Comments on: Beethoven for Elephants http://boingboing.net/2011/12/12/beethoven-for-elephants.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Wed, 22 May 2013 20:37:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: meganrascal http://boingboing.net/2011/12/12/beethoven-for-elephants.html#comment-1295815 meganrascal Wed, 14 Dec 2011 13:04:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=133918#comment-1295815 The bullhooks disturb the magic a bit.  The bullhooks disturb the magic a bit. 

]]> By: gumpachiro http://boingboing.net/2011/12/12/beethoven-for-elephants.html#comment-1295285 gumpachiro Tue, 13 Dec 2011 21:43:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=133918#comment-1295285 The second article in particular jumps out at me as ill considered. There is a growing body of fatally flawed work by neuroscientists that refuse to familiarize themselves with one hundred plus years of ethnomusicological literature, and go ahead and create experiments based on a European, piano-centered idea of music. Which “12-note” scale is THE one? Are they talking about just temperament, or one of a number of 12-tone scales described as equal temperament? What about west Asian microtonal scales that vary from region to region? Basically it is the old problem of universalizing from one very particular case. The second article in particular jumps out at me as ill considered. There is a growing body of fatally flawed work by neuroscientists that refuse to familiarize themselves with one hundred plus years of ethnomusicological literature, and go ahead and create experiments based on a European, piano-centered idea of music. Which “12-note” scale is THE one? Are they talking about just temperament, or one of a number of 12-tone scales described as equal temperament? What about west Asian microtonal scales that vary from region to region? Basically it is the old problem of universalizing from one very particular case.

]]> By: /|/|ichael http://boingboing.net/2011/12/12/beethoven-for-elephants.html#comment-1295000 /|/|ichael Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:00:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=133918#comment-1295000 I did not even notice the irony until you brought that up. I did not even notice the irony until you brought that up.

]]> By: sean http://boingboing.net/2011/12/12/beethoven-for-elephants.html#comment-1294890 sean Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:31:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=133918#comment-1294890 Those elephants are OLD! Why didn't he play some Tommy Dorsey? Those elephants are OLD! Why didn’t he play some Tommy Dorsey?

]]> By: sean http://boingboing.net/2011/12/12/beethoven-for-elephants.html#comment-1294889 sean Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:30:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=133918#comment-1294889 Maybe something a little peppier for the encore. Maybe something a little peppier for the encore.

]]> By: Felton / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2011/12/12/beethoven-for-elephants.html#comment-1294816 Felton / Moderator Tue, 13 Dec 2011 07:48:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=133918#comment-1294816 <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3DppaXz4-o" rel="nofollow">King Crimson</a> will also do in a pinch. King Crimson will also do in a pinch.

]]> By: 10xor01 http://boingboing.net/2011/12/12/beethoven-for-elephants.html#comment-1294781 10xor01 Tue, 13 Dec 2011 06:11:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=133918#comment-1294781 Beethoven?  Everyone knows elephants prefer Mancini. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qei_ccdgTMUMancini. Beethoven?  Everyone knows elephants prefer Mancini.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qei_ccdgTMUMancini.

]]> By: Charles Berdan http://boingboing.net/2011/12/12/beethoven-for-elephants.html#comment-1294774 Charles Berdan Tue, 13 Dec 2011 05:50:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=133918#comment-1294774 Check that man out...tickling those ivories... Check that man out…tickling those ivories…

]]> By: Diana Huang http://boingboing.net/2011/12/12/beethoven-for-elephants.html#comment-1294621 Diana Huang Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:58:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=133918#comment-1294621 Just wondering, are the handlers holding the elephants in place with sharp hooks?  I can't tell for sure...   Just wondering, are the handlers holding the elephants in place with sharp hooks?  I can’t tell for sure…  

]]> By: Joe Maynard http://boingboing.net/2011/12/12/beethoven-for-elephants.html#comment-1294424 Joe Maynard Mon, 12 Dec 2011 22:02:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=133918#comment-1294424 I'm sure it's been covered here before, but here is the Thai Elephant Orchestra documentary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZHLPrYkpRc in which the elephants play instruments I’m sure it’s been covered here before, but here is the Thai Elephant Orchestra documentary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZHLPrYkpRc in which the elephants play instruments

]]> By: philipb http://boingboing.net/2011/12/12/beethoven-for-elephants.html#comment-1294425 philipb Mon, 12 Dec 2011 22:02:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=133918#comment-1294425 A click through to the Elephant's World Website is a real-life unicorn chaser. A click through to the Elephant’s World Website is a real-life unicorn chaser.

