A series of four, inspired by the inner sleeve of Goldfrapp’s Felt Mountain.
The inspiration
Goldfrapp’s debut album Felt Mountain was an instant classic on its release in 2000. The inner sleeve has a beautiful and uncredited image of the Matterhorn – probably an old photograph re-scanned.
Album artwork
And of course, some recommended listening:
I’ve been to Zermatt on both photographic and mountaineering missions, but never been able to work out exactly where this photograph was taken from. So with autumn colours turning the mountains to gold, we headed to Zermatt to find it, with saved directions from a now defunct website (referenced here). It’s on a path behind the atmospheric old Riffelalp Hotel.
Arriving at the same place today:
Although the pines and larches have grown in around the path in the since the photo was taken, over half a century ago, the tree on the right is an Arolla pine which grows very slowly and can live 500 years, and it’s almost unchanged.
Vintage postcards
Having struggled to find it, it turned out that this place has been a popular photo opportunity for many decades – here’s a selection from different eras. Thanks to Helen Baron for providing many of these.
