Arrehar, concert by Romain Baudouin
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Romain Baudoin, a founding member and veteran of the Artús group, acquired a few years ago a traditional acoustic wheel-mounted hurdle dating from 1930. This instrument offers an incredible playing quality and a rich sound, characteristic of old. This acquisition has provoked deep reflection in him: can we develop another form of contemporary playing on this instrument, in opposition to current sophisticated practices? In parallel with this research, Romain immersed himself in «the origin» of the Viellistic practice in the Landes de Gascogne, based on collections made in the 1960s by ethnomusicologists of the Museum of Popular Arts & Traditions (today MUCEM). “There is a way of understanding music that interests me because it differs from the current mass music, often temperate, binary, formatted and tonal.” explains Romain. Here he presents some of these sources, not only as objects of study, but as true works of art in their own right. Integrating these sources into his own sound material, he gives them the floor, accompanies them, dialogues with them, and tries, in his measure, to embody them so that they can in turn welcome his music in their own sound material. This approach reflects Romain Baudoin’s passion for the hurdy-gurdy, his desire to revisit the traditional musical heritage while instilling a contemporary and personal touch.