Middle East PhoNographic Mornings #7 - Robert Kroos: Lebanese Morningscapes

Stéphane Marin presents a weekly series of fifteen soundscapes recorded in the mornings at various locations throughout the Middle East. Entitled Middle East PhoNographic Mornings this series forms part of a wider project, Each Morning of the World, which invites sound artists, composers and recordists globally to share their own specific point of listening, either through a raw field recording or original composition.

In this episode, Lebanese Morningscapes by Robert Kroos: "In March 2019 I travelled with 2 friends around Lebanon for 8 days. Making field recordings is very much a solitary craft and being on holiday I did not want to ask my friends to wait and be silent whenever a situation occured that inspired me to make a recording. The better solution was to set the alarm and wake up early mornings to go out with my recording kit.

This piece is a collage of 5 differend morning takes:

Part 1 - Tripoli Al-Tell square- 41°02′15.39″N 28°59′47.17″E
At 6 in the morning the Al-Tel square in Tripoli is already bustling with coffee- and food vendors and a multitude of (Mercedes!) taxis.

Part 2 - Sea Side Road from Beirut to Byblos 34.0149° N, 35.6405° E
All cities along the coastline of Lebanon are connected with one highway that never seems to calm down. 24 hours of traffic a day.

Part 3 - Baatara Waterfall - 34°10.406′N 35°52.222′E
The powerfull rush of the majestic Baatara Waterfall

Part 4 - Baalbek Hotel Jammal - 34°0′22.81″N 36°12′26.36″E
The simple room in Hotel Jammal looking out over the Roman Baalbek temple complex is being heated by a noisy, primitive diesel oil stove.

Part 5 - The Cedars of God - 34°14′42″N 36°02′53″E
Higher up in the mountains near The Cedars of God the snow melts in the morning sun. Birds as well as a jet plane break the silence."

Robert Kroos a musician and sound designer working on film, animation and experimental music.