The Arctic. A place of outstanding beauty. The striking cold, the pristine environment, the silence broken only by the creaks and rumbles of ice falling; the Arctic is a unique place that desperately needs our protection.
And it needs protection urgently. The Arctic Ocean is the least protected sea in the world. As ice cover decreases with rising temperatures, the sea becomes more and more exposed to reckless exploitation, destructive fishing trawlers and risky oil drilling.
To date, over eight million people have petitioned to save the Arctic and, last year, Ludovico Einaudi added his voice to the millions in a unique and unprecedented way.
“I wanted to express the idea of eternity and fragility that I had felt in that place. The glacier is so immensely powerful, yet on the brink of eradication. This fragility of life is something which we can often forget; this is my musical reflection on the Arctic.”
Travelling on board Greenpeace ship, Arctic Sunrise, Einaudi and his grand piano made the journey to Svalbard in the Norwegian Arctic. This is where he performed his soundtrack to the Greenpeace campaign against the backdrop of the Wahlenbergbreen glacier.
Performing in front of an audience can be nerve-wracking. Performing whilst balancing a grand piano on top of a pontoon in the middle of the sea, however, is quite a different experience. From the numbing cold to the threat of capsizing, this was no small feat for the composer and his crew.
And to mark the anniversary for the campaign, Greenpeace have released ‘The Making Of’ the video.
“One year ago, I played ‘Elegy for the Arctic’ in support to the campaign for a marine sanctuary in the North Pole’s international waters; one year has passed, “Save the Arctic” is still a global priority. We still need your support.”
***
Sign the petition here.
***
AVAILABLE ON
LUDOVICO EINAUDI: EXTRA ELEMENTS
Produced in close collaboration with Ludovico Einaudi; this exclusive Piano folio presents four tracks from the special edition of Ludovico Einaudi’s Elements along with imagery and exclusive illustrations.
Suitable for intermediate pianists, the collection comprises pieces from the deluxe album — ‘Drop Solo’ and ‘Twice Solo’ – plus two versions of ‘Elegy For The Arctic’. Also included are photos from Einaudi’s incredible floating performance on the Arctic Ocean, and unique text and illustrations.