The Trouble With Music About Wilderness
“The time has come to rethink wilderness.” - William Cronon, The Trouble With Wilderness
When composer and traveling musician Ben Cosgrove was just 7 years old, he wrote a song called “Waves”. Since then, he’s made a career out of music inspired by landscape, place, and wilderness.
But if an artist has an environmental brand... do they also represent an environmental ethic?
Over the years, Ben began to wrestle with what his music was really saying about the natural world.
Ben Cosgrove, looking for a spot to plug in his electric piano. Credit: Ryan W. Smith
Ben speaking with producer Taylor Quimby via Zoom, pointing to the remains of his grandmother’s piano.
Links
Read “The Trouble with Wilderness” by William Cronon.
More on Ben Cosgrove’s new album, also called “The Trouble with Wilderness”.
Credits
Outside/In is produced this week by Taylor Quimby, Justine Paradis, Sam Evans-Brown, and Felix Poon
Erika Janik is our executive producer.
Our theme music is by Breakmaster Cylinder..
If you’ve got a question for our Ask Sam hotline, give us a call! We’re always looking for rabbit holes to dive down into. Leave us a voicemail at: 1-844-GO-OTTER (844-466-8837). Don’t forget to leave a number so we can call you back.