Having followed this thread I come away amazed that music is felt to be so indefinite and abstract that it is indefinable. How is it taught (composition)?. How can books be written about it? Let's try this definition. Music is series of sound effects which are organized by the composer so as to control the evokation of emotions or feelings in the mind of the listener or to demonstrate a principle(s) of harmony, melody, rhythm or form. This definition would include bird calls. Bill Pirkle