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Canadian composer and retired University of Guelph professor James Harley was always fascinated by natural sounds, but he did not know how to translate them into music. This project’s idea arose in1982 while studying composition in London UK, after reading Annie Dillard’s book Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. Years later Harley read Henry David Thoreau’s Wild Fruits which highlighted Thoreau’s nature-based philosophy. In 2002, after purchasing some appropriate equipment, Harley began processing field recordings and selected spoken text excerpts to “compose” these immersive eight-channel electroacoustic soundscapes.

Layered Wild Fruits: I. Prologue (2004) begins with a sound wash. Two book excerpts are spoken and recorded by Jim Bartruff and Theresa A. Carson. One stretched underlying layer is a granulated Thoreau text fragment. Layered signal processed overlapping and solo winds, wildlife sounds like birds, footsteps, and washes varying in volumes and pitches, successfully introduce the listener to Harley’s “spatial” soundscapes. Wild Fruits: II. Like a ragged flock, like pulverized jade (2006) is inspired by two Dillard fragments. In the first part layers of processed water are reminiscent of splashing natural sources. The second part features processed bird sounds. Its texture allows for optional alto flute, recorded here by Ellen Waterman. Wild Fruits: III. Chestnuts (2008) has longer soundscapes with independent soundings of Thoreau’s Chestnuts chapter, percussion banging, rain, leaves etc. Wild Fruits: IV. Winter (2016), has Dillard overlapping spoken texts read by Anne-Marie Donovan. Highly processed independent soundscape recordings include wintry winds, ice and birds. Wild Fruits: V. Epilogue (2023) has previous movements’ sounds, new thunderstorm recording, Donovan spoken Thoreau and Dillard texts, and some granular spatialization layers.

Wild Fruits is unforgettable whether listened to in high definition 8-channel surround sound, or as here on the Dolby Atmos format. The spatialized soundscapes are realistic – at times I thought there was a bird in my apartment, or that I was hearing wind from my open windows. 

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