Once a year, an old, now defunct church at the village of Gagino finds itself at the centre of a singing festival commemorating the wedding that took place more than a century ago.

It were the Russian opera singer Feodor Chaliapin and his Italian fiancee, a ballet dancer named Iola Tornaghi who tied the knot in 1896. Backed by the story a group of locals supported by the media and Chaliapin Fund have started the church restoration campaign supported by the singing event.

This is the story told by one of the visitors to the show, a retired military officer – first, we hear him at the Sergiyev Posad station speaking of his friend belonging to an initiative group. Then we hear the friend’s singing, as well as the voices of the visitors including the TASS news agency journalist Nikolai Gorbunov who spent 25 years researching Chaliapin’s heritage in Scandinavia.

Recorded August 6th, 2011 (MS-TFB-2)
Published August 9th, 2011.

North to South and back again, from the railway station to the monastery, through ever-busy traffic junctions, tranquil lake shores, dodgy cafes and messy 24 hour shops – the walk through Read Army avenue, the Sergiyev Posad’s main road could easily turn into a chaotic experience.

It took four days to gather audio for this particular walk and it sounded bland and monotonous at first – too much cars passing by and not too much going on around but then… There’s no guide this time, no voices apart from those of the strangers, so let the town speak for itself.

All sounds were gathered in the area. Here are the key non-verbal sounds featured in this recording:

• “…he said he shaved his beard off here in Sergiyev Posad”, a bypasser’s remark, chimes @ Trinity-Sergius Monastery (00.00 – 00.20)
• cars getting over the railway crossing @ railway station (00.20 – 01.20)
• vocalist in a cafe @ near Gagarin cultural centre (01.35 – 02.05)
• customers in a shop @ Vorobyovka area (02.10 – 02.35)
• traffic and trains @ overhead road, Klemetyevka area (02.30 – 03.15)
• St Sergius akathistos hymn @ Trinity Church, TSM (03.30 – 05.15)
• level crossing safety transducer @ railway station (05.45 – 06.35)
• street singer, traffic controller via PA @ railway station (07.00 – 07.40)
• grasshoppers, seagulls, bypasser @ Kelarsky pond (07.45 – 08.30)
• ticket offices @ railway station (10.15 – 10.55)
• guest workers @ Severny area (10.55 – 11.25)
• hip hop music from a car passing by @ Severny area (11.25 – 11.35)
• ambience @ railway station (11.30- 12.04)

Recording locations: Red Army avenue
Recording date: June 27, 28, 29, 30th, 2011
Sounds: stereo, binaural stereo

Download as wav
Part of Sergiyev Posad Sound Map.

Not only your random choice of everyday sounds but a handy tool when it comes to weather forecast – oontz.ru is at your service. Listen to this – a market vendor is asking her mate to bring a waterproof cloth for her stall squeezed between the social housing buildings in Rabotchka area, Sergiyev Posad. ‘Bring-me-the-cloth, she says, there’re going to be thunderstorms all the week through’. You’d better listen!

Published July 4th, 2011 (MS-TFB-2)

This is Radio Russia – but not the station you may think of. This is literally the radio of Russia speaking at once. Recorded at Vmeste-Radio festival in Moscow, radiojournalists from all over the country, from places as remote as Kurgan, Chelyabinsk and Abakan to the east, Syktyvkar and Saint Petersburg to the north, Taganrog and Saratov to the south were very kind as I asked them to name any letter of the alphabet. What a great moment, just like turning on all the tuners you can gather in the country!

Recorded June 6th, 2011 (MS-TFB-2)
Published June 11th, 2011

What is known of Fr. Alexander Menn – both as a priest and a neighbour? Could jazz be referred to as an Orthodox music? What is the most precious thing in Semkhoz area? Let’s hear the local sounds and address these questions to Fr. Victor Grigorenko of the Sergiyev Church located in one of the most tranquil areas of Sergiyev Posad.

Recording locations: Semkhoz
Recording date: May 29, 30th 2011
Related period: 1960′s-2000′s
Sounds: stereo, binaural stereo

Download as wav
Part of Sergiyev Posad Sound Map.

Once a restricted access area within the borders of Sergiyev Posad, Ferma urban district has turned out to be quite a lively place full of natural sounds such as birds and waterfalls. The sound story of the area largely became known for its subterranean Orthodox monastery is told by Alexander Arianov.

Место записи: Ferma, Ptitsegrad
Дата записи: April 17, 22nd, 2011
Упоминаемый период:1970-2000s
Аудио: stereo, binaural stereo

Download as wav
Part of Sergiyev Posad Sound Map.

Sounds of the rural residential area in Sergiyev Posad known as Kirovka as told by Tatyana Sadikova, a librarian. She focuses on the wildlife sounds which contribute to the unique atmosphere of this part of the town largely occupied by old wooden houses.

All sounds were gathered in the area. Here are the key non-verbal sounds featured in this recording:

Recording locations: Kirovka (Kirova street)
Recording date: March 27th, 29th, 31st 2011
Related period: 2000s
Sounds: stereo, binaural stereo

Download as wav
Part of Sergiyev Posad Sound Map.