Music and Cats / Book of Abstracts - Catalog - Page 23
Abstracts
Panel 5: Historical Perspectives
Sergej / College of
Music, UP Diliman
15:40 – 15:55
Sounding the Cat
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From Meows to Metaphor in Musical Representation
Chenyu Xiao / University of Leeds
This paper explores how cats have been
represented sonically in Western art music, tracing
a shift from literal mimicry to metaphorical
abstraction. Through close analysis of three
contrasting works—Duetto buffo di due gatti, The
Fugue in G minor (K. 30, L. 499) by Domenico
Scarlatti, and the clarinet theme for the cat in
Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf—the study
investigates how feline traits are constructed in
sound
and
how
listeners’
interpretations
contribute to their musical identities. The first
section examines duet for cats, composed entirely
from repetitions of “miau.” It focuses on how
vocal techniques simulate feline sounds and
emotions, and considers the expressive immediacy
effect of onomatopoeia in musical performance.
The second section turns to Scarlatti’s fugue,
retrospectively nicknamed for its jagged subject—
allegedly inspired by a cat walking across the
keyboard. Although not programmatic in origin,
its angular leaps and irregular rhythm have led
listeners to associate it with feline motion. In
this case, it highlights the interpretive agency
of listeners and the role of metaphor in
musical meaning-making. Finally, the paper
examines Prokofiev’s use of the clarinet to
depict the cat in Peter and the Wolf. Through
timbre, phrasing, and register, the clarinet
evokes slyness, fluidity, and elegance—
qualities culturally linked with cats. This
section explores how instrumental color and
compositional
framing
together
shape
character perception. By juxtaposing these
three works, the paper reveals a trajectory
from imitation to abstraction, shedding light
on the evolving strategies by which music
gives voice to animal figures. In doing so, it
contributes to wider discussions of sonic
symbolism, listening practice, and the cultural
imagination of sound.
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