It is with envy that I follow the Pique-diatonique, an occasional gathering of diatoniste and their closest allies in Alsace, France. My friends, Sylvain Piron and Catherine Piron-Paira, are regular attenders, as are many of the players I met while in France. This year's event takes place on May 29, in the village of Dahlenheim, near Strasbourg.
For those of us unable to attend, I want to suggest that we create a new holiday -- Pique-diatonique Day. On May 29, the diatonic diaspora will join in spirit and music with the Pique-diatoniste. Either alone or in groups, gather with baskets, sausage, cheese, and wine (gewürztraminer?), and play a few tunes from the Pique-diatonique Tunebook, Le petit bréviaire du diatoniste d'Alsace et d'ailleurs (clicking gets you to the tunebook). The tunes are given as sheet music, and accordion tab. There are a good number of Alsatian tunes, but most come from all over France, including Brittany. Given time, I'm sure that we, les absents, can come up with other traditions to celebrate our Alsatian brethren and sisteren. Something with storks?
Labels: Alsace, My Trip to Alsace, Pique-diatonique, repertoire, sheet music, Sylvain Piron
