Search - Jean C. Roche :: Nocturne of Nightingales

Beautiful collection of nightingale songs

James Remsen, Jr. | Lindenhurst, NY USA | 06/10/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is yet another winner from Sittelle, Europe's largest publisher of CDs of sounds from nature. The name "nightingale" is, for many, synonymous with any outstanding singer, human or avian. On this disc, Jean C. Roche presents a series of nightingale recordings, all lengthy (the average is probably five minutes each) and all uninterrupted...no talking, no music, nothig added. Just more than one hour of beautiful bird songs in sharp, clear sound. You don't have to be a nature lover to enjoy this one. If you are looking for a beautiful nature CD, this will fill the bill nicely. Actually, there are two species of nightingale, the common nightingale and the thrush nightingale. This CD presents recordings from both species. The common nightingale deserves its reputation as one of the great avian vocalists of the world. The song is loud, powerful, and has a wide range, often beginning with high, clear whistles before exploding in fiery, rich, warbled tones. The song of the thrush nightingale is slighly less musical but still outstanding by any standard. A nice bonus to some of the recordings included here are the background sounds, which create an evocative picture of the bird's habitat. In one recording, you can hear a second nightingale answering in the background; another has an evening ambiance (yes, these birds do sing at night), with the nightingale joined by crickets and an owl. Great!"