How birds and animals and have inspired and shaped classical music How birds and animals and have inspired and shaped classical music Beasts and birds of all shapes and sizes have inspired composers in a remarkable variety of ways. Claire Jackson takes us on a zoological tour Published: April 19, 2021 at 4:50 pm ‘The duck quacked and, in her excitement, jumped out of the pond,’ gasps David Bowie in his iconic narration of Peter and the Wolf, recorded in 1977. ‘But no matter how hard she tried to run, she couldn’t escape.’ (Recent modernisations are more light-hearted: Alexander Armstrong and the London Mozart Players’ 2020 lockdown video sees the duck – a dog’s squeaky toy – enjoying a cocktail while reading