The instruments of the Occitan ball
During your stay, your steps may lead you to the discovery of Occitan music and its traditional instruments. Mainly of medieval origin, they have been handed down from generation to generation, protected by enthusiasts who fight for the survival of this heritage. Used by local music groups, in events dedicated to the Occitan culture and presented in museums, they belong to the heritage of the region. Among the artists who participate in their influence, we can mention Brick à Drac, a group that dares to combine the modern and the ancient, the Talvera, a band that juggles with Occitan sounds, and Mosaica, an atypical group that combines local music and North African songs.
As for the instruments, we can mention the graile, a Languedoc oboe played in the Lacaune mountains and the Languedoc plain. Made of three interlocking parts turned from boxwood, this instrument has horn reinforcements. The tradition wants that the Languedoc graile has a more serious tone than its counterpart of the mounts of Lacaune.
The fifre ("pifre" in Occitan), a small transverse flute with six or seven holes, often carved from reed or elderberry, is also to be mentioned. Once used for military purposes, it was quickly passed on to the rest of society. Today, its piercing tone can be heard in orchestras, during religious celebrations and at local festivals. The sound of this small instrument is usually associated with the sound of drums.
The last wind instrument to be mentioned is the craba ("the goat" in Occitan). This strange instrument of the bagpipe family is typical of the Montagne Noire and part of the Lauragais. Its name comes from the fact that it is made of a large bag made of a whole goat skin, associated with a case used to blow the air, a graile (oboe) and a long drone which emits the melody.
The list of traditional instruments would not be complete without mentioning the "hurdy-gurdy", a stringed instrument that originated over 1,000 years ago! It appeared in the Middle Ages, as early as the 10th century, and was used by troubadours and trouvères to accompany song and dance. Composed of strings and a wooden wheel, it required the use of both hands: the right hand had to turn the wheel with a crank while the left hand played the melody on a keyboard. It was not until the reign of Louis XIV that the luthiers of Versailles installed these mechanisms on guitar and lute bodies. This gave the instrument its present appearance. Nowadays, the instrument is composed of "chanterelles", two mechanical strings that pass through the keyboard and produce the notes, of "drones", strings located outside the circuit that allow to create a continuous chord, and of a "cicada", a particular string that starts to vibrate like a cicada when the crank is struck. Since the 1970s, there has been a revival of interest in this instrument from another age, a renaissance that has encouraged its learning among the young.From the theatre to the vineyard
To discover the richness of the Tarn's sound palette, the best way is to attend performances. In the Tarn, music can be heard everywhere: gardens, concert halls, cafés... Just keep an eye on the local news, look at the posters and social networks, and you're bound to find something to suit you!
The department is home to prestigious venues that regularly host quality performances and renowned artists, such as the Théâtre de Castres, the Théâtre de la Verdure in Lautrec, the Scène nationale d'Albi... Although these cultural monuments are mainly focused on the performing arts, they are also happy to welcome talented musicians and singers throughout the year. The Tarn is also studded with small, pleasant concert halls and café-concerts which provide a little entertainment in the communes which do not have such institutions. Among them, we can mention the Café Plum in Lautrec, the Espace Appolo in Mazamet and the Rep'R in Puygouzon.
However, when the sun comes out and the gusts of wind disappear, it is no longer these halls that receive the artists but the gardens, parks and vineyards of the department. Here, celebrating in the heart of the vineyards is a tradition! Every year, during the summer season, the wine producers of the Gaillacois region program festive aperitif-concerts within their estates. Convivial, these meetings allow to associate the wine and the music, two pleasures which marry with harmony. During these evenings, you will be able to discover the sounds of music groups from here and elsewhere, while savouring the producer's wines in a green setting. One word of order: sharing!A collection of festivals
The ears of the Tarnais are in joy all year long! As well as aperitif concerts and street artists, the department hosts a multitude of festivals dedicated to music. Take a look at the Tarn agenda during your stay, you may have the opportunity to enjoy one of them.
Nowadays, some of these events have a reputation beyond the borders of the territory. The most famous are : Pause-guitare in Albi, a major cultural reference in the great south of France, Musique sur ciel in Cordes-sur-Ciel, an amazing event dedicated to chamber music, Musiques des lumières in Sorèze, an event that covers universes from symphonic music to jazz, and Les Musicales de Montmiral in Castelnau-de-Montmiral, a festival dedicated to world music.
Of course, other festivities dedicated to dance, theatre or gastronomy, such as L'Eté de Vaour, Les Estivales de Lavaur or Les Extravadanses in Castres, do not hesitate to give their voices and instruments. The organisers of these cultural events are always happy to invite artists from all walks of life to liven up the atmosphere.
