Winter Sounds

How does winter sound? Well, I suppose that depends on where on earth you make your home. If you are among the lucky few who happen to live in the cold northern regions of the world, the answer could perhaps be: like a roaring snowstorm or as the cracking of ice in a mighty river. If you are slightly more subtle, you might go for that distinctive sound your feet make when you’re walking on snow, millions of ice crystals crushed for no seeming reason other than to cheer you up a little. The more urban creatures might suggest that the sound of winter is more that of laughing children tumbling down a snow-clad slope in a nearby park, or the familiar yet annoying sound of a snow plough that wakes you up at four thirty in the morning.

Your answer could also reflect a desire for something else. If your life is busy, the preferred sound of winter could be that of a cozy fire while you turn the pages of a good book. If you’re lonely, it could be the warming laughter of family and friends. If you’re homeless, it would most definitely be the friendly click your front door makes as it encloses you from the cold outside.

For many of us, the sound of winter is foremost the sound of seasonal music, an ever-flowing soundtrack that accompanies winter and all its festivities. It holds both the familiar everlasting and the new and fresh but always secured in a well-known and distinctive context, whether it’s Christmas, New Year or just winter. We wanted to create a recording that reflects all the aspects of the season rather than just Christmas spirit. It is a mix of music from different countries and eras, both profane and sacred.

We hope it will give you a soundtrack that will last you all through winter and perhaps beyond. Enjoy!

Anders Eriksson
President of the Academy Chamber Choir of Uppsala