Sounds of the Easter night recorded at the Trinity Sergius monastery in Sergiyev Posad (with a few bits just behind the outer wall). Priests and parishioners, tourists and beggars. Footsteps over the cobbled pavement. Bells, clocks and hymns from the crowded halls. Doors slamming right beside you and trains moving somewhere in the dark. No lighting apart from the hand held candles, a few lamps and the moon. Every church of the monastery stood open on that special night, I visited all of them – including those normally closed to the public.
Recorded April 24th, 2011 (CA-14 omni + SP-TFB-2)
Published April 26th, 2011.
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04/27/2011. And here’s another one Easter sound, recorded at the Chernigovkiy skit (skit can be roughly translated as the hermit’s monastery) located within a 30-minutes walk to the south-east from the Sergiyev Posad train station. Skit is known for its subterranean caves once used as a shelter for the orthodox hermits. Everyone is allowed to to walk up the stairs of the belfry to ring a bell this week. Recordist Alexander Arianov.
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These sounds are also worth mentioning. St Antony Siya monastery in the far North, made available online by the Arkhangelsk recordist known under the dooom_trooper moniker. This is one of those recordings, log on to his web page for more.
Two sounds recorded at the very same location in Sergiyev Posad but within a year of each other.
The place is called Sovetskaya Square. This once grassy but now snowy plot of land could be easily found right at the city centre. To the east are the McDonald’s golden arches, to the west – the city council building and the mayor’s office, marked with the huge mosaic hammer and sickle state emblem hanging over the entrance. Hammer and sickle was the core image of the Soviet empire, hinting at the workers and countrymen role in forming the new communist state, now – part of history itself.
It is the final day of the week before Lent – the festive period known as Maslenitsa in Russia. As usual, there is a high and smooth pillar looming at the centre of the square, and a wooden cage is elevated to the top of it with a roller and a rope. Inside is a rooster frightened to death, a trophy for the one who is fit enough to climb the pole with his shirt off. The host is doing his (or her) best to cheer the crowd inviting everyone to take part in.
Some are sliding down, others are more motivated. A short and powerful climbing and soon after the bird is quivering in the winner’s hands – head down, legs tied together. Everyone seems to be so happy, the winner looks triumphant. This tradition has been around for ages, now it reminds of a time of great poverty when getting an extra rooster could largely benefit the family budget. But here we are, in the 21st century, standing in the crowd at the city centre, admiring the guy with the bird he just doesn’t need anymore.
2010, the rooster is trying to escape the cardboard box he is squeezed into.
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2011, the beginning of the get-a-bird session, as essential to Maslenitsa as the hammer and sickle emblem was essential to the climbers’ parents many years ago.
These are the moments when things like penicilling invention, book-printing or long distance communication look nothing but a bleak and futile whim of humanity.
Recorded February 13th 2010, March 6th 2011 (SP-TFB-2)
Published March 8th, 2011.
January – bridge to St. Savva well, Epiphany, Trinity-Sergius monastery
February – Maslenitsa festivities, Sovetskaya Square
March – banshee, Zvyozdotchka area
April – before the show begins, Gagarin concert hall
May – early morning birds, Kozya Gorka area
June – train peddler selliing goods
July – grasshoppers, car-sheds half-way from Skobyanka to Zvyozdotchka
August – chav-car taking off, Severny area
September – blacksmiths, city fair, Beliy pond
October – completing of a general census form
November – dentist’s office renovation, Vorobyovka area
December – piano courses, Gagarin hall
Twelve 15-seconds extracts depicting each month – from the local routine to national events. Most of the recordings are binaural, none were published before.
Recorded January-December, 2010 (SP-TFB-2, CA-14 omni, R-09HR)
Published December 31st, 2010.
Cyclists heading for the starting point for the race held last May in Semkhoz woods near Sergiyev Posad. Voices, steps, bicycle chains, frogs in a reservoir nearby.
Recorded May 22nd, 2010 (SP-TFB-2)
Published December 16th 2010.
Alexey, or less formally, Lyoha is a sambo fighter from a town called Yuriev-Polskiy. He’s given a very emotional advice from his coach at the Tropinov Cup, an annual sambo competition held in Sergiyev Posad’ Lutch arena this weekend. Sambo is an early 20th century Russian martial art combining elements of traditional Russian fightings, judo and a few others. Subsequently, Lyoha won.
Recorded November 27th, 2010 (SP-TFB-2)
Published November 28th, 2010.
Traders and customers voices at the Sergiyev Posad fair. Twice a year this fair fits in the local tennis courts featuring lots of stuff: from foods and board games to clothing and cosmetics.
Recorded October 7th, 2010 (CA-14 omni)
Published November 20th, 2010.
Is it just me or do they really play pre-recorded clapping? This recording was made at the posh Atrium Hall and the applause goes to the Sergiyev Posad district mayor and his colleagues. Oh my!
Recorded September 27th, 2010 (built-in mics)
Published October 12th, 2010.
