Savoie région, thanks to its independant from FRANCE history, is at the cross-road of numerous cultural influences : this can be seen in its music instruments, its range of dances and songs.
La “Pastourelle” use traditional instruments : First, the violon : it’s universal and wide spread in our montains, often made by local stringed instrument maker. It’s harsn sound was goingwell with weddings and family patherings. The fiddler, while loving his arch in hand also drives and sings the dances. Accordéon, being diatonic or chromatic arrived in our local orchestrasat the beginning of the twentieth century. It is very spread nowadays. The Ut-clarinette, called also “chalumeau”, made fom the middle of the 19th century, goes well with other instruments. The “month music” or “frotta groin”, well known under the name of “harmonica” is well used during evenings games.
About danses, the spran of many people of Savoie, keeping a strong link with their home country, is the true origin of this repertory.
	There are figures dances the “branles”, like “le petit-jean” coming from the village of Saint-Nicolas-la Chapelle, danse that could be dated from 17th century. The “allemandes” (the germans), danses : “at four”, “15 years old love”, “the robbers”, “ the rats”, are lively dances, transmitted by fiddler from Cordon, village in high Val d’Alrly. The “contredanses” as “la Pastourelle », with its typical steps “forward 3, cercle 4, have rider alone with a lot of trouble”. This dance should be dated from 18th century. The “quadrilles”, with their numerous versions and figures inspired from “contredanses”, the “ladiescross”, “the sixteen in crown”, “the march from Lyon”, “the four corners”, “the divorce”, “the lady hand”... being typical from Val d’Arly. The “montfarines”, dances in a cercle, from Piémont and brought back there from there by Savoy soldiers. Others dances in a cercle “the badoise”, “the crocetette”, “the baker”, that are also figure dances.
Couple dances the “polkas” (from Poland, dated middle of 19th century) are simples or with figures : the”four corners”, the “séchilienne”, the “gratin polka”, the “polka écràpà”. The “scottishs”, “mazurkas”, “valsovienne”, “gigues” from various origins, show influences from external cultures, and are dated 19th century.
The song has a eat place in the traditionnel life. mot famous are usually in local dialect (“patois”), as “ “la maïon sou on pommié”. Others tell love stories, shepherdpers, sweepers, conscripts, soldiers, harvests... Being moralist or at the opposits without any virtue, then are passing through a message. Some are from old origin “Pleasres are sweet” dated 16th centry ou “the prethy harvester” from nicolas Martin authot from Savoy dates from 16th century also.
All this makes “La Pastourelle d Val d’Arly”, repertory, maling of a lot of winter evenings gatherings in snowy villages from Val d’Arly.

Savoie région, thanks to its independant from FRANCE history, is at the cross-road
of numerous cultural influences : this can be seen in its music instruments, its range of dances and songs.

La “Pastourelle” use traditional instruments :

First, the violon : it’s universal and wide spread in our montains, often made by local stringed instrument maker. It’s harsn sound was goingwell with weddings and family patherings. The fiddler, while loving his arch in hand also drives and sings the dances.

Accordéon, being diatonic or chromatic arrived in our local orchestrasat the beginning of the twentieth century. It is very spread nowadays.
The Ut-clarinette, called also “chalumeau”, made fom the middle of the 19th century, goes well with other instruments.
The “month music” or “frotta groin”, well known under the name of “harmonica” is well used during evenings games.

About danses, the spran of many people of Savoie, keeping a strong link with their home country, is the true origin of this repertory.

There are figures dances

the “branles”, like “le petit-jean” coming from the village of Saint-Nicolas-la Chapelle, danse that could be dated from 17th century.
The “allemandes” (the germans), danses : “at four”, “15 years old love”, “the robbers”, “ the rats”, are lively dances, transmitted by fiddler from Cordon, village in high Val d’Alrly.
The “contredanses” as “la Pastourelle », with its typical steps “forward 3, cercle 4, have rider alone with a lot of trouble”. This dance should be dated from 18th century.
The “quadrilles”, with their numerous versions and figures inspired from “contredanses”, the “ladiescross”, “the sixteen in crown”, “the march from Lyon”, “the four corners”, “the divorce”, “the lady hand”... being typical from Val d’Arly.
The “montfarines”, dances in a cercle, from Piémont and brought back there from there by Savoy soldiers.
Others dances in a cercle “the badoise”, “the crocetette”, “the baker”, that are also figure dances.

Couple dances

the “polkas” (from Poland, dated middle of 19th century) are simples or with figures : the”four corners”, the “séchilienne”, the “gratin polka”, the “polka écràpà”.
The “scottishs”, “mazurkas”, “valsovienne”, “gigues” from various origins, show influences from external cultures, and are dated 19th century.

The song has a eat place in the traditionnel life.

mot famous are usually in local dialect (“patois”), as “ “la maïon sou on pommié”.
Others tell love stories, shepherdpers, sweepers, conscripts, soldiers, harvests... Being moralist or at the opposits without any virtue, then are passing through a message. Some are from old origin “Pleasres are sweet” dated 16th centry ou “the prethy harvester” from nicolas Martin authot from Savoy dates from 16th century also.

All this makes “La Pastourelle d Val d’Arly”, repertory,
maling of a lot of winter evenings gatherings in snowy villages from Val d’Arly.