Fifth Collage: "Voorjaarsmoeheid" ("S.A.D. Sounds")

[English Translation of the introduction]

Voorjaarsmoe (S.A.D. Sounds)

Hoewel de aandacht in de lente meestal uitgaat naar de ontluikende natuur, de vogelnestjes en gekriebel in de buik, kent het seizoen ook een schaduwzijde. Voorjaarsmoeheid. Behoefte aan meer eten en slapen, onverklaarbare stemmingswisselingen, en moeite met concentreren.
Eigenlijk is het meer 'seizoensmoeheid', want vergelijkbare symptomen doen zich ook in herfst en winter voor. Zo'n 60% van de mensen zal deze relatief milde symptomen herkennen. 2% heeft last van een serieuze 'Seasonal Affective Disorder' (S.A.D.!), ofwel winterdepressie.

Vanavond in Supplement een onafgebroken collage van klanken met dit thema als uitgangspunt.
De beschreven symptomen zijn in de wonderlijke soundscape goed terug te horen: niet alleen in de titels, maar vooral ook in de sfeer. Donkere klanken veelal, vooral in het begin. Gelukkig wordt in de loop van de collage de grondtoon steeds lichter: je hóórt als het ware de zon met enige moeite doorbreken.
Behalve als een auditieve verbeelding van 'voorjaarsmoeheid' dient het programma ook als remedie: aan het eind van de tweeëneenhalf uur bent u vast en zeker klaar voor de zomer!

De collage werd gemaakt door Peter van Cooten voor het NPS Radio 4 programma Supplement, en is uitgezonden op 25 april 2004.
Het is de vijfde in een reeks ambient electronische soundscape-collages die speciaal voor dit programma werden gemaakt.

Luister naar de INTRODUCTIE

Peter Hammill - The Birds
Spring came far too early this year:
May flowers blooming in February.
Should I be sad for the months,
or glad for the sky?
The birds don't know which way to sing and, my friends,
neither do I.

Two days ago, a girl I truly thought I loved
suddenly didn't seem to matter at all.
Should I sing sad farewell to things
I'm really glad I've left behind?
The birds don't know which way to sing and, my friends,
neither do I.

In another day, heavy snow will lie upon the ground,
and buds prematurely bloom shall fail;
And every creature living now, then will
surely die...
The birds don't know which way to sing and, my friends,
neither do I.
The birds don't know if it's time yet to fly,
and they don't know which way to go and, my friend,
neither do I.
Neither do I.
Neither do I.
Neither do I.

Innocence Mission - No Storms Come
adapted from a poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins
HEAVEN-HAVEN (a nun takes the veil)

I have desired to go
Where springs not fail,
To fields where flies no sharp and sided hail
And a few lilies blow.

And I have asked to be
Where no storms come,
Where the green swell is in the havens dumb,
And out of the swing of the sea.

David Sylvian - Darkest Dreaming
Stay tonight
We'll watch the full moon rising
Hold on tight
The sky is breaking
I don't ever want to be alone
With all my darkest dreaming
Hold me close
The sky is breaking

I don't ever want to be alone
With all my darkest dreaming
Hold me close
The sky is breaking

