Did Elves Use Magic?

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

That sounds actually quite good!

And as for who is able to hear that... I think it has something to do with the familiarity of the Elves with such things. A human sculptor who spends all his life with the stones can notice a lot more from them than some random person does, and Elves have centuries for that. And even Gimli, actually, when trying to figure out what kind of Gollum is following them from Moria, says:

Originally Posted by Lothlórien

"I hear nothing but the night speech of plant and stone."

It may be just poetic license, but maybe not. All the beings of Middle-Earth seem to be far closer to their world than humans usually are. Well, like I said, they have centuries for that; but they also seem to be a bit more perceptive and caring of things around them.