Musics of yesteryear
The troubadour Aicart del Fossat lived in the middle of the 12th century. He was born in 1250 and, as his name indicates, he came from Le Fossat. His life was short because he died at the age of 18 during a battle for which he had written a sirventès that would be fatal to him.
Gatien Marcailhou d'Aymeric was born on December 18, 1807 in Ax-les-Thermes. He was the son of Jean-Pierre Augustin Marcailhou, a customs collector and musician, and of Rose Astrié du Castelet (we remain in the locality). Noticed very early for his remarkable aptitudes for the regale that he learned under the direction of his father, he was not long in surpassing him. He was also a doctor, but began a great career as a musician, writing 144 waltzes, quadrilles, polkas and mazurkas. Very famous in his time, he "went up" with success to Paris where he was, moreover, the professor of another illustrious Ariège native, Gabriel Fauré. He published many books on music, including L'Art de composer et d'exécuter la musique légère au piano. He was also the lover of George Sand to whom he dedicated his famous waltz Indiana. He died in Paris on December 25, 1855.
Gabriel Fauré se Pavane
The best known of the musicians and composers from the Ariège region is undoubtedly Gabriel Fauré. Thirteen barcarolles, thirteen nocturnes, six impromptus, a hundred or so melodies, religious music including two masterpieces, the bass mass and the requiem mass and the famous Pavane (op. 50 in F sharp minor in one movement for small symphony orchestra with choir ad libitum for music lovers) composed in 1857. This is a small sample of the works of Gabriel Fauré, who was born in Pamiers on May 12, 1845 and died in Paris on November 4, 1924. Son of a sub-inspector of primary education, Gabriel Fauré was quickly noticed by M. de Saubiac, deputy of the Ariège, for his astonishing disposition for music. For nine years he was a pupil of Niedermeyer, a famous composer and pedagogue of the 19th century. He was first a general inspector and then a professor of composition, and later became director of the National Conservatory. He trained artists as diverse as Maurice Ravel, Georges Enesco, Nadia Boulanger and Louis Aubert. There is a Gabriel Fauré festival in Pamiers which welcomes the greatest musicians. His birth house can be seen at n°17 rue Gabriel-Péri.
Music of today
Who doesn't know Marie Laforêt (1939-2019), singer and actress whose magnificent eyes will remain forever associated with the interpreter of "Viens sur la montagne" or "Mon amour, mon ami". She considered herself to be from Ariège because she was the granddaughter of Louis Doumenach, who ran a textile fraying business in Lavelanet. She adored her grandfather and lived a few years in Ariège to escape a sordid story of which she was a victim.
Born in 1953 Christian Ton Ton Salut is a jazz drummer who lived in Pamiers from 1958 to 1977 and started his career there with Marc Feinder's band in 1970. He has accompanied a multitude of great jazzmen and has performed all over the world. He is also a professor of jazz history and rhythmic culture in Toulouse and organizes Master Classes at the world famous Marciac Jazz Festival.
The hand on the heart
The most famous tune in the hearts of all Ariegeans, settled throughout the world, is the hymn of the Ariege, composed by Abbé Maury-Sabas (1863-1923), a priest musician from the small village of Miglos, "Arièjo ô moun païs" (Ariège ô mon pays). He is buried in the cemetery of Varilhes where he ended his career. For the anecdote, his famous song (locally famous) was sung during the test of the certificate of studies at the school of Varilhes in 1932! Chauvin the Ariegeois ?
Nowadays a young and talented composer, Florent Adroit, has successfully tried to create a new hymn, a little more modern and topical in French, which describes wonderfully what it is to be Ariégeois. We hope for an Occitan version. He also composed and wrote the anthem of the Stade Toulousain supporters.
A jazzy department
In addition to these famous musicians, Ariège celebrates music through different events and big festivals which follow one another from spring to summer in general (except for "Musiques au pays de Gabriel-Fauré" which spreads out from spring to autumn). Jazz is celebrated in April with the "Swing à Mirepoix" Festival which for 25 years has been making jazz lovers swing and dance thanks to the many volunteers who are involved in this event. At the end of July, music lovers meet in Foix for the jazz festival to listen to virtuosos and national and international stars. In Mazères, the Manouch' Muzik Festival or the Manouche Jazz Festival takes place every year. The spirit of Django Reinhardt floats over the Ariege during 4 days in August with an in and out festival. Performers and luthiers meet for a moment of jazz without drums or trumpets.
Unique instruments
The department of Ariège in particular and Occitania in general have a rich musical culture of their own which goes far beyond simple musical notes attached to medieval scores. Some of the tools used for their interpretation are unique in order to restore them to the sounds heard by their authors. Some musical instruments are typical and fortunately some groups and bands perpetuate their use and especially their manufacture. The most used are the aboès, also called "oboe of Couserans", the craba, bodega, in Languedoci or boha, in Gascony which are bagpipes, the grailes, also family of oboes, the flute with 3 holes, the hurdy-gurdy, the harps, the brau which is a friction drum or the diatonic accordion. Not to be missed among the numerous Occitan interpreters (even if they are not "from here") that can be heard on some Ariège stages, the female group of "La mal coiffée" which sings a capella, Nadau very committed to the emancipation of the Occitan culture, Christian Salès and the group OC and its soaring music on medieval texts..
