SARAH SMOUT
As one of the five artists involved in the Watershed project, Cellist and song writer Sarah Smout composed a piece of music. Click on the image above to listen, and read on for her reflections on the process, and to view the lyrics.
“My initial ideas going into this project were quite different to what I ended up with. My intention was to collect lots of field recordings and record outside, but my time in the valley to do this was prevented by the weather. On the other hand, the five interviews gave me so much to think about, and my next focus became to try to reflect that in my composition – who or what am I writing this song for? Trying to fix onto a manageable concept was my first main challenge.
Without the opportunity to record outside, the production of the song took flight, and adopted an imaginary audio experience from the perspective of being on a boat on the lake. This meant that some sounds are close and personal, as if on the boat too, and some are vast and reverberating, as if reflected from the water and up onto the fells, then into the distance. This was my attempt at playing with themes of time and distance in place, in an audible way.
Musically, themes like belonging, fragility and timescales landed in more of a minor key, whereas the hopefulness of the choruses have a major, brighter sound. Gentle plucking of the cello and sweeping vocals give way to arpeggios that all move and intertwine and tangle together to try and represent the range of emotions people have for this place.
Pretty soon, my musical ideas merged into the lyrics. I wanted to create something where the music could represent the valley, lake, tree, fell and foss, and capture this moment in time in Ullswater; a backdrop of sound that burbled along, like Aira Beck, and down into the lake, with the dynamic range of the fells. I felt like the land’s identity came across so strongly, something I wanted to incorporate in the lyrics with some Cumbrian dialect. Tethera Tan Yan* (the title and lyrics), came about when thinking about the different timescales in the landscape – human and non-human, some very short and some very long – and the idea of counting how certain things are growing, like the wildflowers or the trees, whereas other things, like sheep, are reducing in places.
From my conversations, it was clear that allowing nature the space to thrive was important to everyone. The tensions surrounding what this place is for, and how much pressure it comes under, are urgent questions going forward for people who live here, and for nature; and how that reflects on a global scale in a time of climate and biodiversity crises.
The variety of different voices, again non-human and human, were evident, and so I’ve included people’s response to “where is the wonder?” in the chorus lyrics.
I was just so struck by what people said about their love for and connection to the valley. So, this is a song that celebrates the natural ‘being’ that is Ullswater Valley – the way that the people and the landscape are so intertwined, and how that relationship fosters care and passion. I have brought in the land’s voice the best I can, with sounds of Aira Beck and the lake itself, captured from the boat Raven. It’s an anthem, if you like, to keep going, no matter how small the impact might feel in the moment. It all started with a seed.”
* Tethera, Tan, Yan is local dialect for ‘Three, Two, One’
Tethera Tan Yan
Song Lyrics by Sarah Smout
V 1.
Valley, Lake, Tree ,Fell
Valley, Lake, Tree, Fell
Foss
Pre Ch.
and there’s knocking at the door
(Tethera Tan Yan, Tethera Tan Yan)
it’s time to let the land in
The Land in
Ch.
The land in
The land in
The land in
V 2.
Ullswater, wolves’ water, your water, my water
Ice-shadow home for a river to wonder
and weave
and there are flowers in the field
(Yan Tan Tethera, Yan Tan Tethera)
there’s hope in all the seedlings
a feeling
it’s changing
Ch.
The wonder is in
the dawn swim
the hawthorn that blooms the soonest
the fell gate, the day is closing
Bridge
Underneath my skin there is
more than meets the eye not
just beautiful
We are kith and kin to the
veterans and the mothers the
yellow rattle seeds
Hefted from the stone a village
full of heart needs you
to stay here
to love here
Ch.
The wonder is in the dawn swim
the oak trees who find us listening
the skipper that paints their soul deep
in ripples that join together
Outro.
and there’s knocking at the door
it’s time to leave it open
Sarah Smout at the wheel of Raven, with skipper Christian Grammar, on a journey across Ullswater.
During her five interviews, Sarah spent time with farmers on their hill farm that stretches from the lake shore to the upland commons; visited Aira Force with a National Trust ranger; strolled through wood pastures with an adviser from Natural England; walked to Greenside Mines with a local resident whose family have lived in Glenridding for generations; and joined a skipper for a trip across the lake. Although she created just one piece for the event and exhibition, Sarah suspects there’s a whole album’s worth of music to be written. Who knows … watch this space!
Sarah playing an acoustic version of her composition for the private view of the exhibition, Glenridding Village Hall, July 2023.
Read Sarah’s blog on two of her meetings here: Musician at Work
More about Sarah in her artist profile here.
More on the Watershed project here.