Hi Don,
Now it's my turn to help you!
Joseph Canteloube was a very significant collector, and his published music
"Song of the Auvergne" is just a bit of his work. His great publication is
the five-volume "Anthologie des chants populaires français" published by
Durand et cie in Paris in 1951. It is a superb work, and his material is
truly wonderful. Unfortunately it is about as rare as hen's teeth. I have
been looking for a copy for myself for ages, without success. However, any
decent university library should have a copy. I suppose you might draw a
parallel between Canteloube and Vaughan Williams, in that both were avid
collectors and made excellent arrangements of their "finds". One of the
interesting things that you find from reading his book is that "Songs from
the Auvergne" contains songs not from the Auvergne!! But who cares? The
music is fabulous.
As regards a French Sharp or Child, there's no such luck. There are many
collections, but they tend to be of the type that ignores the music or the
words. Doncieux is a prime example. What you need to be aware of is the
strong regional character of French folk music which is reflected in the
collections. Collectors seem in the main to have specialised in particular
localities. If you want to know about Breton stuff, then talk to Mary Ann
Constantine, who is on this list. My own interest is Catalonia, which spills
over from Spain into France, specifically the Roussillon and the Cerdagne.
The most important collector here is Jean Poueigh (Chansons populaires des
Pyrenées françaises, Paris, Champion, 1926), but others include:
Cécile Marie, Anthologie de la chanson occitane, Paris, Maissonneuve et
Larose, 1975)
Louis Lambert, Chants et chansons populaires du Languedoc, Paris, 1906 repr.
Marseilles, Laffitte Reprints, 1983
Jérome Bujeaud, Chants et chansons populaires des provinces de l'ouest,
Niort, 1905, repr. Laffitte Reprints,(nd)
George Doncieux, Le romancéro populaire de la France: choix de chansons
populaires françaises, Paris, Bouillon, 1904
There is also the dreaded Histoire de la chanson populaire en France of
Julien Tiersot, but I would respectfully suggest you steer clear of this,
since his musical ideas are (to say the least) odd. More details in my
thesis, when finished. If you want analysis then look at the (several) works
of Patrice Courault.
This is by no means a complete list, but reflects my interests in the far
south west. Other useful names are Weckerlin, Davenson, Rolland and
Colet/Dumerson. Other subscribers to the list may have some better ideas.
If you want recordings, then you need to get in touch with AMTA in Riom.
They do loads of CDs of really good traditional French and Occitane music of
all kinds. I can give you more details if you wish.
Fimally, look for Marc Robine's book "Anthologie de la chanson française".
This covers everything from the troubadours through folk songs of all
descriptions, music hall songs and stuff right up to this century. Apart
from being a monster reference work (with a useful bibliography), it comes
with no fewer than 14 CDs containing 321 songs! It was published by Albin
Michel in Paris in 1994. The ISBN is 2-226-07479-1. I can recommend the sea
shanty "Père Winslow" which rejoices in the chorus "gimme some time to blow
the man down" which in a French accent has to be heard to be believed!
Cheers
Simon
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