Guitarist playing a Thom Orgler Latemar acoustic (PU high-gloss Smokegrain) outdoors in the Dolomites, eyes closed, enjoying the performance.

A Late Summer Dream: The Making Of

The video was created in the early morning hours at the foot of the Latemar massif. Frost coated the landscape, and the soft dawn light transformed the forest into a shimmering, magical scene.

A quiet, almost magical stillness enveloped the forest, as if the mountains themselves were holding their breath. Even the stags, in the midst of their rutting season, fell silent, as if the forest itself were listening.  Though the performance was captured in playback, the mountains and the quiet valley seemed to echo the music with every frame.

This composition, created by the exceptional guitarist and composer Manuel Randi, found its perfect home in this world full of legends and history. Manuel’s extraordinary musicianship and deep connection to the instrument brought every phrase to life, shaping a piece that resonates perfectly with the spirit of the Latemar guitar. For the creation of the song, the landscape became a constant source of inspiration – the mountains’ serene beauty, the delicate frost, and the gentle morning glow guided each musical phrase, allowing the melody to fully capture the essence of its surroundings. Even during filming, the song was played multiple times over the scene, letting the natural environment infuse the music with its unique character.

The resulting piece is not only a tribute to the instrument and its birthplace but also a testament to Manuel’s genius and sensitivity as a composer – a celebration of the inseparable connection between music, wood, and mountain light.

Additional notes:
This video is part of a Freiundzeit production – with special thanks for their creative collaboration and dedication.
The audio recordings were made at Mountainbluesstudio and Tonstube, whose inspiring atmosphere and technical excellence helped capture the true spirit of this piece.

Thom Orgler, South Tyrolean luthier, inspecting a spruce in a snowy forest while selecting tonewood for his handcrafted guitars.

From Forest to Future: Choosing the Perfect Tree

The search for the perfect tree is anything but simple. Many individual factors play a decisive role in this delicate process. Fundamentally, the trees in question must have reached an age of at least 200 years. To grow this old and remain healthy for such a long time, they need to stand at an altitude of around 1,400 meters above sea level.

Worker at a sawmill measuring and aligning a frost-covered spruce log on the conveyor to cut quarter-sawn tonewood for guitars.

Shaping Possibilities: The Sawmill Stage

Deciding where to make the first cut is a critical and thrilling moment. The initial approach sets the path for the entire sawing process and demands full focus and precision.

Forester making the first cut with a chainsaw on a spruce trunk—controlled winter harvest for tonewood, sawdust flying in a South Tyrol forest.

The Art of the First Cut: Felling the Tree

It was December 27, three days before the new moon – a crisp, cold winter day, perfect for what lay ahead. All eyes were on the moment the chainsaw would roar to life.