La Nuit by Rameau

I meant to post this before but I forgot. This is a the most famous clip from Les Choristes and the soloist standing apart who joins in later is Jean-Baptiste Maunier. The Choir who actually acted and sang in the film was the Maîtrise de la Basilique de Fourvière in Lyon. Their other name is Les Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Marc. The choir was founded in 1986 and is actually a mixed choir of boys and girls. It's only the boys who perform in the film of course!



Here is another clip from the film where they sing Vois sur ton chemin. You get a good idea of the film in this clip. If you liked Dead Poets Society or The History Boys or even Mr. Holland's Opus you will love this. If you've not seen it GET IT.

Les Choristes

Les Choristes is a French film from 2004 (It's called The Chorus in some English speaking countries). Set in 1949, it tells the story of Clement Mathieu (played by comic actor Gerard Jugnot), a failed musician who finds himself working at Le Fond D'Etang - translated as The Rock Bottom - a school for unruly children.

The school is run on strict discipline. "Action - Reaction!" barks tyrannical headmaster Rachin (Francois Berleand) and this is the unthinking mantra for all staff at his Les Diaboliques-style institution. Mathieu's predecessor explains that the work is to provide the most perfunctory of education, while avoiding serious injury at the hands of the inmates. Pupils are beaten, bullied and isolated into obedience and suicides are common.

Of course, Mathieu doesn't accept this. On witnessing Rachin's brutal methods, he attempts to win over his class with kindness and understanding and when they mock him with song, he harnesses their enthusiasm by starting a choir. Of special interest to Mathieu is Pierre Morhange, a boy with the voice of an angel.





The film is actually a remake of the 1944 film called La Cage aux Rossignols (The Cage of Nightingales)


The film is practically identical but the ending and the beginning are different. Here are a few pics from La Cage aux Rossignols





Then there are a few pics which show the same scenes in both films




and the music stand.....



some more just general pics from Les Choristes



Next posting will be about the guys who actually sing in the film as well as some clips. Keep watching!

Der Eupener Knabenchor

Der Eupener Knabenchor is in Belgium. It is in the French speaking part of Belgium not far from the borders of Germany and Holland. The choir is quite new as it was only founded in 1991. It is quite rare in Belgium as it is a 100% male choir and the lower voices of the choir are made up from boys who used to be Soprano and Alto. They don't really have much of a uniform like the German and French choirs and it's just a polo shirt and a sweatshirt and then any old pair of jeans you can find!






They seem to have a good time when they are out on tours and trips because after practice



You can fill up on lots of food or enjoy yourself at the pool or on the beach!

La Maîtrise des Hauts de France

also known as Les Petits Chanteurs du Comté de Flandre. Another French choir but it is in the North of France just nearly into Belgium. They have got the typical French type uniform and seem to like getting photographed in it. Another choir that tours a lot - they go to the United States every two or three years and all the usual places in Europe. They have been to 35 countries already. The Maîtrise is the touring choir and the Petits Chanteurs is the home choir. Here they are in Rome in front St. Peter's Basilica and The Colliseum.



Seems they like to go everywhere in their choir uniform and be photographed, travelling in a large limo and what they are doing up that tree is anyones guess!





They do also sing!

Sofia Boys' Choir

The Sofia Boys Choir was the first boys choir to be founded in Bulgaria in 1968. The performers are selected from different schools in Sofia. They sing in four part harmony and the Tenor and Bass parts are sung by older boys and young adults who are the ones wearing the white shirts. The guys at the front in shorts and frilly neck things are Sopranos and Altos.



They sing concerts, tour and perform with orchestras as well as entering choral competitions. They have have won lots of awards at 6 international choral competitions.

Canada

The Petits Chanteurs de Laval are from Quebec in Canada. That is the part of Canada where they speak French. The Petits Chanteurs de Laval are very similar to the Petits Chanteurs à la Croix de Bois in Paris, same type of foundation and very similar uniform - open neck shirt, sweater, shorts & white socks...




The choir was founded in 1981 when it was a boys only choir


It doesn't seem to have happened in France, Germany, Austria yet but in Canada like here in the UK the choir now has girls. I don't know if it is the same over there but what happened here is that choirs used to be something the boys did and were good at and you were proud. Now since girls can do it too, its nothing special any more and the lads go off and play football instead. Choirs have become a girly thing and boys don't want to be thought of like that so most boys choirs are finding it pretty hard to get new people to join. This is what the choir looks like now


Like the Petits Chanteurs à la Croix de Bois they wear Aubes for singing sacred music or for religious ceremonies


Here are two more of how the choir used to look before combining with the Voix Boréals and mixing with girls