Music for a dog's ears only
What if they recorded an album only dogs could hear? It's a high-concept conundrum worthy of the late, great John Cage - but it's also a very real CD called "A Very Silent Night" that's recorded at a frequency registered only by canine ears.
The CD was released last December as a fundraiser for the Royal New Zealand SPCA and quickly shot to the top of the charts. While listening, dogs are reported to wag their tails, prick up their ears, and even dance.
The CD even has its own Wikipedia profile. Of course, what's a CD without an accompanying video? So Kiwi singer Dei Hamo lip-synchs along on YouTube with quiet backup from "The SPCA Underdogs."
In other musical news, California pianist Lisa Spector has a new CD due for release on March 1 titled "Through a Dog's Ear." A selection of classical compositions in simple arrangements designed to calm dogs, it will be accompanied by a book with the same title. And humans can hear it, too. On a recent visit to New York City, Spector demonstrated the soothing power of music by tickling ivories at Steinway Hall. She was playing to a captive audience of one: Tuttles, a Pit Bull available for adoption from the Humane Society of New York. A sweetheart as well as a music connoisseur, Tuttles has been patiently waiting two years for a home.