VOORJAARSMOEHEID - 1

• Echoes of Nature – Birdsong
  Rainforest: The Natural Sounds, 1993, Delta 12251
• Peter Hammill - The Birds
  The Love Songs, 1971, Virgin CAS 1166
• Dallas Simpson - Bottle Disposal
  Binaural Performances, Farfield Records
• Falling You - Inside the Whale
  internet download, 2000, MP3.com
• A Produce – Overground
  Altara, 2001, MP3.com
• Einóma – Brot
  Undir, Feilnótum, 2002, Vertical Form VFORM019CD
• Biosphere - As the Sun Kissed the Horizon
  Substrata (remastered), 2001, touch to:50
• Brian Eno & J. Peter Schwalm - Two Voices
  Drawn from Life, 2001, Virgin Venture CDVEDJX954
• Aaron Ximm - Deep Creatures
  The Quiet American, www.quietamerican.org
• Lull - Lonely Shelter
  Cold Summer, 1995, Subharmonic, SD 7013
• Michel Redolfi - Crysalis - Deep Sleep
  Detours, 1995, Mirage Musical Records
• Paul Schutze - Born by Clouds
  Regard: Music by Film, 1997, Tone Casualties 610743971927
• Matthew Florianz – Duisternis
  Sprook, 2003, H/S Recordings
• The Innocence Mission - No Storms Come
  Befriended, 2003, Badman Recording
• Scott Smallwood – Debris
  Desert Winds: Six Windblown Pieces, 2002, Deep Listening DL 17
• Deeplab Audioscapes – Chaak
  Deeplab Audioscapes, 1999, mp3.com
• Brian Eno - Emphasizing Harmonic Partials
  January 07003, Bell Studies for the Clock of the Long Now, 2003, Opal CD02
• Esa Ruoho - Departure (18-02-01)
  Spaces, 2001, U-Cover 005
• Pete Namlook - Je Suis Triste et Seul Ici
  Ambient Compilation 4, 1993, Fax +49-69/450464
• Michael Fahres - Mercury Sound - Escape Shore
  Hain, 1996, Trikont US-0232
• Vor der Flut - excerpt
  Vor der Flut, Hommage an einem Wasserspeicher, EIGELSTEIN 2025/26
• Boxhead Ensemble – One
  Quartets, 2003, Atavistic 567203
• Thomas Köner - Nuuk (Night)
  Driftworks, 1997, Big Cat ABB1000CD
• Nils Petter Molvaer - Kakonita-Deathprod Mix
  Recoloured, the remix album, 2001, Emarcy 013 591-2
• Biosphere - Poa Alpina
  Substrata (remastered), 2001, Touch 2001
• Pete Namlook - Spring-from April to May
  Seasons Greeting – Spring, Fax +49-69/450464 sea02
• Andy Mellwig - Coloured Grey
  Various Artists – Modulation & Transformation 4, 1999, MP 061 3CD
• Dhafer Youssef – Diaphanes
  Digital Prophecy, 2003, Sony CD / 22.04.03
• Alan Howarth - Interdimensional Vortex
  Real Hollywood Sound Effects, 1997, Gnp Crescendo 052824805422
• Cypher 7 - Falling Backwards
  Security, 2001, Subharmonic SUB7017
• Brannan Lane - Relaxing Effect of Water
  Relaxing Effects of Water, 2002, Brannanlane Music BLM503CD
• Greyworld - Studio 5
  Sonic Boom, 2000, Hayward Gallery, ISBN 1-85332-208-3
• Hildegard Westerkamp - Beneath the Forest Floor
  Transformations, 1996, Empreintes Digitales, IMED 9631
• A Silver Mt. Zion - For Wanda
  He Has Left Us Alone…, 2000, Constellation #9
• Hildegard Westerkamp - Beneath the Forest Floor
  Transformations, 1996, Empreintes Digitales, IMED 9631
• Michel Redolfi - Sons Frisson Cue 3
  Sons Frisson, 1998, Private Collection
• Susumu Yokota – Beans
  The Boy and the Tree, 2002, Leaf BAY25CD
• David Sylvian - Darkest Dreaming
  Dead Bees on a Cake, 1999, Virgin CDV 2471
  
  
  

"Spring is Coming"
From: Ottone

"Why should I alone be silent
when all nature awakes to life?"

