Alpine Neutrality by Laurent Gudel
Isone, October 9, 2023
I was walking around the military area of Isone, in Ticino, Switzerland, two days after the October 7th attack. It’s in the Alps, near a military zone where soldiers and special forces train for “operations.” That day, bombs were exploding non-stop. It was loud and ridiculous. But a more realistic description of Swiss "neutrality" and a good perspective on the alpine sonic environments.
In the first part of the recording, I’m just walking around the village of Isone, about 150 - 200 meters from the entrance to the military zone, in public space. At some point, the exercise stops, and I start rambling about the mandatory Swiss Army, how I avoided being drafted and how young people are brainwashed in Isone, and a few random anecdotes. I also mention how weird it is that the exercises are so intense just two days after the Hamas attack. Then, more bombs explode very loudly, and you hear a guy nearby complaining in Italian about the noise. I make fun of the fact that, in Switzerland, the main issue with bombs is… the noise. Then the village church bells start ringing. That’s how this one-take recording ends.
I like the recording, mostly because of how the sounds spread and bounce around the valley. It’s also weird how no one is afraid of those sounds. Except the dogs. They know what’s going on.
- Laurent Gudel
Translation of the French text on Part 2:
Is this what Murray Schafer meant when he talked about ‘soundscape’?
The dogs barking below. Is that exteriority? Interspecies?
That's what a little stroll above Isone looks like. Near the military square, it reminds me of... It reminds me of when I was drafted. When I was 18, and remember, military service is mandatory in Switzerland. I got drafted three times. The first time, the army Jeep forgot to pick us up at the station, and when they finally sent one to pick us up, they were annoyed because the protocol had been messed up. They told us, ‘Well, the battalions have already been formed, you'll have to come back next year.’ I came back the following year. The year after that, I showed up and said I had scoliosis. Which is true. And allergies. To pollen. Hay fever. And the doctor said, “OK, but we need (medical) certificates, so come back next year”. I went back the following year and they said, 'OK. It seems like you don't want to do the army, or civil service, or even civil protection, or anything at all."
I remembered that I had been to information sessions and saw these Swiss guys with knotty arms, 18 years old with Swiss flags tattooed on their biceps, who absolutely wanted to go to Isone. Where I am now, for the first time. I've never set foot in Isone. And from talking to a few people who know a few people who have ‘done Izône*’, as we say in my neck of the woods (French/Jura pronunciation), it seems that it's a bloody brainwashing place. No surprise there. But I just wanted to go to a field where the Monte Ceneri transmitter used to be, which had been moved above Isone. It had been dismantled and rebuilt there. After a while, it wasn't used anymore. It was something for RAI, then for Swiss radio. Was it for RAI?
Did you hear those noises? ‘kschhhh’, the white noise of “static”? I had a small radio with me, and I was trying to ‘tune in’ to the frequency the transmitter was broadcasting on at the time. But there are no more transmitters, so of course, all you get is static.
And... I hadn't thought, obviously, that every time, it's not the first time this has happened to me, well, it's difficult to access these places, or where these antennas were, because... They're often places guardedby the military and you can't just walk in. So I stopped a little before, took out my recorder, and I've been wandering around here for two hours now, trudging along little paths and... It's weird because I arrived and suddenly I heard a noise, a strange noise, a high-pitched buzzing sound, and in fact... They sent a drone after me. A drone came to watch me, so in fact the guys don't even walk the 15 metres that it...
We're still in a public space and they sent a drone at me three times, which came and hovered 10 metres away from me, 5 metres away from me, flying above me and everything. To see what I was doing with my microphone. And that's it. And otherwise, they're having fun wasting ammunition. And setting off big mortars that reverberate through the mountains, through the valley.
It must be nice to live in Isone. It's peaceful in the afternoon... It's 9 October, the sun is shining, it was up to 30°C, which is a bit hot for the season. And it's also a few days after the Hamas attack on Israel. Switzerland... Well, the Swiss government seems to be having a hard time condemning the colonisation and occupation of Palestinian territories. And it feels strange to be in these military places at the same time, hearing the sounds of weapons in the forest. Hearing the birds, hearing the little sounds of rivers, the little sounds of fountains, meeting people who say ‘Buongiorno’ to you, coming across military vehicles every two minutes. In fact, maybe that's the "Swiss soundscape".
You can hear shouting in the distance. Soldiers probably preparing for their next exercise...
(Bomb explodes)
Boom.
(Another bomb explodes)
Oooooh! (a man shouting in my direction, swearing and complaining in Italian)
(Another bomb)
There's a guy on his balcony, 20 metres, 30 metres above me, on a small road. And his balcony overlooks the valley, which is beautiful, if...
(Yet another explosion)
...you ignore the little... noise disturbances.
I thought everyone in Isone was a fascist, because you have to want to be here. But even him, there. Who really lives... It's the last house before the barracks. 150 metres further, maybe 200 metres further, is the entry of the military facility. And he's losing his mind on his balcony. I didn't understand a word he said, unfortunately I don't speak Italian. I can see the glass of his veranda vibrating.
He doesn't look happy.
Noise pollution... Here in Switzerland, in Ticino, when you hear bombs, it bothers you because it's loud. It kind of ruins your peaceful holiday afternoon. Your little Tuesday afternoon.
Another military vehicle
This place is... The bells of the village church start ringing.
After the army, the church.
Allright… I’m off.
