Pamiers: a hundred years after his death, composer Gabriel-Fauré returns to his roots

Three highlights thus punctuated this day dedicated to the Appamean composer Gabriel-Fauré, in his hometown, on the centenary of his national funeral. First of all, the city's conservatory will now bear his name, while the auditorium takes that of Marcel Dardigna, musician and organist, of whom he was a brilliant interpreter (read below). At the start of the evening, the internationally renowned pianist Jean-Philippe Collard gave a concert in the Jeu-du-Mail hall, after the inauguration, at the end of the afternoon, of the statue created by the Toulouse sculptor Sébastien Langloÿs and offered to the city by the association “Musiques au pays de Gabriel-Fauré”, chaired by Jean Dardigna. “It’s an achievement, and a call to curiosity. People will wonder when they see this statue, and become interested in him,” explained his wife Dominique, secretary of the association, who came up with the idea. of this wonderful gift ⁽¹⁾.

“Long live you at home, dear Gabriel”

“Long live you, at home, my dear Gabriel”: it is with these words that Jean Dardigna ended his tribute to Gabriel-Fauré, at a time when the Appamean composer, performed very recently on the occasion of the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games, has returned to its roots. Because this composer, known throughout the world, and famous in the USA as in Japan, is “a child of Pamiers”, recalled the mayor, Frédérique Thiennot: “A child who grew up in our city. This city has certainly, in one way or another shaped the man he became. […] We are in the most beautiful place in Pamiers. It is therefore normal that the most illustrious of the Appameans should be there, at least, for eternity,” underlined the elected official.

His first contact with music

It was “here that he had his first contact with music”, insisted Jean-Luc Lupiéri, deputy mayor in charge of culture, paying tribute to a man “who became an eminent figure in music”. “Today, the whole of France and the world are celebrating Gabriel-Fauré,” added the elected official. But the statue offered to the city makes him an accessible character, “on a human scale”, explained, in turn, the elected official and the prefect of Ariège, Simon Bertoux, “It is one of the strongest incarnations of French music, known internationally […] an immense artist, whose work has stood the test of time,” recalled the state representative. “With this sculpture, he once again becomes an inhabitant of Pamiers, whom we can meet every day.”

The conservatory will bear his name

Long planned, the Pamiers conservatory officially changed its name on Friday November 8, to take that of the illustrious Appamean composer, Gabriel Fauré. A choice of date far from insignificant since this change occurs one hundred years, to the day of the anniversary of his funeral, at La Madeleine, November 8, 1924.
It was with the melody of the “last movement” of the Appamean composer, and performed by Jeanne, Angélique and Angelica, all three professors at the conservatory, that the public was welcomed.
In the presence of many elected officials, Frédérique Thiennot, mayor of Pamiers, paid tribute to the remarkable work carried out since the creation in 1952 of the music school, which subsequently became the conservatory. Both by the high-quality service provided to Appameans, and by the tool that makes the city shine today. “The work carried out deserves the name of Gabriel Fauré, now we must honor him. What comes out of here must deserve its name, and of course its indulgence. », underlined Frédérique Thiennot.

“His hometown finally pays him a fitting tribute,” added Jean-Luc Lupieri, deputy mayor in charge of culture. “The name of Gabriel Fauré shines, he is an internationally renowned artist for whom Ariège had a very special place in his heart.”
If for almost 10 years, the conservatory bore the name of the Appamean musician, organist and remarkable interpreter of the works of Gabriel Fauré, Marcel Dardigna, the latter is not forgotten by the conservatory. Indeed, for Xavier Canin, director of the conservatory, “Marcel Dardigna now enters more into the heart of this conservatory by now giving his name to the auditorium. » He also wanted to thank all the teachers at the establishment for their investment.