Zoömusicology: What Do Animals Feel When Listening to Music?

Interior from 'The Elephant and the Piano'.

Source: Nabila Nadani/with permission.

When I first learned of award-winning author Colette Hiller's new book titled The Elephant and the Piano, is beautifully illustrated by Nabila Adani, I couldn't wait to read it. I knew it was for kids but as I paged through it I realized that audiences of all ages would enjoy it and get a lot out of reading it. I love these kinds of books.

This book tells the true story of Paul Barton and the elephants who loved to hear him play. It asks people of all ages to ask deep questions about the mindset of elephants and other animals when they are listening to music—what are they thinking and feeling and what is going on in their heads and their hearts.

I highly recommend this book to people of all ages and they can even read it together. There is ample science that shows animals are attracted to certain types of music. I learned a lot from reading this book, although it was written for kids. I hope others will too. Of course, a musical aesthetic sense may be different among individuals of the same species or vary among different species. This is another area of the scientific study of zoömusicology that will provide very interesting information when the research is conducted.¹

Marc Bekoff: Why did you write The Elephant and the Piano?

Colette Hiller: The true story behind the book was jaw dropping. I had been on the lookout for an animal story to adapt for a picture book. Elephants were natural stars. Aristotle described them as "the animal that surpasses all others in wit and mind.” He recognized that they possessed high intelligence, great memory, and an ability to learn.

When I came upon Paul Barton’s YouTube videos, I was mesmerised. It was enormously poignant to see the elephants responding to his music. Some connected physically, swaying and arching their trunks. Others stood quite still, listening and flapping their ears. I was curious to learn more and to understand why Paul undertook this very risky thing—after all, an elephant could smash a piano to smithereens (or a person, for that matter).

I interviewed Paul over several months, and it wasn’t until the second interview that he told me about the special elephant piano he made—gold dust for a children’s book! Nabila Adani, the illustrator of The Elephant and the Piano, did intense research too. Her sumptuous, gorgeous illustrations are based on real locations.

Source: Sourcebooks/with permission.

MB: How does your book relate to your background and general areas of interest?

CH: For many years, I worked as a producer at the BBC where I liked unearthing unusual true stories with wide public appeal. Paul’s story fell into this category—it was both surprising—could elephants really enjoy music?—and reassuring—it seems that they really could!¹

MB: Who do you hope to reach?

CH: Although this is officially a picture book for children ages eight and under, the story resonates with people of every age. Some adults have even said it made them cry, which initially surprised me as there’s actually nothing sad in the story. On reflection, I think readers are moved by simply witnessing the effects of kindness, and seeing how Bonti himself is moved by Beethoven.

While writing the book, I wanted to avoid anthropomorphizing. This was vitally important to me—the real story was so good that it didn’t need embellishing, and I didn’t want to “put words into the elephant’s mouth.” Instead, I established the character of Bonti (my protagonist) by writing about the things that really happened, from the elephants playing piano with their trunks to gathering and dancing in the moonlight.

Animal Behavior Essential Reads

Treating Creepy Animals With Respect Is a Win-Win For All

What the Scallop Knows

MB: What do we actually know about animals and music from a scientific perspective?

CH: As humans, we delight in animals’ capacity to “be human.” One well-known example is the gorilla Koko, who learned hundreds of signs in American Sign Language. In another case, the border collie Chaser was shown in research by John W. Pilley to recognise more than 1,000 spoken object names.

One field exploring how animals perceive organised sound is zoömusicology, a recent research area that combines biology, musicology, and behavioural science in the study of animals. For instance, a study by Deborah Wells’ showed that dogs in rescue shelters barked less and seemed to be happier when classical music was played.

Interior from 'The Elephant and the Piano'.

Source: Nabila Nadani/with permission.

Not all styles of classical music are effective, though. A study at Queens University, Belfast revealed that slow tempo (50-60 beats per minute or less), simple compositions without percussive elements are best. This music has been shown to reduce cortisol levels (the hormone that indicates a stress response) in dogs; however, the underlying reason for this effect is less well-understood.

Many zoos now use classical music to sooth their animals. Funnily, that very same logic is used to sooth humans—here in London, some tube stations play classical music to reduce tension for riders.

While there are limited academic data in the field, Paul Barton’s YouTube videos of elephants moving, swaying and listening speak for themselves and are there for all to see. Ultimately, The Elephant and the Piano tries to capture the essence of Paul’s encounters.

MB: How does your work differ from others that are concerned with some of the same general topics?

CH: I’m a children’s writer who was drawn to this particular story. My aim was to make it humorous and compelling without ever being sentimental, “Disneyish” or earnest. As the narrator, I’m not telling the reader to feel something, but hoping they will do. Although this book is in prose (I’m an award-winning poet), I’m especially conscious of how a picture book sounds when read aloud.

MB: Are you hopeful that people will increasingly use music as a tool to soothe their own companion animals’ well-being?

CH: Yes! At the back of The Elephant and the Piano is additional information which talks about the story behind the book, and also says the following:

“You may not have a pet elephant but did you know that cats and dogs can also enjoy a bit of music? If you play an instrument, play them something soothing. Or you could try singing them a lullaby. Be sure they’re free to walk off if they want to. And if they do, don’t be offended—just try another time!”