While combining the technical aspects of liturgical organ music, watchma- king and mechanics, the barrel organ first appeared in the 18th century and was played in the streets by peddlers, beggars or foreigners. Not only does it embody togetherness-turned popular culture, but also music for the masses. This ancient instrument is deeply rooted in our lives: the ancestor of computer-assisted music (along with the language MIDI) and a catalyst for social connections.

With the introduction of the language MIDI (computer encoding of music), interfaces were developed to replace the punched cards with computer fi- les. The latter system results in direct action on the organ from any electronic controler and in writing music without having to resort to the long and costly process of perforating cards.

The organ was custom-made by Sébastien Schuetz, from Fachsatter Histo- rischer Musikautomaten and Ecole des Facteurs d’Orgues de Ludwigsburg, assisted by Frédéric Godin. It consists of 42 wooden pipes and a hybrid pneumatic system allowing the use of perforated cards (29 notes) or the language MIDI (42 notes). The project

The barrel organ reworked : from world music to sound art

Implemented since 2014 by French musician Alexis Paul, Saudaá Group is a project on creating musical compositions with a street organ. The project blends sound art, improvisations, poetic and societal approach to music, traditions and new forms of authorship. The very essence of this project is the thorough reworking of the street organ: repertoire, technique, use. It provides powerful, repetitive sound textures, and features electroacoustic source, guest musicians, experimentation on use and ‘’nomadity.’’

The Mansion, Beirut, Lebanon, November 2016 An international dimension

In 2016 Saudaá Group established residencies around the world for the Street Organ Ritornellos project. He worked with over 30 musicians in a dozen different countries, from the High Atlas to the countries of the Cau- casus, seeking to renew the three-century-old instrument and communicate its legacy to a wider audience. Each step in the journey provided various tes- timonies, radio works for France Musique or short films. Two documentaries were shot in Armenia and Lebanon. In this project Saudaá Group looked into the poetic inter-relationship between music and its environment, and looks forward to pursuing these reflections.

4 French Institute in Casablanca, February 2016 The message The messenger

To bring the idea of intermediary music raising contexts while never being key, it was necessary to summon a symbolic instrument. The barrel organ - the instrument of the nomads and non-musicians - has taken over the years a priceless social role in transmitting class music to the people with no requisite expertise. Using the organ in a modern and different context has enabled to shift the obsession from technique to intent and expression facilitating a not strictly musical discourse. The musician’s ego falls below the drive only. ‘’Art is what makes life more interesting than art,’’ Robert Filliou In an effort not to submit to conventional excellence where poetic approach prevails over applauded performance. Saudaá Group actually played on pe- rennial ambiguity using the instrument of ultimate illusion while developing a serious discourse and potential creative aesthetics.

A tool

The message conveyed through the project posits the principle of music as a ‘’tool’’ and not as a destination. Music becomes this tool that celebra- tes consciousness, interactions, openness and transcendence. Poetry is also addressed. Thus, music provides content, thoughts and becomes a pretext for life. On this cross-disciplinary and complete art journey, our lives have meaning and design almost miraculous connections between the elements. Last, the project blends art, travel and solitude, and exerts the inevitable mark of melancholy as a ‘’daily event’’ and as an invisible expression of love.

5 Répétition collective à Buenos Aires, avril 2016 Qeti Shapatava & Aleqsandr Papunashvili in Dada costumes, in Akhalkalaki, Georgia, at a Saudaá Group performance, during the Fest I Nova festival, Art Villa Garikula, september 2016 In short Saudaá Group ?

Reworking the automatic organ?

> Music

Repertoire : escape the hold of the tradition of the mobile orchestra, move on to minimalist and more contemporary techniques – layers of sound, drones, obstinate chords and bass, within the limits of free popular music.

Technique : replace the perforated rolls with a control computer, humanize computer coding, open up creative opportunities.

> Symbols Saudade de tous mes lendemains, extrait publié le 22 décembre 2016.

