Cold and snow: A four-year memory

In January four years ago, a cold wave lay over Scandinavia and Europe. The newspapers and media were full of headlines about this severe winter cold coming from Siberia. For those who prefer the cold and snowy winter to the wet and hot one, like this year’s winter so far, I here offer an aural memory from those cold winter days. This recording was made on January the 7th, 2010, with my DSM-microphone which is placed on the head like walkman head set. The purpose of the binaural recordings produced by such microphones, is that they reproduce sonic experiences as authentic as possible. The results are often surprisingly realistic. The soundtrack takes place at home, in Nesodden (south of Oslo). It starts in the living room, where I listen to some seconds of the radio news telling about difficulties caused by the cold wave. Then I walk out the door, entering a milieu forty degrees colder. I put on my Dutch clogs and walk off in the snow landscape. Listen to the sound from the shoes squeaking against the freezy snow!

Headphones should be used for the best listening experience.

Snow and coldness, 7 Januar 2010 (WAV, 1 min. 55 sec.)

PS: The meteorologists now report that colder weather is coming, with snow! Thanks a lot, I’d love some snow and cold inland winter climate.

Gjermund Kolltveit

Music archaeologist, ethnomusicologist, musician – Nesodden, Norway. Main research interests: sound and sound tools (e.g. jew’s harps, lyres, ringing stones, bells) in human culture and soundscapes.

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