Sunday Silence - Field Recordings

For the last Episode of the season we'll enjoy busy street sounds from a crowded early morning market in Yangon Myanmar's Chinatown. The vendors are selling all kind of exotic and unfamiliar fruits and vegetables as well as hunks of meat straight from the animal. The street is already crowed and bustling by 6am, when this Recording was made. Later you'll hear monks walking by, speaking into megaphones (04:15) and a line of young monks chanting (05:45) as they walk down the street in a line.

Today’s episode is a tranquil soundscapes on the countryside of Portugal. I recorded those near Torres Novas a little town north of Lisbon. There are early morning soundscapes mingled with some thunderstorms and a nightly concert of croaking frogs.

Today we're headed back to Nepal, to a little village called Bandipur. I stayed for a few nights at a cozy family run guesthouse which sat atop a hill. The view from there was magical. From my balcony I had a panoramic view of the lush green valley surrounding me (filled with trees, birds, and an entire bustling eco system). At night i would wake up to the sounds of thunderstorms descending down from the mountains. This is a recording of one of those nights.

This episode is a mix of the sounds I collected while walking through the medina in Tanger, Morocoo. It's a shop owner playing old vinyl records, the local kid gang playing on the streets, and of course the call for prayer (recorded from one of the many rooftops).

When going through my archives the other day I noticed how many of my Field Recordings, both in the City and out in the Countryside have the sounds of animals in them. Birds take center stage and are especially prominent and lively in today's recordings. In this Episode I put together a mix of Recordings with Bird Sounds from Morocco (01:25) India (04:10) and some very strange Nepali (13:52) Birds.

While exploring Kathmandu, one of the guesthouses where I stayed was cornered by 3 Tibetan Monasteries. Luckily I am an early riser, because each day, as the sun rose, the monks would begin their daily meditation with drums and horns. And sunrise means between 5-6 o'clock in the morning. These are the sounds I recorded back then and am sharing with you today.

In this Episode we will walk through a bazar in the beautiful old Medina of Fes in Morocco.

Granada is a magical and amazingly lively place. People love to go out for dinner, enjoy tapas, and laugh and spend time with their friends. The beautiful and quaint streets and taverns are brought to life by wandering street musicians that receive free food in exchange for performing. One night I stumled upon a flamenco performance on a little square in the old town. In this Episode I share four pieces from this evening.

Eager to get away from the grit of Kathmandu I took a bus south to a tiny village called Pharping. It's a quiet town with only a few small shops, local restaurants and two or three guesthouses. Despite that, I was surprised by how lively the town is during the day. Especially on the main square. These country people really seem to enjoy music, so here is what i captured.

In today's Episode we wander throught the Streets of Boudhanath in eastern Kathmandu, Nepal. Lots of Buddhists and Tibetan Refugees live here, so it kinda became a pilgrimage place. So in this Episode we will listen to a couple of old men playing music in a garage (02:15), a streetmusician with a makeshift violin (08:38), and a group of blind men and women doing karaoke on a little sidestreet (14:10).

Today's episode is going to be peaceful. An early morning walk around the beautiful Phewa Lake in Pokhara, Nepal. The city has yet to awaken, whereas nature already has.

For 6 months now I am travelling. Starting in Delhi, India over to Nepal, Malaysia, Thailand and right now: Myanmar. This Episode was recorded while I was staying at a Buddhist Monastery in Nepal. On Friday evenings the Monks would gather to debate and proof their knowledge of the Dharma. Listen to this lively sounds in the northern hills of Kathmandu.

Music I encountered while strolling through the vibrant and narrow streets of Lisbon.

While Backpacking in the North of India I ended up in a staying in a Tibetan Monastery on the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains. The rooms where cheap and it was beautifully nested in the woods while giving a stunning view over the valley As it was late spring, Monsoon was about to start and often I awoke to the roar of the thunderstorms from the mountains above, I took out my microphone and this is what you can hear in this episode.

On our first Episode we will go to the North of India, visit a group of old men chanting in a tiny temple in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Further North in Rishiskesh we hear an old Sadhu, who's dedication is to sing "Hare Krishna Hara Rama" every single day in a chapel at the side of the road.

I am on the road for two years now. Travelling the world, not with a plan in my head, but with a recorder in my hand. Sound has the unique way of reaching our minds, transmuting mental barriers, teleporting us to a place we have never visited before. Every place, be it a restaurant, a local bus or even a quiet room has a unique voice by itself. Active listening allows us to somehow merge with it. You are welcome to join me on this Journey from Silence to Sound. New Episodes every Sunday.