A Buddhist Soundscape

Revisiting my first major soundscape commission with The British Library

The Lalitavistara, written in Sanskrit in Devanagari script on paper, the Buddha conquering all demonic congregation, 1803. Sourced from The British Library

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Just a few words today…

I’d like to share with you a soundscape that really helped to give me some direction on my path.

I look back fondly at my time working on this soundscape — not only because of the precious scarcity of these recordings, sourced from the World & Traditional Music collection of The British Library Sound Archive to accompany their last major public exhibition on Buddhism — but also because listening back reminds me of the great joy I found in sculpting, crafting and arranging this soundscape.

Fusing these remarkable, ancient sounds with my own field recordings — the sounds of the wind, the rain and the sea — listening gives way to a genuine wave of calm rising from within.

In these strange, unsettling times, I feel it’s essential for our well being that we all take these moments to tune in to something that can help us connect to a compassionate place — a song, a friend, a conversation, a memory…

Enjoy and thank you for listening 🌻

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“Stay here, as the listening itself, and you will hear.”

Andō

via

Silentium

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Interested in sharing your own field recording story…?

I’m going to feature more of these stories in future. I really enjoy hearing other people’s perspective — the challenges, joys, trials and tribulations, however arbitrary or convoluted — so please feel free to get in touch!

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Thank you for being here with me.

Mat

🌻

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