Musette

Musette is one of the most emblematic musical genres of French culture, born in Paris at the end of the nineteenth century. Its story begins with Auvergnat migrants who settled in large numbers in the capital, bringing with them the cabrette — a local bagpipe nicknamed the 'musette' — and the hurdy-gurdy. They opened popular dance halls in the eastern arrondissements of Paris, particularly the 19th, where the Auvergnat bourrée was danced to these traditional instruments. At the turn of the twentieth century, Italian immigrant musicians who mastered the accordion adopted the style and gave it its definitive form.

This is how bal-musette was born: a dance form marrying polkas, mazurkas and waltzes in an atmosphere of popular celebration. The valse musette, or 'French waltz', became the genre's signature dance, characterised by its accented beats and expressive accordion ornaments. The bellows instrument became the sonic emblem of Paris, evoking riverside guinguettes on the Marne, café terraces and a particular idea of the French art of living. Django Reinhardt and his jazz manouche would further enrich this palette in the 1930s and 1940s.

Today, RICHARD GALLIANO is the most celebrated heir to this tradition. Born in 1950 in Cannes, this virtuoso accordionist met Astor Piazzolla in 1980, who encouraged him to create the French 'New Musette', mirroring the Argentinian New Tango. His album New Musette earned him the Django Reinhardt Prize in 1993. He co-founded the Nuits de Nacre festival in Tulle and has performed at Jazz in Marciac, the Montreal Jazz Festival and La Roque d'Anthéron.

Festivals dedicated to musette and French traditional music multiply every summer, from converted guinguettes to major folk stages. FestT lists concerts by RICHARD GALLIANO and the artists who perpetuate or reinvent this sonic heritage, for everyone who wants to experience the accordion under the stars.