Chris Watson - In St. Cuthbert's Time

Tauhid · June 17, 2013

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Digipak CD + 24pp booklet
4 tracks - 58:28

Photography: Maggie Watson
Design: Jon Wozencroft
Sound mastering by Denis Blackham, Skye

Texts by Chris Watson, Dr David Petts, Lecturer in Archaeology / Associate Director of the Institute of Mediæval and Renaissance Studies  Dept. of Archaeology  Durham University, and Dr Fiona Gameson, St Cuthbert's Society, Durham

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The Sounds of Lindisfarne and the Gospels

To celebrate the exhibition of the Lindisfarne Gospels at Durham Cathedral from July to September 2013, award–winning wildlife sound recordist Chris Watson has researched the sonic environment of the Holy Island as it might have been experienced by St Cuthbert in 700 A.D.

Track listing:

1. Winter
2. Lencten
3. Sumor
4. Haerfest

He writes:

A 7th Century Soundscape of Lindisfarne

Throughout human history artists have been influenced by their surroundings and the sounds of the landscape they inhabit. When Eadfrith, the Bishop of Lindisfarne, was writing and illustrating the Lindisfarne Gospels on that island during the late 7th C. and early 8th C. he would have been immersed in the sounds of Holy Island whilst he created this remarkable work. This production aims to reflect upon the daily and seasonal aspects of the evolving variety of ambient sounds that accompanied life and work during that period of exceptional thought and creativity.

Chris Watson – sound recordist

With thanks to Professor Veronica Strang, Executive Director, Institute of Advanced Study, Durham University

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Notes:

St Cuthbert

Cuthbert was an Anglo Saxon monk, bishop and hermit who became prior of Lindisfarne in c. 665. In later life Cuthbert felt called to be a hermit and moved to the nearby island of Inner Farne to begin fighting the spiritual forces of evil in solitude.

Cuthbert became associated with the birds and other animals on the island and gave special protection to the Eider duck which is still known locally as Cuddy’s duck.