TouchRadio 144

Estonia has a rich and powerful nature orchestra, and this might be because two thirds of the country is covered with forests and bogs which are often almost untouched. Estonian nature sound is sometimes discrete and quiet, sometimes powerful, but it is always magical. This sound piece features the magnificent performance of the orchestra over a period of 24 hours in the spring. The recording opens with a dawn chorus in the Alam Pedja nature reserve. It then travels to the primaeval forest of Jarvselja and the wetlands south of the Ahja jogi, close to Lake Peipsi and the Russian border. The latter is a boreonemoral, drained peatland and swamp forest area. Chirping birds, croaking frogs, a barking deer and a rumbling thunderstorm make up the choir. The star performers, howling wolves, end this nature symphony just before the sun rises over the forest. Great care has been taken to make the sound piece time and rhythm coherent as well as biogeographically consistent. Man-made noise such as woodworking has been kept as it is, an integral part of the soundscape. The intention is to render the reality as is, not to change it: quiet sounds have remained quiet and might require more concentrated listening on the part of the listener. The music of nature moves slowly. The recorded piece invites the listener to an immersive experience. Take the time to listen through the full length and hopefully be transported. Our thanks go to Robert Oetjen and Triin Libe of the Palupohja nature school, to Andrus Kannel as well as to Mariell Jussi and Rene Valner who have helped make these recordings possible.