Posted on May 18, 2014
Have you ever seen this famous painting, called Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1?It's by an American artist named James Abbott McNeill Whistler, and he began painting this portrait of his other when the model he had scheduled to paint unexpectedly didn't come.
Most people call the painting Whistler's Mother – although that is not its name.
And...this day is not about the painting, and it is not the birthday of J.A.M. Whistler's mother!
Instead, it celebrates anyone who can whistle.
Whistling is carefully controlling a stream of air flowing through a small hole. People create this “small hole” by pursing their lips and then blowing or sucking air through the small hole created by their lips. Some people can whistle by creating a small hole with their cupped hands in front of their mouths. And of course, people can made a small hole in a blade of grass or can use a small-holed wooden, metal, or plastic whistle! |
| According to ads, you can whistle to accept some Android phones without touching your phone! |
There is some whistling in music, and police, sports fans, sailors, dog trainers and others can use whistling to communicate.
Can you whistle? I can – but not all that well! Some people are way, way better than I am. Here are some great examples of whistling:
I found some great examples of whistling in more modern songs – but the lyrics surrounding the whistling were a bit problematic. But, trust me, whistling a happy tune (or a sad tune, etc.) still happens. It's one more way people can use their own bodies as a musical instrument!
Of course, I cannot have a post about whistling without linking to this bit from The Sound of Music, when Captain von Trapp tries to teach the new governess how to whistle for the children!Also on this date:
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