Berlin-based Lutta and Gunnar revisit Sergiyev Posad, Lutta’s hometown. In this episode we listen to the sounds of the relatively new residential area known as Uglitch where Lutta has been living before relocating to Germany.

This soundwalk was recorded during the couple’s stay in Russia in the winter of 2010/2011. Lutta is reflecting upon the changing landscape of the familiar place while Gunnar recounts his experience as a German speaker finding himself among the Russians and the Russian sounds. The topics range from the old and noisy cars that are still around, the children’s sleighing and whether the snow sounds different in different countries to the modern-day urban alienation and the very own lingo of the Russian media.


Recording locations: Uglitch
Recording date: January 6, 30th, 2011
Related period: 1990-2000’s
Sounds: stereo, binaural stereo

Part of Sergiyev Posad Sound Map.

/ 20.02.2011

5 📨

  1. Not being able to understand the language, I spent time enjoying the background sounds in the clip. The bird in the beginning sounds great.

  2. Hello and thank you. Your comment makes me think of providing a transcript of each episode.

  3. Ooh, I think that would be a LOT of work. It’s nice to just hear the sound of an unfamiliar language sometimes.

  4. Thanks for this Vladimir. I seem to have missed it first time round so I’m pleased I’ve found it now. I can understand some of the German and the odd or two word of the Russian. In a funny sort of way I think that not understanding the words actually adds to the piece for non-Russian and non-German speakers. The ambient sounds paint the picture and the voices provide the music. I think it works really well.

  5. Thanks Des. I feel lucky for being able to incorporate two voices and two languages into this story and it’s great to know it works.

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