]]> By: hypnosifl http://boingboing.net/2011/12/12/beethoven-for-elephants.html#comment-1294378 hypnosifl Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:36:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=133918#comment-1294378 A while ago I came across <a href="http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2009/04/30-01.html" rel="nofollow">this interesting article</a> discussing enjoyment of music in animals, which points out that "dancing" type behavior is only seen in animals that have learned to imitate sounds made by others ("vocal mimicry"), like parrots. And as it so happens, one of the animals mentioned in the article was an Asian elephant, which moved in time to the music--apparently at least some elephants do learn to mimic sounds they hear around them (the article mentions one that had learned to imitate truck sounds). So, maybe some of the elephants in that crowd did appreciate the "dinner music" they were hearing. On the other hand, I also remember <a href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn4031" rel="nofollow">this article</a> which says that the cross-cultural ubiquity of music based on notes from the 12-note scale (though different cultures may only use a subset of them) is due to the fact that those notes are the resonant frequencies of the human vocal cavities...so even if the elephants could appreciate certain aspects like the rhythm, the music itself would probably sound to them like music not based on any of the notes in the 12-note scale would sound to us, which I imagine would be a bit weird (did any modern composers experiment with music like this?) Someone should do an experiment with playing music on instruments attuned to the resonant frequencies of an elephant's vocal cavity to see how they react... A while ago I came across this interesting article discussing enjoyment of music in animals, which points out that “dancing” type behavior is only seen in animals that have learned to imitate sounds made by others (“vocal mimicry”), like parrots. And as it so happens, one of the animals mentioned in the article was an Asian elephant, which moved in time to the music–apparently at least some elephants do learn to mimic sounds they hear around them (the article mentions one that had learned to imitate truck sounds). So, maybe some of the elephants in that crowd did appreciate the “dinner music” they were hearing.

On the other hand, I also remember this article which says that the cross-cultural ubiquity of music based on notes from the 12-note scale (though different cultures may only use a subset of them) is due to the fact that those notes are the resonant frequencies of the human vocal cavities…so even if the elephants could appreciate certain aspects like the rhythm, the music itself would probably sound to them like music not based on any of the notes in the 12-note scale would sound to us, which I imagine would be a bit weird (did any modern composers experiment with music like this?) Someone should do an experiment with playing music on instruments attuned to the resonant frequencies of an elephant’s vocal cavity to see how they react…

]]> By: CP-S http://boingboing.net/2011/12/12/beethoven-for-elephants.html#comment-1294299 CP-S Mon, 12 Dec 2011 20:49:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=133918#comment-1294299 <i>I took my piano to the mountains of Kanchanaburi</i> It is awesome that this man plays music for elephants, but I am more impressed with whatever moving company he may have hired, and the fees it would take to move a piano into (and, one assumes, out of...?) the mountains. I took my piano to the mountains of Kanchanaburi

It is awesome that this man plays music for elephants, but I am more impressed with whatever moving company he may have hired, and the fees it would take to move a piano into (and, one assumes, out of…?) the mountains.

]]> By: MrEricSir http://boingboing.net/2011/12/12/beethoven-for-elephants.html#comment-1294229 MrEricSir Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:33:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=133918#comment-1294229 So far, it seems like beluga whales enjoy music the most. So far, it seems like beluga whales enjoy music the most.

]]> By: Noctilucent Studios http://boingboing.net/2011/12/12/beethoven-for-elephants.html#comment-1294199 Noctilucent Studios Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:55:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=133918#comment-1294199 Thanks, Xeni. That was just lovely. Thanks, Xeni.

That was just lovely.

]]> By: igpajo http://boingboing.net/2011/12/12/beethoven-for-elephants.html#comment-1294171 igpajo Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:30:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=133918#comment-1294171 Not to detract from the awesomeness of that, but this almost seems like a new internet meme; the new planking for musicians.  First we had the Mariachi band playing for beluga whales, then just yesterday I see this video of a Jazz band playing for a field of cows. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXKDu6cdXLI Not to detract from the awesomeness of that, but this almost seems like a new internet meme; the new planking for musicians.  First we had the Mariachi band playing for beluga whales, then just yesterday I see this video of a Jazz band playing for a field of cows.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXKDu6cdXLI

]]> By: pjk http://boingboing.net/2011/12/12/beethoven-for-elephants.html#comment-1294167 pjk Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:28:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=133918#comment-1294167 I figured it out: I need a trunk so I can feed myself pretzels while typing. I figured it out: I need a trunk so I can feed myself pretzels while typing.

]]> By: Stephan Zielinski http://boingboing.net/2011/12/12/beethoven-for-elephants.html#comment-1294165 Stephan Zielinski Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:23:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=133918#comment-1294165 What, no rendition of <i>Ebony and Ivory</i>? What, no rendition of Ebony and Ivory?

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