Traditional Christmas Carol from Auvergne, arranged for 3 mixed voices choir a cappella by Alain Fromy (1941-2020)
The ancient Noëls of the different regions of France, beyond their often delightful language, are a veritable theological summary within the reach of simple folk. They evoke the Incarnation, which necessarily leads to the Cross, and thus to the Redemption of sinful man.
Harmonized in a simple way for 3 mixed voices, they can easily be integrated into a preparation for Christmas concerts. Most of them have been sung during the concert by the audience itself, which, divided into 3 SAH sections, quickly learns the 3 voices and sings along with the choristers, much to everyone's delight. Christmas is all about sharing, and the concert is not simply choristers singing to an audience: it's all of them singing together about the coming of the Son of God.
Born in Nantes in 1941, Alain Fromy received his initial training at the Centre de Musique Sacrée de Nantes, with Félix Moreau (organ and harmony), Joseph Bureau (conducting and Gregorian chant) and Bernard Clément (singing teacher at the Conservatoire de Nantes). He subsequently perfected his vocal technique with Alain Buet and Richard Miller, and strengthened his choral conducting skills with Nicole Corti, Homero Ribeiro de Magalhaes and Rachid Safir.
Settled in 1980 in Montfort sur Meu (35), he quickly put his musical knowledge at the service of the town: initiating the restoration of the organs, he became the titular of the instrument and the teacher of the organ class he created. In 1981, he founded a choir, followed by an orchestra in 1986. In 1988, he organized Les Musicali, a classical music festival in the Brocéliande region, of which he was artistic director for 15 years. In 2007, with AGOM (Association de Gestion de l'Orchestre de Montfort), he launched "Un Fol Week End avec...”, a 3-day festival with 6 concerts held in Montfort on a different theme each year: Buxtehude, Vivaldi, Mendelssohn...
In turn organizer, choirmaster and conductor, he has succeeded in staging a number of works by getting local amateurs to work with professionals, most of them teachers from the CNR in Rennes.
For over 30 years, Alain Fromy has harmonized songs for 3 mixed voices, notably Christmas carols, a selection of which you can discover here.