Mobility : nature of the instrument, new approach that is broader and interna- « Avec le temps, j’ai appris de la solitude et de la mélancolie une forme tional, beyond Europe’s borders (home to the automatic organ) d’amour invisible. Un amour si puissant qu’il nous échappe. Et puis j’ai ramené de mes premiers voyages au Portugal la saudade et j’ai donné à un cadre à Role : reinterpret the historical social role of the messenger instrument, favor mon sentiment grandissant. En reprenant les termes du poète tunisien Jalel El music as a discursive force of meaning Gharbi, le mot viendrait de la combinaison de deux termes latins : solitudinem (solitude) et salutatem (le salut) mais une origine arabe ne serait pas exclue. En saudaá) qui désigne originellement la) ءاديوس effet, ce mot pourrait venir de bile noire, cause de la mélancolie dans la « Théorie de humeurs », puis la partie la plus intime de l’affect, le cœur du cœur. Le penchant arabe de la saudade qui résulterait d’une douce nostalgie pour un ailleurs ou un َوجَش serait alors le ne sait ni َوجَش autrefois dont on ne sait rien. Contrairement à la nostalgie, le ce qu’il regrette ni ce qu’il désire. Il serait comme un désir à l’état pur, intran- sitif que seul l’art aurait le pouvoir de susciter. Il fait partie de cette catégorie de mots arabes qui signifient la chose et son contraire. Tristesse mais aussi serait ce désir se nourrissant de manque, de vide, donnant َوجَش exaltation. Le vue sur les sites du silence. Avec cette découverte, j’avais alors compris que ma survie existait à cet endroit précis. J’avais pu mettre un mot sur ce que je ressentais depuis toujours. Ce ravissement inexistant dans le « réel », qui m’est indispensable autant qu’il nous fait peur, prenait corps à l’instant où je choisissais de vivre avec, de l’incarner. Dans une certaine mesure, j’apprenais de l’absence à détruire tout sentiment de perte. Voilà pourquoi les déserts m’intéressent à ce point. Cela n’a rien à voir avec un vide à l’intérieur. Pierre Barouh d’ailleurs, a définit la saudade comme «un manque habité». Cette dou- ble ambiguïté faite d’une mélancolie choisie et d’un solitude collective, je l’ai 7 nommée Saudaá Group ». 2016 Country by Country

MOROCCO – February 2016 PORTUGAL – July 2016

Residency : The Ultra Laboratory, Casablanca Invitation to play the contemporary arts festival Jardin Efemeros Musicians : Mourad Belouadi (gembri), Othmane Elkheloufi (raita) and Hicham Alaoui (drums) ICELAND – August 2016 Theme : the traditional Berber cult of caves in Morocco, after a book by Henri Basset Residency: Listhus Artspace, Olafsfjorour Musicians: Eyjolfur Eyjolfsson and Ingibjorg Yr Skarphéoinsdottir (langspil) URUGUAY – March 2016 Theme: the langspil, community instrument, and darkness

Residency : Pera de Goma, Espacio Uuu, Montevideo GEORGIA – September 2016 Musicians : Diego Abdul Galceran (tape recorder), José Romero Ottonello (cello) Residency: Art Vill Garikula, Akhalkalaki Theme : the Charrua identity and lost instrument, in relation to Montevideo’s Musicians: Tamta Mandzulashvili (panduri, salamuri), Damiane Gordeladze music archives (chuniri), Nino Abelishvili (vocals) Theme: villages of caves and geological formations ARGENTINA – April 2016

