In April this year a Nightingale moved into the hedge over the road from our house. It sang so loudly it seemed as if it was in the garden. He would move from singing post to singing post throwing his voice across the fields sometimes singing in the copse over the road. One Friday afternoon there as a sing off. We had clashing Nightingales creating layers of song. Insistent and almost deafening. Initially we left the windows open and tried to stay awake at night in order to listen to this fabulous song. At three in the morning it would crash into your dreams dragging you awake. But all too soon it was over as our songster found a mate and his song became more muted and intermittent. We could sleep. But if we woke at night we could hear a gentle nightingale song.
This film is a celebration of our Nightingale experience. I wanted to create feel of being in the garden at night and listening to the world…….. It is not supposed to be a realistic rendering - more an overwhelming sound experience as the nights I made the recordings were quite windy, - as they are until June. Visually I was thinking about Jean Cocteau 's film 'La Belle et La Bete' A lot of that takes place at night. So I was after some of that magic! It is best heard LOUD!!! Headphones would help!