The Pure Magic of Eric Whitacre’s "The Seal Lullaby"

If you need a few minutes of absolute tranquility to center your mind, look no further than Eric Whitacre’s "The Seal Lullaby." This modern choral masterpiece feels less like a traditional piece of music and more like a warm, enveloping embrace.

A Hollywood Soundtrack That Never Was

Behind this gorgeous piece lies a fascinating bit of history. Whitacre was originally commissioned by a major film studio to write the opening track for an animated movie based on Rudyard Kipling’s The White Seal (a story from The Jungle Book). Inspired by Kipling's opening poem—a lyric about a mother seal singing her pup to sleep—Whitacre quickly penned this lullaby.

Though the film project was ultimately scrapped by the studio, Whitacre couldn’t let the music go. He adapted it for a mixed choir and piano, creating a timeless staple of modern classical music.