VOORJAARSMOEHEID - 2

• Michael Fahres - The Tubes
  The Tubes 1995-2003, unreleased, private collection
• Michael Fahres - Fram (2002) für Grossen Brummkreisel
  Frames, 2002, Rachel Haferkamp RH CD 001
• Biosphere – Heatleak
  Shenzhou, 2002, Touch 2002
• Christina Kubisch - Sechs Spiegel
  Sechs Spiegel, 1995, Parallelle 3
• Leif Inge - bs932
  9Beetstretch, www.notam02.no/9/
• Christina Kubisch - Sechs Spiegel
  Sechs Spiegel, 1995, Parallelle 3
• Arve Henriksen - Viewing Infinite Space
  Sakuteiki, 2001, Rune Grammofon RCD2021
• Michel Redolfi / Jon Hassell – Vents d'Automne
  Riviera Roulette – Un Roman Acoustique sur Nice, 2000, private collection
• Tarentel – Adonai
  The Order of Things, 2001, Neurot Recordings NR010
• Crooked Crow - Closeup of Cricket at Sutter Creek
  Replacement Sponge, 2001, Crooked Crow Records
• Matthew Florianz – Dageraad
  Grijsgebied, 2001, H/S Recordings HSCD1
• Biff Johnson - The Other Side of What
  Reading the Bones, 1998, Broad Vista Music
• Sarah Peebles - Tomoe (Revolving Life) – Rebirth
  Suspended in Amber, 1994, Deep Listening, PS-CD-1
• David Hayden - Natural Bridges 1
  The Dark Night of the Soul, 1999, MP3.com
• Sara Ayers - Winter and the Sound of Nothing
  Sylvatica preview, 2000, MP3.com
• Alio Die - The Hidden Spring
  The Hidden Spring, 1997, Crowd Control, Crowded 004
• Max Richter - On the Nature of Daylight
  The Blue Notebooks, 2004, 130701 Records CD 13-04p
• Walter Carlos – Spring
  Sonic Seasonings, 1972, CBS S67267
• Uru Game Soundtrack - Teledahn Age
  Uru, Ages beyond Myst, Ubisoft, 2003
• Thomas Köner - Unerforschtes Gebiet
  Unerforschtes Gebiet, 2003, Mille Plateaux MP118
• Michel Redolfi - Mata Pau (Mara and the Bird)
  Detours, 1995, Mirage Musical Records
• A Produce - Inner Sanctum
  Inner Sanctum, 1999, MP3.com
• David Darling - Light
  Dark Wood, 1995, ECM Records, ECM 1519
• Rothko - blk. with Bear - Dream for an End to Sorrow
  Wish for a World Without Hurt, 2003, Trace Recordings TRACECD001
• Higher Intelligence Agency - Cannon Hill
  Birmingham Frequencies, 1998, Headphone h002
• Kelvin L. Smith – Freshwater
  Reclining Music, 2003, Farfield records
• Gilles Reaves - Sacred Space
  Sacred Space, 2000, MP3.com
• Matthew Florianz, Stan Linders, Ivo Selder - Open Stage 20 april unmastered
  Open Stage, 2002, www.matthewflorianz.com
• Echoes of Nature – Twilight
  Bayou: the Natural Sounds, Echoes of Nature, Delta, #12252
• Kathleen Ferrier - Spring is Coming (Ottone - Handel)
  What is Life? Songs, Arias and Sacred Pieces, Memoir Classics UK
• Thomas Gerwin - Air
  Wattenmeer Suite , 1996, Integral Art Project IAP011

VOORJAARSMOE ("Seasonal Affective Disorder")

The joys of springtime usually get the most attention, but the season has a dark side, too: "Spring Fatique".
The need to eat and to sleep more than usual, inexplicable mood changes, the difficulty to be able to concentrate, etc.
These feelings are not strictly limited to the spring season, however. Comparable feelings are also known in Winter and Fall. About 60% of all people will probably recognise these symptoms. About 2% suffer from the more serious "Seasonal Affective Disorder' (S.A.D.), also known as 'Winter Depression'.

The radio program Supplement broadcasts an uninterrupted audio-collage around this theme on april 25, 2004.
The symptoms described can almost be heard in the strange soundscapes: not only in the titles of the tracks, but also in the atmosphere. Dark sounds, mostly, especially in the beginning. Luckily, the keynote of the pieces used gets lighter when time progresses: it is as if you hear the sun struggling to break through the sky..
Besides being an auditive impression of the tiredness of spring, this program may also be a remedy against it: at the end of these 2.5 hour you'll probably be ready for the coming summer!

This collage was created by Peter van Cooten in a series of ambient-electronic soundscape collages for Supplement, Radio 4, Holland, and was broadcast on april 25, 2004.

Listen to the INTRODUCTION (dutch)

(go to the playlist)