Owls in Music
Owls have inspired musicians for many years. In some stories in Greek mythology, Athena -- whose symbol is the owl -- discovers the aulos to produce music. From musical composition, to song lyrics, to album art, owls are seemingly everywhere!
Schaffer Library subscribes to numerous databases about music, and many provide streaming audio directly within the database. Learn more about how owls inspired music through these great resources:
- Oxford Music Online - find references and background information to many works that feature owls, including Stravinsky's composition of Edward Lear's poem, "The Owl and the Pussycat" ("they danced by the light of the moon...")
- Music Online and other databases from Alexander Street Press - from world music to opera to classical to contemporary music, owls are prominent!
- You can hear owls from around the world with this database. For example, listen to this recording of the Ryukyu Scops Owl (louder) and the Northern Boobook (softer) from Japan.
- Owls are in band names, record companies, and song lyrics. Here are samples of a few from Music Online's popular music.
- Music Online's African American Music Reference includes information about bands, composers, and other "who's who" information.
- Naxos Music Library is the world's largest online classical music library. Listeners can create playlists and review liner notes. Why not create a playlist from these owl-inspired pieces?
- The Owl's Legacy discusses musical inspiration in part 8 of the film. View on Docuseek.