Dan Gibson's Solitudes Volume One

In our series of Sunday posts with Nature and Environmental Sounds, here's the first volume of Dan Gibson's never ending Solitudes series, from 1981. Grey posted Volume Six some time ago, and hopefully more will come in the future, at least from the early volumes, before Gibson started to mess up these beautiful sounds with "specially selected" music.

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from the liner notes:

1 By Canoe to Loon Lake

"Our starting point is a waterfall at the end of a portage. We dip the paddle into the gently flowing river. We drift awhile. We are watched. The ruby-crowned kinglet notes our presence in its territory. The Kinglet is the first wildlife voice we hear. As we drift downwards a spruce lined shore one of nature's friendliest sounds keeps us company, the spruce forest rings with the song of the white-throated sparrow. ... Up ahead we can see the white waters of the rapids thrashing up above the surface level of the lake. The canoe is drawn forward. Our microphones are mounted on the on the gunwales, soon you are plunging into ever quickening rapids until they are thundering all around you as you surge through the channels ... then come at last to the placid reaches of Loon Lake. A slight evening breeze drifts us out into the secluded lake where the gray tree frogs and the spring peeper frogs provide their evening background chorus to the haunting calls of the loon."

Wildlife species featured: Ruby-crowned kinglet, Red Squirrel, White-throated Sparrow, Ovenbird, Catbird, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Veery, Common Loon, Gray Tree Frogs, Spring
Peeper Frogs.


2 Dawn by a Gentle Stream (The ultimate water treatment experience)

"... You feel harrassed? Your nerve ends are hanging out? It's been a desperate day? You need to sit by a gentle stream. You need to let that cool soothing rush of water wash through, over and around your psyche. Now add the perfect symbiotic element - the song of birds... Recorded in Panoramic Stereophonic Sound, producing pristine clarity and presence, this might well be the ultimate water treatment."

Wildlife species featured: Wood Thrush, Red-Eyed Vireo, Canada Warbler, Blue Jay, Magnolia Warbler, Ovenbird.

A great listen for a cold and gray November Sunday. 

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