MOSCOW, September 5 (Itar-Tass) —— A picturesque closing ceremony of the 4th international military musical festival Spasskaya Tower on the Red Square was a real present to the Muscovites on City Day. The performance traditionally began with the Kremlin Chimes ringing at 8 p.m. Moscow time on Sunday. About 1,500 military musicians from 14 countries in Europe, Asia and America performed in the festival.
The Honour Cavalry Escort of the Russian Presidential Regiment, the Presidential Orchestra and the Honour Guard Squadron were the first to give performances. They always admire the spectators with a firm tread and a perfect military bearing. The Russian Horn Orchestra played the Preobrazhensky March, which is a famous Russian march composed in the time of Peter the Great. At the very beginning of the theatrical performance the spectators welcomed the parents of Norwegian servicemen, who arrived in Moscow to enjoy the performance of their sons. The relatives of Russian servicemen, who are about to complete their military service at the Presidential Regiment Squadron, attended the festival.
The British Royal Artillery Orchestra, the Hellenic Air Force Band and the Jordanian Military Orchestra, their colleagues from Pakistan, Mexico, France, Ukraine, Italy, Belgium and other countries were in the limelight of ‘the musical battle’ of military musical bands.
A magnificent Moscow Kremlin resembled of a perfect palace from Hoffmann’s Nutcracker in this evening. The image of this nice and courageous hero was taken as a model for the symbol of the festival – a porcelain grenadier trumpet player. An honorary guest of the holiday and a world renowned Russian painter and sculptor Mikhail Shemyakin has made a statue of the festival symbol on the special order from the Imperial Porcelain Factory of St. Petersburg.
A famous Spasskaya Tower, which gave the name to the traditional Moscow festival of the best world military musical companies, received this name in 1658 in honour of the Smolenskaya Icon on of Christ the Saviour, placed above the tower gates.
The fourth festival Spasskaya Tower, which began on the Red Square on August 31, showed the best military traditions of Russia and other countries. Thanks to the festival the spectators had a unique opportunity to watch the Honour Guards of various heads of state. The world classical music, folklore melodies, jazz, modern pop music, bright dress coats, an illumination and pyrotechnical show, gunfire salute and wonderful fireworks combined harmonically in an exciting show. The stands were full to capacity. Many people came with all members of their families. The adults enjoyed the show like children. The spectators thanked the musicians with loud applauses.
The riders of the Kremlin Equestrian Riding School staged the Riviving Traditions program at a special riding ring on the Red Square. They attracted people with high trick riding. Foreign participants in the festival gave a concert at the Kolomenskoye open-air museum. An honorary guest of the festival a famous French singer Mireille Mathieu again enchanted Moscow music lovers at the festival. All guests of the festival could taste an aromatic coffee named Spasskaya Tower and made by the leading world barista especially for the festival.
The Spasskaya Tower festival is held since 2009 and is one of the highlights in the cultural life in Moscow and Russia.