A holiday day for 48 children from RPI Castagnède – Saleich – Labastide-du-Salat like last Tuesday with a morning dedicated to educational and fun workshops and a musical afternoon with Arboscello from the Jardin des Musiques in Saleich.
On the program: “Music in the time of cathedrals”. “The era that knew how to build grandiose buildings that are still present is also the era that created the music we still use,” explains Jean-Yves Guerry, music director. “This fundamental development allowed for the evolution of learned Western polyphony. It will allow singing for both worship and entertainment.”
Of course, discovery, music and instruments for small viewers. “What language do you sing in?” one of the kids asks very thoughtfully. This is Latin, the one that has been sung in churches since the Middle Ages during services.
“Initially during the masses it was sung music and gradually we added voices and then instruments. We built in a thoughtful way and that’s how polyphony was born, from the first voice, then the second, the third, etc… to arrive at the Renaissance with about forty different voices.”
At first the ropes
As for the first instruments that came into the churches, what were they like at first? “They were more strings. Because of the links with antiquity and the clergy, brass was not very liked, which referred to the warlike, bestial aspect of the sounds. There were “bouquin” cornets, which were made of animal horns; stringed instruments used animal entrails, but also reeds, wood , animal skin for drums… Human invention drew its source from nature.’
As for the main themes of this period, they were battles, seasons, knights, court poetry, celebration, dance. Gregorian musical writing begins with Charlemagne. Note-taking as we know it today originated at the Paris School of Notre-Dame in the middle of the Middle Ages.
As part of its educational activities, Jardin de Musiques offers musical entertainment sessions. They are aimed at all target groups, but especially at schools and also at EPHAD. For children, the service is possible during school and after-school hours, as well as within the Leisure Centers. As for Arboscello, like every summer we find him randomly in the programming of the municipalities and associations in Comminges.