Re: Classical Music depicting Bird Song

["Abhijit Menon-Sen"]

At 2011-03-31 00:53:45 +0100,  wrote:
>
> John, apart from Messiaen and others already mentioned, try the 1st
> movement of Mahler's 1st symphony (cuckoo); Beethoven's 6th symphony,
> the "Pastoral" (nightingale, quail & cuckoo in the 2nd movement); [=E2=80=
=A6]

Thanks for the tip. I'll have to listen to the sixth symphony again
(though of those three species, the only one I've heard before and
am sure to recognise is the Cuckoo).

I was fortunate to download the BBC's recordings of Beethoven's
symphonies 1-9 when they were freely available. The introduction
to the fifth symphony says that the first few notes were derived
from a Yellowhammer's song (but the more dramatic interpretation
is that it represents fate knocking at the door).

-- ams