Is music a uniquely human trait or a shared language with our animal cousins?
In short: We often view music as a strictly human endeavor, yet the natural world hums with rhythmic patterns and complex vocalizations. From the haunting songs of whales to the rhythmic gaits of horses, animal behaviors create an unwitting orchestra. Are these sounds truly music, or are we projecting our own definitions?
To determine if animals make music, we must first define what music means to us as human animals. This inquiry requires looking beyond our own species to see how musicality might emerge across the animal kingdom. By examining phenomena like Messiaen’s transcriptions of bird calls or the way the rhythmic gaits of horses have echoed in the blues, we can begin to understand the intersection of biology and art.
Milton Mermikides, a composer, guitarist, and academic, explores these questions by bridging the gap between the arts and sciences. Raised by a CERN nuclear physicist, Mermikides has built a career defined by eclecticism, collaborating with diverse figures ranging from Brian Eno and Evelyn Glennie to Tim Minchin. His research suggests that our understanding of music is not isolated but part of a broader, shared experience with the natural world.
The investigation into whether animal communication constitutes song remains a central point of academic interest. By analyzing these behaviors as an unwitting orchestra, researchers challenge the assumption that music is a uniquely human invention. This perspective invites us to reconsider our place in the sonic landscape, viewing animal vocalizations not merely as survival mechanisms, but as potential precursors or parallels to human musical expression.
This exploration was presented by Mermikides on October 29, 2025, at LSO St Luke’s in London. As a Professor of Music at the University of Surrey and the Royal College of Music, Mermikides brings a rigorous academic background to the topic, drawing on his extensive work in music research and technology to probe the boundaries of what we define as song.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Music of Animals - Milton Mermikides
- Also: Music of Animals - Milton Mermikides - Gresham College Lectures
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