January 25th is the day when every Russian student has a good choice of reasons for celebration.

First, the official one – this is a Students Day in Russia, officialy established in 2005. Secondly, on January 25th the memory of St Tatiana – the patron saint of students – is revered. And finally, the Moscow State University was founded on that day a long long time ago.

Even then the student’s street revelries and spree were tolerared by the police on Tatiana’s Day. Still, it’s all about fun, discos, contests, comedy nights and dancing parties. I went to one of those parties at the open-air skating rink in Sergiyev Posad.

At minus 23° Celsius (that’s minus 9.4° Fahrenheit) outside this was a part of my job to go there, and I’d think twice if it wasn’t. In this heavily cross-faded sound recording you will hear skates vs ice grind, laughter and voices, the upbeat music that played there, the hosts and the lord-mayor’s brief speech at the opening ceremony, possibly a few frost-broken cables and laptops, and the senior generation of staff – Galina Vasil’yevna at the skates hire point and Irina from the cloackroom – being asked to describe the youngsters with only one word. ‘Smart’ and ‘flippant’ they said.

Photo by Alexey Sevastianov.

Recorded January 25th, 2010
Published February 5th, 2010 (2.4 mb).

Torgoviye (tor-go-wee-yeah) Ryady indoor market in Sergiyev Posad. The atmospere is a bit relaxed this morning although that is quite unusual for such a busy place. The sound of customers musing on what tea and coffee they should buy, a seller telling she’s feeling cold for her stall is placed near the entrance. Also rather unexpectedly – chirping sparrows warmly sheltered under the market roof.

Recorded January 7th, 2010
Published January 23rd, 2010 (2,8 mb).

Next to the railway station a barker is using a loud-hailer in the rain promoting a newly opened butcher’s shop. Suddenly she founds a sort of an assistant – an old lady is joining her voice on a voluntary basis.

Recorded November 7th, 2009.
Published December 13th, 2009 (1.1 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.

They come in an old squeaky lorry, the manure and peat traders. Both substances are used as fertilizers by dachniks – part-time DIY-farmers, part-time city dwellers. The stuff is packed in huge bags, delivered from home to home in a row, and the lorry is used as a counter. These people hail from the former USSR republics hence the accent.

Recorded July 25th, 2009 with built-in mics.
Published December 6th, 2009 (2.1 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).