I learned to hear the music of Earth’s underwater musicians
If we consider the sounds of whales and other organisms with an open mind, we find a strange beauty – and can even join in
by David Rothenberg
David Rothenberg is distinguished professor of philosophy and music at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. His books include Whale Music: Thousand Mile Songs in a Sea of Sound (2nd ed, 2023) and Secret Sounds of Ponds (2024). He is also a composer and jazz clarinetist with more than 40 albums, including On the Cliffs of the Heart (1995) and One Dark Night I Left My Silent House (2010).
Written by David Rothenberg