by Carol Wright

Phantom of the Forest is a soundtrack from the Nature documentary series. Composer Michael Whalen can orchestrate for large ensembles, but these 21 pieces are intimate, more like chamber music snapshots than symphonic landscapes. Most pieces, in fact, are under two minutes, with some clocking in under 60 seconds. "Spirits," almost an invocation, begins the album with layers of nature sounds and plateaus of sonic textures. "Sea of Trees" features the lonely interplay of a wind ensemble. "Killing to Survive" begins as a graceful float, then segues to a hurried rush for survival. Flute and violin portray the frisky activity of "Building a Nest," while the oboe shows the delicacy of "The Feather." On the longest cut, "Cathedral of the Woods," flutes chirp rhythmically through the canopy's many branches, then rest with a passage for oboe, flute, and glockenspiel. "Sunrise Dance" features a brisk awakening from pan pipes, piano, and vocalese by Valerie Wilson. Whalen's compositions make it easy to visualize the life, time periods ("Night Creatures"), moods, and environments of the woodlands.