Residency : La Paternal Espacio Proyecto, Buenos Aires ARMENIA – October 2016 Musicians : Eugenia Brusa (vocals), Nicolas Avila (bandoneon), Federico Fos- sati (flutes) and Jazmin Esquivel (vocals) Residency: Institute of Contemporary Art & Art and Cultural Studies Labora- Theme : the Mapuche identity and recording as a form of resisting disappea- tory, Erevan Musicians: Vardan Harutyunyan (laptop), Miqayel Voskanyan (tar) rance, after the book by Bioy Casarés ‘’Morel’s Invention’’ Theme: the symbolism of water in Armenia JAPAN – May 2016 LEBANON – November 2016 Residency : Highti, Tokyo Musicians : Reiko Imanishi (koto), Fujita Yosuke (organs) and Ami Yamasaki Residency: The Mansion, Beirut (vocals) Musicians: Youmna Saba (oud) and Fadi Tabbal (guitar) Theme: two museums against oblivion, action to safeguard Palestinian culture Theme : tale of a Japanese shipwreck ‘’La balade de Matsuyama’’ in the camps of Chatila and Burj Ek Shemali MONGOLIA – June 2016 GREECE – December 2016 Residency : French Alliance in Oulan Bator Residency: Y Residency, Athens Musicians : Davaajargal Tsaschikher (guitar) and Munkhjargal Lkhagvaa (morin Musicians: Anna Papoutsi (flute) and Panagiotis Kanellopoulos (mandolin) khuur) Theme: the telluric Sarakiniko beach Theme : Morin Khuur, violin of immortality

8 Guest musicians

9 Sound postcards

As part of the international residencies and at the request of Vincent Thé- val, producer for Radio France, over 10 radio works were broadcast. The creation of each sound postcard followed a process of research, encounters, outdoor recordings, editing for radio-broadcasting. The postcards are availa- ble for stream-listening on streetorganritornellos.com under the ‘’music’’ tab.

10 Videos & photos

Videos

The webseries ‘’Magic Saudaá’’ features a video episode for each country. Each video was filmed and edited in situ by a local artist. Were involved in implementing the episodes: Sarah Lamrini, M’hammed kilito, Pablo Sosa, Or- lando Quintanilla, Joaquin Mora, Ami Yamasaki, Gegeesuren Dulguunbaatar, Florent Clavel, Leena Pukki, Suzanne Moreau, Martin Trabalik, Eleonora Haru- tyunyan, Lisa Surault and Chrysoula Damoula. All videos were shared by the site La Blogothèque and can be watched on streetorganritornellos.com under the ‘’video channel’’ tab.

Photographs

In that same spirit, local photographers joined the project by documenting chosen moments throughout the journey. Were involved in the photographic workflow: M’hammed Kilito, Sarah Lamrini, Pablo Sosa, Orlando Quintanilla, Augustina Garcia, Yoshitaka Shirakura, Ayumi Yoshida, Gegeesuren Dulguu- nbaatar, Florent Clavel, Lisa Surault, Guillaume De La Forest Divonne and Chrysoula Damoula.

Finally, Saudaá Group worked on analogue cameras, Minolta XD and Nikon F, to take over 500 photos, select and share them. All photos consist of textures, details or landscapes and can be viewed on streetorganritornellos.com under the ‘’photo route’’ tab.

11 Texts

The blog served as a platform to produce literary content in relation to the project. It did not ‘’describe the journey’’ strictly speaking. The energies encountered provided the framework for thoughts on various themes such as disobedience, oblivion, love or solitude. In this respect, the articles can be totally decontextualized and be read on their own.

Saudade de tous mes lendemains, extrait publié le 22 décembre 2016.

