Sounding Out Cathedral Cave – june 2023

5 07 2023

a most welcome return to a spectacular location.

cathedral cave is a very unique and wonderful place both in terms of atmosphere and acoustics. this time, the weather gives a very different quality to the experience of the place. i have been walking in the area in blazing sunshine, swimming in the clear water of lakes surrounded by beautiful landscapes.

i arrive to the cave tired, warm and pretty blissed out from such stunning scenery. the cool space provides a nice shelter from the heat. and although it is still busy that late in the day, the imposing presence of this carved architecture sets a strong mood that is serene.

the name of cathedral cave is well deserved.

here, time stops.

and from the very fist notes, i enter that very special place fully.

both evenings, i play for a period of time, blending melodic passages, progressions, and overtones, taking advantage of this unique and powerful reverb. some sections play with the different effects the space offers – the interplay of tones in the sustain is fascinating… two notes linger and dance in the space and each interval a different pattern. each triad swirls a different spin.

although the space mostly inspires a gentle play of tones and melody, more angular shapes find their way in the improvisations. symmetrical structures bounce across the spectrum from one axis to the next. geometric shapes climb the raw surface of the rock. a little slack in the rope allows for smudges of movement. chromatic whirls send phases off-center. the space responds and blesses the ear with stunning sound effects.