January 3, 2011

56th Regiment Band

In war and in peace, the one thing that separates us from the animals is music. We take it with us, whether we go to kill or to cultivate. I suspect that some day we'll find apes or chimps making music, and that will turn everything we know about humanity on ear.

Fort Dodge, Iowa
1900s

4 comments:

Ms. Moon said...

Do you think that whales are singing together as a form of music? I don't know. I agree with you about the apes and wouldn't that be a wonder? Wouldn't it? To see some of our cousins making music together, tapping out the time, hooting in harmony? Or something?

That Hank said...

Whales may sing, but I am mostly thinking of insruments. I can easily see a handful of chimps playing leaves and logs.

May said...

This is curious. Making and using instruments for music is such an old and universal practice for humans that you would think other animals would do it as well. Maybe it is the only thing that separates us.

That Hank said...

I've sort of always considered it that. Taylor has this thing where she wants someone to ask a sign language gorilla about the afterlife.