French Boy Choirs: Performances


Figure 1.--The French choristers wear the school uniform costume commonly adopted by French choirs. The boys are not only trained in music, but also drilled in stage craft. Here the boys of a French choir are closing their performance with a deep bow. Notice how they all keep their feet together.

French boy choir performances varied, but there were many similarities. The major focus was the choir sining en masse, but there were other presentations. Some of the boys were chosen to do solos, duets, or pieces where selected boys stood out from the rest of the choir. This is an honor, but requires extra work. There might also be skits. The Vienna Choir Boys were famous for skits. We think this was less common for the French choirs, but do not have a lot of information. The performances are done in two parts divided by a short intermission. The boys are well schooled in not only their music, but also stagecraft. There hair is nicely combed. There is a uniform check before the concert begins to make sure they look smart. They file into the church, auditorium, or other performnce setting and take their places at the front. Up on stage they keep their hands behind their backs and stand up erect. They keep their feet together, their shoes touching. Not only does it give a good impression, but it is a way to promote discipline and uniformity in the choir. During the intermission, the choir master bings up any mistake the boys made. They also circulate in the audience to take up a collction to support the choir. The boys bow deeply at the end of the concerts.

Sining en Masse

French boy choir performances varied, but there were many similarities. The major focus was the choir sining en masse. A former chorister tells us, "One is sometimes we have to introduce the next song that we are singing. One boy will speak."

Pieces

There were other presentations besides sining en masse. Some of the boys were chosen to do solos, duets, or pieces where selected boys stood out from the rest of the choir. This is an honor, but requires extra work. A chorister tells us how this was staged un his choir, "When one boy sings a solo or introduce a song, he has to walk down the stage by passing through the boys standing in front of him. It is a practice in my choir that when the boy walks through, the two boys in front of him will turn and face each other, while the boy walks between them. If the boy is in the back row, then two boys from each row in front of him will also do the same and turn their bodies fully facing each other, to make room."

Skits

There might also be skits. The Vienna Choir Boys were famous for skits. We think this was less common for the French choirs, but do not have a lot of information.

Structure

The performances are done in two parts divided by a short intermission. Often there is a change in costume reopresenting a shift from religious to secular music.

Stagecraft

The boys are well schooled in not only their music, but also stagecraft. There hair is nicely combed. There is a uniform check before the concert begins to make sure they look smart. They file into the church, auditorium, or other performnce setting and take their places at the front. Up on stage they keep their hands behind their backs and stand up erect. A chorister tells us, " It was a rule for us to place our hands behind our backs, not just only singing, but all the time." They keep their feet together, their shoes touching. Not only does it give a good impression, but it is a way to promote discipline and uniformity in the choir. The boys bow deeply at the end of the concerts. A reader writes, "Actually it is interesting how and why the choirs in France and Belgium make their boys put their hands behind their backs. Especially when the choirs are far apart geographically and not related, so it is not possible to arrange a common practice among all the choirs. If you have information to trace this tradition, it would be itneresting." Surely it is primarily a way of giving the boys somethig to do with their hands. Otherwise each boy would do something different, fidgiting with their hands which would be distracting. We do not know, however, if this was a common practice for historic choirs. Our French contributor replies, "Yes, it is common for nervous fidgiting. For exemple you can watch an impressive Spanish choir. The boys there have been taught to hold their hands at their side, but you can see their nerves if you watch their hands closely. It is interesting why it seems only in France and Belgium that the boys commonly hold their hands behind their backs. Aeader writes, "Although the Spanish soloist is fidgiting, he sings very well. I think he is very nervous which is understandable when doing a solo. The boys behind him, howevr, are fidgiting too much. You do not see these with the French and Belgian choirs because the boys hold their hands behind their backs. You do not see this with the choirs from othercountries." A factor here may be the French tradition of petits garçons modèles.

Intermission

During the intermission, the choir master bings up any mistake the boys made. They also circulate in the audience to take up a collction to support the choir.









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Created: 6:38 AM 11/18/2012
Last updated: 11:03 PM 2/10/2013