Diana Thater: Yes, there will be singing

At the center of the installation are audio recordings of the distinctive songs of “Whale 52”—likely a male blue whale, or a hybrid of fin and blue whales—who is identified by the unique pitch of his vocalizations, which pulse at fifty-two hertz, a range outside that of normal whale song. Like human language, whale song—the intricacies of which scientists are only just beginning to understand—has complex linguistic characteristics and dialects.

Whales use their songs to locate and communicate with one another and, importantly, to find mates. Sound is how they “see.” Though Whale 52 has never been photographed or even seen, some scientists have suggested that the odd frequency of his songs may be due to his being deafened by Navy sonar testing and other kinds of human sound pollution. It is likely that Whale 52, who has been called “the loneliest whale in the world,” cannot hear—or be heard by—other whales.

The deep rumbling sound you hear is Whale 52’s continuous rhythmic call. The high-pitched solo singing is that of several humpback whales. The humpbacks, their calls, and their responses stand in stark contrast to Whale 52’s pulsing song.