Tales of a Forest, a Lake and the Sleeping Giants (3-CD) Music by Panu Aaltio
Quartet Records, in collaboration with MovieScore Media, presents a mammoth 3-CD special edition featuring Panu Aaltio's acclaimed, award-winning music for the Tale trilogy.
This trio of Finnish nature documentaries chronicles the exciting wildlife of the North in three episodes: TALE OF A FOREST (2012). TALE OF A LAKE (2016) and TALE OF THE SLEEPING GIANTS (2021). Featuring breathtaking photography of the three main ecosystems, the Tale series was a surprise hit in Finnish cinemas and has built up a substantial following outside the country as well.
Each of the three scores won in the "Best Original Score for a Documentary" category at the International Film Music Critics Association Awards in their respective years. These hauntingly beautiful nature documentary soundtracks feature unique elements, such as the voice of Johanna Kurkela in TALE OF LAKE and the female ethno-quartet Tuuletar in TALE OF THE SLEEPING GIANTS. The first two scores were released on CD by MovieScore Media but both have been out of print for years and are now very hard to find. In this new edition we present them remastered and expanded with some bonus tracks. SLEEPING GIANTS was previously released only in digital format; this premiere CD edition features the same content.
The lavishly designed package design includes illustrated liner notes by Dr. Gergely Hubai discussing the scores, based on an extensive discussion by Panu Aaltio himself.
1. The Tale of a Forest (2:47) 2. A New Beginning (3:46) 3. The Little Ones (2:08) 4. A Midsummer Treasure (1:44) 5. Snowfall (2:33) 6. The Woodland Spirit (4:35) 7. Spring Wonder (2:56) 8. Days Gone By (2:35) 9. Ant Kingdom (2:23) 10. Stone of the Snakes (1:58) 11. Home (2:50) 12. The Bird and the Squirrel (3:14) 13. Twig Traffic (2:30) 14. Raindrops (2:24) 15. Love, Care and Respect (6:24) 16. The World Tree (2:02) 17. Forsaken (1:58) 18. A Forest Adventure (2:35)
Bonus Tracks
19. The Woodland Spirit (Nature Symphony Version) (4:05) 20. A Forest Adventure (Nature Symphony Version) (3:27)
DISC2
TALE OF A LAKE (2016)
1. Ahitar (The Water Spirit) (3:36) 2. Spring Brook (1:55) 3. Tale of a Lake (2:16) 4. Hide and Seek (3:39) 5. First Morning (4:53) 6. Reunion (1:39) 7. A Family Divided (1:46) 8. Bug Ballet (2:33) 9. The Spawn (2:09) 10. Frog Wrestling (3:06) 11. Ancient Spirits (1:57) 12. Coming of the Fall (1:34) 13. Macro World (2:31) 14. Children (2:52) 15. The Gulls and the Eagle (2:11) 16. Brisk and Idle (2:06) 17. The Birds’ Farewell (2:21) 18. Under the Frozen Surface (3:14) 19. Life in the Depths (4:43) 20. Crab Guardians (3:37) 21. Seal Pup (5:48) 22. The Water Cycle (2:11)
Bonus Tracks
23. Ahitar: The Water Spirit (Nature Symphony Version) (3:37) 24. First Morning (Nature Symphony Version) (6:05) 25. A Family Divided (Nature Symphony Version) (1:44) 26. The Birds’ Farewell (Nature Symphony Version) (2:26) 27. The Water Cycle (Nature Symphony Version) (1:35)
DISC 3
TALE OF THE SLEEPING GIANTS (2021)
1. The Message (7:14) 2. God of Wind (4:01) 3. Birth of a Reindeer (2:31) 4. Friends (1:54) 5. The Ice Breaks (2:46) 6. Crown Snow (5:41) 7. Battle of the Birds (2:58) 8. Stoat and the Owl (3:06) 9. Bird Island (3:50 10. Wagtail and the Eaglet (2:24) 11. Muskoxen (2:29) 12. Jaybird and the Mole (2:39) 13. Ruff Revue (2:43) 14. Wolverines (1:58) 15. Fox Family (2:19) 16. Ants (1:43) 17. The Scary Vole (3:04) 18. Fall Colors (2:13) 19. Salmon Spawn (1:33) 20. The Giant Era (5:29) 21. Crow Syndicate (2:46)
I had despaired of Sleeping Giants ever getting a CD release. That, combined with the first two great scores being expanded with bonus tracks, plus new Gergely Hubai liner notes using a new interview with Panu... how can I resist? IMO these are three of the greatest scores of the past decade+.
Ordered, but that shipping rate to the U.S. is brutal. Almost the same as the release cost.
Welcome to my world! We have the same issue over here, when attempting to order from the US. Not only is the shipping the same as the release, but sometimes even twice or THREE TIMES the cost of the actual CD itself. Completely bonkers.
By the way, I absolutely love FORESTS and LAKES, but for some reason never connected very well to SLEEPING GIANTS. Still, a great set, this, for those who don't already own them.
I hadn't heard a note of these scores until this morning when I saw this thread, and wow, what gorgeous music. Aaltio's score for Home of Dark Butterflies is an all-time favorite of mine (even though I've never seen the film...is it worth a look?), so I'm excited to hear more of his work.
I received my copy from MovieMusic yesterday and listened to the first disc. Gorgeous music, very melodic and uplifting. There's something about nature documentary scores that really inspire the imagination and evoke a sense of awe and wonder. I can't wait to listen to the other scores in this set.
I received my copy from MovieMusic yesterday and listened to the first disc. Gorgeous music, very melodic and uplifting. There's something about nature documentary scores that really inspire the imagination and evoke a sense of awe and wonder. I can't wait to listen to the other scores in this set.
Yes, just got mine last week and had a bit of a listen. Such great music. Haven’t heard the other couple properly yet but heard wee bits and its such a refreshing listen with all the big budget disappointments I've been playing recently. Haven’t really heard much of his other stuff apart from ‘Butterflys’
I was on the fence about it but seeing it's only a 300 something copies release I bought it and didn't regret it. Tales of a Forest and Tales of the Sleeping Giants are wonderful, and while Tales of a Lake is also good it's not as enjoyable as the other two.
I was pretty shocked when i went to read reviews of the actual documentaries, that there were folk actually complaining about the music, saying it was too overbearing and suedo-classical. I guess its possible when hearing in the context, but the music is so amazing and sweeps you along in its musical journey it seems very unlikely.
Simple: some people just have awful taste. Plenty of professional film critics will trash great scores by Williams or Goldsmith, and yet praise some random synth noodling.
