Six days by the lake
SLOW was recorded live over six days in a wooden house on the shore of lake Nedingen, in the forests of Sörmland, Sweden. We asked Lutte Berg and Paolo Innarella how it happened. These are their answers, in their own words.
How did the recording actually happen?
Lutte Berg
I invited Paolo to come and do some concerts together in Sweden. On that occasion I showed Paolo where I live. My little wooden house by the lake, and the studio in it, was a delight in his eyes. The studio has big windows all around it, so while you record you see the nature surrounding us and the lake right outside the studio. We knew that we had to record something together by the lake! Three months later we started the recording.
Paolo Innarella
When I travelled to Sweden at Lutte’s invitation to play a few concerts together and saw where he lived, a longing stirred within me to find a similar place of my own. The house — overlooking a stunning lake and nestled amidst magnificent forest — made a deep impression on me. The recording studio, with its view of the spectacular scenery, sealed the deal. Between concerts, we took the opportunity to simply play a little in the studio, and we experienced how a sense of positivity and beauty permeated what we were doing. That was where the idea was born to try recording a duo album, in order to recreate the same intensity we had experienced in that moment.
How many days?
Lutte Berg
We decided that the album had to be recorded without any hurry. We wanted to follow the rhythm of the pristine nature around us. We lived and slept in the little wooden house with the studio for six days. This is what every day looked like: a nice espresso after waking up, and a recording session until lunch. About 12:30 we cooked the lunch, which could be a nice carbonara, and after lunch we both had our siesta. After the siesta, about 15:30, we had an espresso and then the afternoon session started. After the afternoon session we prepared and had the evening meal with a good glass of wine!
Paolo Innarella
The intention wasn’t to rush things at all. I cleared my schedule of other music work for a whole week. It felt like such a beautiful place deserved to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace. Besides, it gave me great joy to spend a few days with a dear friend and wonderful musician like Lutte. Apart from the actual recording sessions, we also engaged in other pleasant activities — like picking mushrooms, cooking, and chatting over a good glass of wine. They were truly lovely days, I have to say.
What was the room like? What does the lake mean to you?
Paolo Innarella
I may be repeating myself, but having the chance to record in a place so rich in nature — one that evokes such a deep sense of peace — is truly rare. Recording sessions usually mean being in a windowless space, illuminated only by electric light. This time, it was completely different. For someone like me, having lived in Rome for nearly 40 years, this setting was a source of inspiration that immediately influenced the way I played. The sound of the transverse flute and bass flute seemed to belong naturally to the surroundings.
Why did it end up shaping the record?
Lutte Berg
The slow rhythm of the lake really shaped the recording. The lake was the “director” of the recording session. When recording in such a calm environment your playing follows that rhythm.
Paolo Innarella
Given how I view the world and my life at the age of sixty-five, I am far more open to being influenced by the places and the people I play with than I was when I was young. Lutte’s playing style — which I have long deeply admired — was, along with the location itself, my source of inspiration throughout the week.
Why ballads, and only ballads?
Lutte Berg
We decided to record only ballads. The pace of modern times suggests a frenetic way of playing, but we didn’t care. This was OUR recording, and together with the lake the choice was easy: this had to be a ballad record!
Paolo Innarella
Lutte’s guitar sound, combined with the flutes and the lake, dictated the choice of songs — which could be nothing but ballads. Everything drew us toward slow, contemplative tempos, as if it couldn’t have been any other way.
Who filmed it?
Lutte Berg
I realised that it would be nice to film the entire recording session, so I invited Elin Asplund — a friend of mine and a great cello player with photo and video skills — to deal with the cameras. It would have been impossible for me to play, record the audio and also handle the video part.
The entire recording of this album is totally live with no overdubs. It wouldn’t have been possible to do otherwise. A real and honest dialog in music has to be live.