Zelle 31
Singing co-habitants
Description
The chirping and warbling of birds have long fascinated us. So delighted with it were the Ancient Greeks that they called it “birdsong”. Birdsong found its way into music in the 16th century, when composers wrote works in which instruments imitate birdcalls. Birdsong was described in musical categories in philosophical treatises, too. Bird-lovers developed a range of training methods with which to promote the vocal skills of native cage birds. Special bird flutes and bird organs were made with which to prompt songbirds to mimic popular songs. Cage birds are still much-loved singing co-habitants even today.
Selection
1: The birdcage: prison and stage
2: Birdcage
3: Birdcage
4: Birdcage
5: How can I train my songbird?
6: Sing, birdie, sing!
7: Nightingale
8: Canary
9: Il canto degl` augelli
10: Uccelliera
11: Bird flageolet
12: “The bird-catcher am I …”
13: Birdcage
14: Paper theatre figures
15: Stove tile
16: “The cuckoo then, on every tree…”
17: Cuckoo pipes
18: Cuculus stop with five pipes
19: Cuckoo clock
20: Cuckoo
21: The woodpecker – an expert drummer in the forest
22: The behavioural biology of a mastersinger
23: Blackbird
24: Birdcall
25: Song thrush
26: Birdcall
27: Chaffinch
28: Birdcall
29: Starling
30: Birdcall
31: 33 birdcalls
32: The whistle that tames birds of prey
33: When the hunter calls …