One of the festival’s founders, Maryse Carlin, lives, plays and teaches in the United States, at Washington University in Saint-Louis. The music took him to other horizons but he remains faithful to his roots. “My grandparents lived in Pierrefitte-Nestalas and my father’s family lives around Arras-en-Lavedan” explains this woman with dual nationality, whose maiden name, Rodé, recalls her Bigourdan origins. She returns “on vacation” every summer to the family home of Boo-Silhen, and takes with her, in her luggage, musicians from the United States different from those with whom she plays in the United States with her group “Kingsbury”. . The international character of the festival is affirmed from the very beginning of the festival, which dates back to 2008, when with some German musician friends, Maryse Carlin began to play in a few churches in the region. “We noticed that there was a favorable environment and ecosystem, both from the point of view of religious buildings, such as the abbey church of Saint-Savin with its remarkable acoustics, and the reception of elected officials (in particular the mayors of Saint-Savin Gérard Omisos and Jean-Bertrand Haurine), volunteers and the public”. So much so that more and more spectators, music lovers or simply curious, are getting caught up in the game of early music, which is experiencing a form of renaissance. Each year, often different musicians, who know each other or not, meet in the region of Argelès-Gazost only for this event.
“Nine children have been born since the start of the festival”
A community has been perpetuated over the years and “nine children have been born among the musicians since the beginning of the festival” says Maryse Carlin. Among these musicians, Flore Seube, is a regular at the festival. She has been playing the viola da gamba since the age of six, an instrument associated with the Renaissance, which was brought up to date thanks to the famous film Tous les matins du monde. Its gut strings produce “a very rich and very warm sound, an almost organic music” explains the one who was touched as a child by the grace of Jordi Savall, the Spanish master violist. Teacher and concert performer throughout Europe and even in Canada, Flore plays on all registers, including that of the historian because “early and/or baroque music requires a perpetual work of research and interpretation from the score manuscripts”.