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Beside the River Mid-Mountains in Aulus-les-Bains

Beside the River, Mid-Mountains in Aulus-les-BainsSarah Dew
00:00 / 12:16

 

In May, 2022, Sarah composed and created this audio work while on a composing residency at CAMPfrance in Aulus-les-Bains, France.

See https://www.campfr.com/

The course was situated in the Pyrenees mountains and was led by inspirational composer Gavin Bryars. 

The 12 minute work comprises melody, field recordings of the area (including the iconic village church bells and cowbells from the cattle being driven further up into the mountains for the summer), sound art and live bowed electric guitar performed by fellow course participant and soundtrack composer Sam Hooper. 

The piece builds gradually from gentle sounds of the village to accompanying music with a hymnal ambience; eventually becoming a much larger, majestic, celebratory and joyous work that still retains aspects of hymnal melancholy. 

The background picture is the inspirational view from Sarah's window during the course.

Birds of Heart and Sky came about through a love of birds. It is a radio ballad: a collection of emotive audio works, songs, compositions and field recordings celebrating a selection of birds currently on the Red List of most vulnerable birds in the UK. This audio installation was created to help raise awareness and promote more public support to help increase bird populations. It is a suite of songs illuminating puffins, turtle doves, curlews, skylarks and cuckoos; linked by sound art, field recordings and spoken word. It includes printed text to give further information on the birds, also enabling hearing impaired audience members to fully access the lyrics.

Music, lyrics and sounds are composed, recorded and produced by me,  Scarborough composer/songwriter Sarah Dew with recorded contributions from guest singers and other field recordists. 

 

The project was installed at Hull University as part of ‘This Is Hull’ week. In July, 2024, it received great acclaim when it was installed with dramatic and atmospheric lighting at St Mary’s Church, Scarborough as part of Scarborough Art.

It is endorsed by the RSPB. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Birds of Heart and Sky will be installed with ambient lighting, in beautiful churches, in collaboration with the North York Moors Arts and Culture partnership; part of the North York Moors National Park Beacon for the Arts Festival, 2025. See the Events page for more details.

Also see northyorkmoors.org.uk/artsfestival

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