Traditional Provençal instruments should always be played simultaneously. Historically, the musician blows into a galoubet (a kind of small flute), while the other hand beats a tempo on a large tambourin (a traditional drum). The poet Frédéric Mistral, who sang in the Occitan language and won a Nobel prize in 1904, often paid homage to the sound of these instruments that were so common during local festivals. Rue Mazeau, a stone’s throw from the ancient theatre, hides an artisan like no other. Jean-Pierre Magnan is one of the last to produce traditional Provençal instruments. Watching him at work in his studio is a real treat. Each galoubet is carved from boxwood, rosewood or ebony. The tambourin is finely carved in solid walnut. What a marvel.
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