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Road Warriors: Joshua Smith
Joshua Smith is the Principal Flutist for the Cleveland Orchestra.
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KAI RYSSDAL: Our series "Road Warriors" that's been running this summer has focused mostly on the soundtracks that business travelers use to get them through all the depressing parts of life away from home. Today, from producer Michael Raphael, what someone who's work travel is music listens to.
JOSHUA SMITH: I'm Joshua Smith. I'm the principal flutist of the Cleveland Orchestra, and when I'm traveling either with the orchestra or on my own I find myself plugging into my iPod to listen to "Nature," a 1987 field recording by Bernie Krause.
I will -- if I have to -- spend some time on an iPod studying pieces that I'm about to play. I do a lot of work that way. But I think because of that I feel a need to escape from music in general in order to relax.
You sort of start out with the sensation that you're sitting in the middle of a field. You hear birds chirping, crickets churring, pods lapping, and there's a gradual flow towards a rain storm starting. You hear thunder in the background. You hear a dog barking, rooster crowing.
Actually it has an arc that is essentially very musical. But what I like about it the most is that I don't necessarily feel like I have to pay attention to it. I can just kind of check out and hear it in the background and that's kind of what I'm looking for.
We're on tour I think a total of 15 or 16 weeks a year, playing either in Europe ... this fall we're going to Asia. And if I'm not in the orchestra I can be also traveling for chamber music or also solo appearances. So there's a pretty good chunk of the year where I'm on the road.
The entire orchestra can be on a plane and -- we don't necessarily have to choose to travel with the group but we often do -- and I know a lot of these people really well and many of them are great friends, and so there are really great things about that, but there are also times when you don't want to hear the person behind you talking about what he had for breakfast, or the person next to you talking about how uncomfortable the seat is. Because, yeah it is; it's uncomfortable for me to.
There is sort of an aspect of needing to escape, because essentially we're around each other pretty constantly. We work together. We play together. We travel together. So having little moments where you can escape is important I think.
Are you kidding me? Marketplace has truly Jumped the Shark. How is this story relevant...to anything. There is actual news taking place - fairly revolutionary changes in business, technology, and the economy - but stories like this makes it seem like NPR is too busy circling the drain to notice.
Hi Kai-
There are a whole bunch of MUCH CHEAPER CD's of the same type available through Borders.com. If the company that put out Joshua'a CD's had an option at their website to call or e-mail or some option to putting your credit card online, Borders might not have had got my business!!!! As it is, most of the CD's are $1.99 apiece and only a couple are 19.99; beats $9.99 each any day! I got a bunch for less than $40.
I personally e-mail Mr. Krause regarding the nature download and received the following message.
Yes, Donna. Try this: http://www.wildsanctuary.mobi/buy/index.php?route=product/product&path=3.... Download the MP3 file, then load it onto your iPod.
Bernie Krause
Will,
http://www.wildsanctuary.mobi/buy/index.php?route=product/product&keywor...
The above is a link to an album called "Nature" by Bernie Krause. The sample appears to have some music mixed in though.
There is an entire high definition video series on Blu-ray and DVD like this called called the Living Landscapes HD Collection from HDenvironments.com and Allegro Media. These mesmerizing programs take this same immersive, relaxing approach to media to another level with 5.1 surround sound and HD video of nature environments from Africa to New Zealand. Highly recommended for relaxation, meditation and healing. A new use of the medium of video made possible by HD video and surround sound audio.
Rykodisc put out a series of releases, many of them four discs each, called The Atmospheres collection. Just the thing Joshua would appreciate: 60+ minute recordings of natural environments, unexpurgated or enhanced in any way. My favorites are A Day On Cape Cod and A Week In Hawaii, including records of surf, waterfalls, and rainstorms. Long out of print, these discs are worth looking for ... great to fall asleep to in an urban environment or a long plane flight.
Not to toot my own horn too much but 15 years ago, when wrote regularly about ambient and electronic music, I published a column specifically about extended pieces with little melodic complexity. "Deep listening" tracks meant to be listened to in an unhurried, relaxed states. Many of the titles that I wrote about are still favorites of mine when I want to check out of the world (and myself) for an hour or two.
JOSHUA SMITH MAY HAVE SUPPLIED JUST THE ANSWER FOR ME FOR SOME SLEEP ISSUES THAT I HAVE. "NATURE" MAY SUPPLY THE RESTFUL NATURAL BACKGROUND FOR CARRYING MY MIND AND BODY TO A BETTER PLACE. NIGHTTIME RADIO MUSIC IS TOO UNPREDICTABLE, AND I'M NOT LOOKING FOR STIMULATION. THANK YOU TO YOU AND TO JOSHUA FOR THIS SUGGESTION.
