From the meditative drones of the burners to the astonished cries from the audience, St Sergius Sky festival – the annual hot air balloon show – has a wide range of sounds. And above all that – the allmighty overwhelming hiss. And… well hiss, tons of hiss. The safest way to travel ever known to human kind (far safer than, say, trains) balloons got their own day in Sergiyev Posad.

Recorded July 16th, 2009.
Published December 16th, 2009 (2.2 mb).

Each year on this day they celebrate what has triggered a loss of the country to ones and a start of a new era to the others. The event in question is the 1917 Communist coup (or revolution according to its supporters) that still brings them together, mostly the elderly ones, carrying flowers and slogans just as they did through decades. Deprived of Christ in what turned out to be a god-less state overnight, they were given a new cult 92 years ago. It took a form of sound on that wet and rainy morning as the few women in their 70’s I think sang along L’Internationale, the left-wing anthem. Standing among them I got the same unavoidable feeling as if standing in a church choir. Later on this recording – an old man asking how the factory (where he has worked obviously) is doing. There’s no factory now, someone replies about the largely defunct plant, closed down as modern Russia took a new direction again. Have a listen for yourself.

Recorded November 7th, 2009.
Published December, 6th 2009 (4.2 mb).

While there were Maslenitsa (Mardi Gras) festivities on the streets of Sergiyev Posad, the nearby Abramtsevo college made it on their own. The would-be ceramicists and painters had fun playing outdoor games and enjoying live music beside the college main entrance. It all ended with a joky scarecrow burning as a symbolic farewell to the winter. This is what it sounded like – a soundcape recorded on that day.

Recorded February 27th, 2009.
Published December 6th, 2009 (2.2 mb).

“Maslenitsa” by Boris Kustodiev, 1919.

Yes indeed, the BMX rider named Oguretz did this stunt at the extreme sports festival in Sergiyev Posad, and the crowd rejoiced with wows.

Recorded May 31st, 2009.
Published December 6th, 2009 (1.2 mb).

Military signallers brass band performing a cold war hit at the hand to hand combat competition opening ceremony in Sergiyev Posad.

Recorded May 17th, 2009.
Published November 29th, 2009 (2.7 mb).

Mostovik is a small village outside of Sergiyev Posad holding the only cross-country motocycle race around. They occupy a former sandpit for a few days in summer – from toddlers to the retired ones, men and women, newbies and pros. They came from all across Russia and neighbouring countries. This is a mixed soundscape that mixes the bikes’ roar with a few voices and some music.

Recorded May 18th, 2008.
Published October 4th, (6.9 mb).

It was rainy at first so setting up an open air art fair looked like a risky affair. But anyway they did it. Abramtsevo museum – a XVIII century estate and once a club for the patrons of art carried out a party in which the craftsmen, painters and sculptors featured their art right on the estate green. A true family event, so you may hear people laughing, balloons exploding, the blacksmiths striking, the ‘Eugene Canseliet magic box’ master amusing the crowd with his optical theatre, and last but not least – the music played by the Alexander Mironov band. Photo by SD aka SD.

Recorded May 23rd, 2009.
Published September 27th, 2009 (6.5 mb).