« Parmi tous les mots que je voulais vous dire, j’ai dû choisir celui qui renfer- mait tous les sons, toutes les images. Je lève un dernier verre à ces jours et nuits constellés qui m’ont appris peut-être à devenir moins « musicien ». Face aux années qui viennent, à celles qui ce succèdent, j’aurais compris qu’on ne peut fléchir face à l’immensité et l’horizon des possibilités. De cette belle aventure qui débute et me voit revenir inchangé, j’aurais retenu tout en avant ceci : qu’importe la difficulté d’un évènement, seule compte son absolue né- cessité. (….) Dans toute cette aventure, personne ne m’a ouvert la porte, je l’ai forcée. Il y a des choses que seule une expérience violente, transcendan- tale, vous permet de comprendre. Le chef d’orchestre roumain Sergiu Celi- bidache, dans une interview accordée à une journaliste française, évoquait la pauvreté du critique qui, attaché à ce qu’on lui enseigne, ne s’en tient qu’au concept et oublie le vécu personnel et saisissant de l’acte créatif. Celui qui prend du temps à être démontré et qui rend quelques années plus tard, plus ringard encore le critique qui usait de ce terme pour exister. Il s’empresse de rajouter que « tout art n’a qu’un seul but : la liberté ». Y compris la liberté au sein de sa communauté. Alors, je crois que pour atteindre l’ornement sublime, au loin, tout au fond dans la nuit, nous devons poursuivre une raison person- nelle réfugiée juste-là, dans notre cœur, dont l’objectif est toujours solitaire 12 mais pas individuel » What prospects ?

Audiovisual prospects International prospects Two documentaries are at the editing stage: a 25-minute format filmed by Lisa Surault in Lebanon for the series Interstices and an experimental docu- Discussions are being held on Saudaá Group’s participation in a sound crea- mentary entitled The Nomad and His Box of Sounds directed by Eleonora tion to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of WWF at the Pagan Temple of Harutyunyan in Armenia. Garni in Armenia. The fall 2017 event focuses on the reintroduction of the Persian leopard in Armenia.

Literary prospects At the same time the project will be featured at the Yerevan Duduk Festi- val, a festival dedicated to Armenian music and the traditional instrument of A series of 4 short pieces is in progress. It refers to little volumes of thou- the duduk in particular. ghts - inspired by events that occurred during the travels – called ‘’miraculous connections’’ or « poetic materials » and briefly shared on the blog. Finally, a collective residency in France is being considered. The project It strives to explore these ideas and show how they can emerge from their seeks to bring together some of the foreign musicians involved in the 2016 context in a light of their own. This literature will address the Chatila camp, the project. The collective would tour afterwards. Coproducers and partners are cult of caves in Morocco, the obsession of water among the Armenian people, currently being contacted. and the reinterprétation of Bioy Casarés’s ‘’Morel’s Invention.’’

Music prospects

Saudaá Group will be in residency on may 2017 at the Refuge du Lapin Bleu in Mayenne and, on June of the same year, Saudaá group will be in residency at the Centre Barbara in Paris (Goutte d’Or neighborhood) for writing and scenic work.

13 Contact info

www.streetorganritornellos.com soundcloud.com/saudaagroup facebook.com/streetorganritornellos

Project

ALEXIS PAUL [email protected]

Alexis Paul, born in Sables d’Olonnes in 1987, is a French musician, popular composer and cultural actor embracing a diversity of contexts. He co-foun- ded the Château Ephémère, the Humanist sk festival, the label Armures Provi- soires, the radio show L’Heure Blanche, the music projects Belle Arché Lou and Saudaá Group. In 2016, he, alone with his mechanical organ, got involved in a creative project around the world. While exploring ten countries he looked into the existing relationship between music and its environment. He focused his work on music as a ‘’tool’’ celebrating consciousness, on solitude and melancholy as powerful forces of interaction and mediation. He is interested in writing and ethnopoetics and is currently setting the stage for future cross- disciplinary actions in these areas.

Cultural action

SARAH DUBOIS [email protected]

Press & Media

Magic, national printed magazine

16 Radio show ‘’Continent Musique’’ by Matthieu Conquet France Culture, January 14, 2017

17 Radio show ‘’Label Pop’’ by Vincent Théval France Musique, January 03, 2016

18 Article in Gessien, Sens Critique, online article published in 2015 a local newspaper in the Geneva region, January 2016

19 Fluid Radio, La Blogothèque and Hartzine, online articles published in 2015

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