Music as a Bridge to Nature

Creative outlets have often been used to connect people to nature, whether through photography or art. But something That Is not often spoken about in great detail is the power of music. Music has always been used to express and convey emotional and communal struggles, but it has also been a way of connecting many to the natural world. 

“Sound is the most powerful bridge into the natural world”

– Robert Macfarlane-

Bethany Sewell

Bethany Sewell

As humans, we are familiar with the power of storytelling which we have always used to share knowledge and inspire change, within the contexts of visual and written mediums. But one element of expression overlooked in the same context, is the power of music. 

One way people connect with nature is through the combination of moving image and music. Commonly seen in nature documentaries, when music is added to imagery of nature and animals, the mood of the music allows us to gain connection and feeling towards the animals. By following the structure of a book with a beginning, middle and end, these nature films or documentaries are accompanied by varying music which may be louder and feel tense in climactic scenes and vice versa to make the experience perhaps more immersive than reading about a particular species for example. 

Nature for many provides a space which allows creativity and quiet contemplation, wrapped in layers of sound and life. Something which has recently become popular in Western society is the use of nature recordings to provide relaxation to people wherever they are. But what if these recordings had greater meaning? In 2020, Cosmo Sheldrake released an album titled ‘Wake up Calls’ made up of bird recordings taken over a 9 year period, combined with additional man- made music. The work aims to explore vulnerable species of birds in the UK and show their unique and intricate birdsong in the form of contemporary music.

Bethany Sewell

Bethany Sewell

The combination of familiar patterns and melodies used often in popular music, alongside the birdsong, make this an accessible route to caring for nature. Such a piece of music has a different effect than hearing a nature film soundtrack. What we are hearing is the evolution of singing, one of the first animal species to sing combined with human song today. As a species, we are more evolved to sing than we are to speak a language, so there is so much more range and variety available to our vocal cords which we do not explore. It is interesting to recognise where music has come from and how popular music today is inspired by so many cultures and even nature.

“Singing is more fundamental to us than speaking” -David Attenborough 

(‘When Bjork met Attenborough’).

‘Listening to Nature’- Alicia Hayden

‘Listening to Nature’- Alicia Hayden

Today, most popular music is written about things which are important to us now, often exploring themes of relationships and consumerism. If the music we listened to was about the environment and nature, would we feel empowered to create change? Or would it be ignored? 

Music is universal, and most cultures have their own music which is shared and appreciated by whole communities. In our culture we find the pleasure in listening to music at festivals and gigs. Outside of Western culture, there are many countries and communities whose music has often been about nature and the Earth. For example, much of the music by Aboriginal Australians is about their land and loss of land.  For them, they see “human life, and all of life, as inextricably bound up with the land” (Place and Experience). The protection of this land as heard through their music and rituals is, therefore, an integral part of their identities and values. Historically, music has provided change and empowerment for many groups, such as the creation of Blues music which became popular after the Civil War and was sung by former slaves.

“Music and nature have always been seen as interconnected and mutually constitutive to each other” (Harle, 1996). 

Ella Clark

Ella Clark

It is clear that our society is beginning to change and our music is changing with it. Music is being released with interconnecting themes of social injustices and environmental concerns as we become more aware of these issues. With this, a collective of people is created, bringing those together with similar values and attitudes to create change. If more of the music we listened to was about the environment, not only could attitudes change but also, it could bring people closer together which is vital to create universal impact. 

The image to the right depicts circus performers dancing to the XR samba band at Parliament Square during Extinction Rebellion’s September protests in 2020. The samba band brings invigoration to the protestors fighting for climate justice by bringing everyone together in its uplifting and catchy rhythms. The encouragement and sense of community evoked by the samba band promotes regenerative activism; to exercise care towards ourselves and others and therefore, care for the environment. Chants and songs are also sung about indigenous peoples and the struggles caused by the climate crisis. Without this music being here, it would be even more challenging for these climate justice activists to continue their activism in that moment. 

If we are to recognise the power of music for change, we must also recognise where popular music today has originated from, much of which was born from the struggles of the groups who have faced marginalisation and found  empowerment through music. But what is clear is that music has the power to bring us closer to the natural world and each other ultimately creating change.

If you’d like to look at the work of the featured artists in this article, links to their work can be found below-

Alicia Hayden- Alicia Hayden Wildlife (@aliciahaydenwildlife) • Instagram photos and videos

Bethany Sewell- Bethany Arabella (@bethanysewell_) • Instagram photos and videos

Below are links to information used in the article:

Lifestyle & CultureViridis MagazineMusic