sparrows Baltimore orioles
and the rest of the birds present in spring pep"
up the sounds they make.
They sing, as usual, but the sounds from
the house seem to spur them on.
Piano or violin music has . good effect.
The radio was playing sections from Ferde
Groffes Grand Canyon" suite
The sections entitled Sunrise" and ION the
Trail particularly pleased the BIRDS
Symphonic music stimulates them, 10 does
Latin-American music, much more than does
swing iazz or modern" music, so-called.
Since the birds were the first musicians, this
is not strange. They know nothing of our
musical theory, or composition, but they both
compose and know music.
Music Is not just man-made, but merely
expresses itself through man.
It also expresses itself through birds.
that can be said to employ musical sounds as
. part OF their scheme of things.
It Is impossible for any one not to feel the
relationship between mockingbird singing
and a soprano on the operatic stage
Human composers do not know just how
much they are indebted to the birds.
Is 1t not strange that such small creatures,
clearly lacking in all education" of the hu-
man kind, should nevertheless hit upon many
Of the very same musical devices?
Bird songs with few exceptions can be set
down in our musical notation. The sounds =
certain species are reproduced best by the
violin, others by the piano; but in no case
can such instruments be said to give faithful
reproduction.
The quality of bird songs Is far different from
that made by metal, catgut or wood.
Yet It shares with all these mediums OF man
made musical sounds q certain likeness which
has enabled composers to reproduce fairly well,
in great orchestral numbers, the plain sounds
Of the cuckoo, certain fnches. and other birds,
including the rooster and hen.
The birds in our gardens deserve to share in
our own musical adventures, mostly because
they enjoy the experiences.
It is good thing to keep this idea in mind,
especially in spring and summer.
BY sharing ones own music with the birds,
one is helped and the birds are pleased.
1t is impossible to listen to them without
realizing this.
There is q plain increase in the quantity Of
their music, and the sensitive will be able to
feel that the quality of 1t is augmented. too.
What will amaze every human listener we
feel sure, Is how well the bird sounds go" with
the music from the house
There is no clashing, no discord but all bird
notes blend in well with the human music,
no matter what is being played.
This comes about, one may feel, because the
soul of music, however made or intended, Is q
very real thing. whether it is q manifestation
from bird life or human life.
Dogs, cats, tigers, hyenas, insects, fishes-all
these can make sounds. but none Of them has
any idea whatever of music.
Birds and men, however, share the great
secret between them.
It is music, which in the end may turn into
the music of the spheres, II We all work hard
enough at 1t.
This great symphony, called Peace" must
come about. II music Is not to be driven from
the earth by noise, its antithesis.