The Great Animal Orchestra

Musician and naturalist Bernie Krause is a leading expert in natural sound, dedicating his life to discovering and recording nature's rich chorus. He ventures beyond the noise of modern life to find wild places where soundscapes remain unchanged since the dawn of humanity. Krause reveals how animals depend on their aural habitats for survival and the detrimental impact of extraneous noise on the predator-prey balance. He also highlights how the diverse voices and rhythms of nature have influenced human musical expression. From the sounds of snapping shrimp and humpback whales—whose calls could circle the globe in hours—to cracking glaciers and intense storms, the unique sounds Krause describes are unparalleled. His experiences range from recording jaguars in the Amazon to encountering mountain gorillas in Africa's Virunga Mountains. Krause presents a deeply personal narrative that showcases the planet's interconnected natural sounds and rhythms. This work is a passionate plea for the conservation of one of our most overlooked natural resources: the music of the wild.