Science News has a wonderful article on the convergences between birdsongs and composed human music. The field of biomusicology, which studies what music is and how it evolved, has biologists and musicologists examining the patterns and musicality found in the songs of birds and humpback whales. Mozart was very fond of his pet starling, apparently borrowing the style and alterations of his winged friend’s skilled compositions and mimicry. The article includes a link to a wav file of the white-breasted wood wren singing, whether by coincidence or not, the very familiar four note opening to Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. The important commonality for all composers, human, bird, or whale, is that variations on established themes create and hold interest in the composition. Animals are attracted to novelty, within a comfortable framework. So it’s no wonder we end up with similar patterns in our beautiful method of communicating emotions. (article via Robot Wisdom)