Snow memory

Cities and Memory - remixing the world

"Multiple tracks were played on a keyboard, arranged and combined with the audio field recording using midi workstation computer software.
"The sound for this piece is a recording of a stream running under the snow with the sounds of running water, the popping of ice melting and pebbles bumping and clacking as they are rolled by the water. I live in California now but as a child I lived for a time in the northeastern United States where cold, snowy winters were the norm. As the snow melted I could hear water moving under the hard crust. The recording from the High Coast region of Sweden reminded me of that magical wintery memory. Melt water slowly begins to move beneath the glistening surface and gently forms channels through the snow, trickling downhill. Eventually the water makes its way into an established stream bed, carving a tunnel through the snow and ice while above, the snow still hides the movement beneath, reminiscent of the creatures of Nordic mythology who inhabit caverns and rivers. The stream joins others, perhaps emptying into a lake and eventually the water reaches the ocean.
"I have incorporated sounds and rhythms from traditional Swedish folk music, suggesting the vibrating sympathetic drone strings of the Nyckelharpa and the beat of some Polska dances - an instrument and its music listed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage database.
"The landscape of the Swedish High Coast was formed by the arrival and departure of glaciers in the last ice age. The sounds of melting snow and ice are a reminder that present day glaciers are threatened by climate change. The Sonic Heritage project has helped make me aware of the fragility and ephemeral nature of many places that have contributed to world culture. It is imperative to protect these sites in order to preserve those qualities that make such places unique or valuable. My music expresses the passion and excitement of diverse world heritage and the resilience of the natural world. I hope my music resonates with all who hear our collaboration."
Water under snow in Hall, Sweden reimagined by Martin Gregory.
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This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world’s most famous sights.
Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/heritage