We park the car close to Col de Joux Plane. As we pull things out of the trunk, my ears open to a interplay of sounds, which strikes my unsuspecting ears as a wild, atonal improvisation performed by gamelan (ensemble). I turn to see a stream of cattle pouring alongside a nearby shed, following a well-trodden path close to us, along the edge of a small lake. Around each of their necks is a thick band of leather or canvas on which hangs a metal bell (looking handmade) with its unique sound. I stand for a while with my eyes shut and listen, enraptured. Above the continual ringing and bonging of my initial perception, I begin to hear individual sounds, sonic differentiation, and the question arises: 'what does the ringing of these bells sonify?' The movement of the cattle, for social or gastronomic reasons? A couple of hours later, traversing the mist-covered ridges, we still hear these bells, now transmitting the reverberation and decay of the reflection from the surrounding mountain surfaces as well: depth, distance and location. I wonder how the cows adapt (or don't) to the incessant sounding. Still later I learn that these sounds can transmit information concerning age, gender, species and fertility.

Some days later I make this recording, moving cautiously toward and among the cows and recording them from a few different positions. During the final 16 or so minutes of my 41 minute recording session I fell into a completely absorbed state, sitting on a mossy rock, eyes shut, lost in the sea of sounds and overwhelmed by the pure presence of these magnificent animals. At some point they started moving, and around 16:00 in this edit, I felt a large presence behind me. A cow was snuffling my backpack and gave me a gentle nudge. I decided that the message was 'time to move on now' and went on to join my herd.

Unfortunately the limitations of my Zoom H4n with Rycote windscreen are quite apparent under these windy conditions. This recording is only a shadow (or should I say echo?) of the rich variety of sounds coming at me from all directions in the actual experience.  

Symphony of Resting Cows (Symphonie Des Vaches Se Reposent)

field recordings and electroacoustic sound compositions

Symphony of Resting Cows (Symphonie Des Vaches Se Reposent)

sharonrstewart