France: Music Central!

France has been considered the music central of Europe for a very long time. Mostly know for there famous classical musicians and composers and now for their uprising pop, techno and funk music. Opera had first broken out in France. The first opera was Akébar roi du Mogol which was first performed in Carpentras in 1646. Later operas were also composing into ballets which were first composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully for King Louis XIV. JL2

     Some instruments used in France include:  Biniou, Bodega (bagpipe),  Boha,  Bombard (music),  Bousine, Bumbass, Cabrette,  Chabrette,  Cornemuse du Centre,  Epinette des Vosges,  French bagpipes,  Graïle,  Hurdy gurdy,  Loure (bagpipe), Musette bechonnet,  Musette bressane,  Musette de cour,  Veuze.

            The Bodega is an instrument that is known as a bagpipe. The bag is made of goat skin and the pipes are made of boxwood. The Graile is a woodwind instrument. It actually resembles the oboe. The gralie uses a double reed. The Veuze is also a bagpipe. The Chabrette is another type of bagpipe. This bagpipe is an older version, and is replaced by the newer versions all the time. You can learn more about these instruments at this site.  MT 4

4/13/10 MF4 - I read about Édith Piaf, Charles Trenet, Maurice Chevalier. All three were natives of France and preformed during the mid 20th century.