La Vielle

I had the rare privilege today of seeing these musicians give a recital in La Collegiale St. Martin de Brive. Patrick Bouffard is one of the great masters of le Vielle, a medieval instrument, a variation of the hurdy-gurdy, which is an integral part of Occitan folk culture.  I really would love to own one. A unique expressive instrument which is being rediscovered and reinvented by creative musicians in France. The form here is a traditional dance melody called a Bouree. The other instruments are accordion and chabrette, a sort of cornemuse or bagpipe. There have been a series of concerts held in La Collegiale St. Martin de Brive to celebrate the restoration and renewal of the center of Brive, where the 12th Century Church is located. I wrote about St. Martin last year when I was able to go into the open excavations around the church where an 8th century cemetery had been exposed and archaeologists were doing research before it was all sealed up again.