The music of everyday life

You all know what I mean. That jingle preceding the railway station announcement which, though a simple arpeggio, reminds you unfailingly of the last movement of Telemann's viola concerto. The signal indicating that the doors of the tube train are about to close - it's the theme from the Alpine Symphony, right? Or is it Dvorak 7? Or is it just a random falling minor third?



Then there were the automatic hand driers in the toilets of my university library which, when starting, sounded exactly like the very opening of Walton's viola concerto. Or the Samsung ML-2010 mono laser printer which produces a tritone when in action. What the devil...?

Yes, as Martha and the Vandellas foresaw, there is music, sweet music everywhere (if not swinging, swaying and records playing). And, for sure, you'll have your own examples of musical themes that are insinuated in the fabric of your day-to-day life.

Take car horns - they always seem to parp out a major second, or a minor third. How brusque, when all the driver wants to do is toot a cheery greeting or gently alert a dozy pedestrian to his presence! And so intrusive for the poor bystander who happens to be nearby. So why not provide motorists with a choice of horn: what about a nice major third when politeness is required, and leave the surlier intervals for, ahem, emergencies only.