The people in songs ---- The witnesses, the actors of the Paris Commune
are numerous and the unknowns still to be discovered. This is the caseof Emmanuel Delorme, incorrigible songwriter and Berry Communard, to
borrow the title of the book by Jean-Pierre Gilbert, published in
partnership with the editions of Bouinotte. ---- A bit of mystery in
this character, author of more than 200 songs, journalist, Genevan
exiled after the Commune. "The author's aim is more simply to give back
to Berry a songwriter, stubborn craftsman of popular song and goguettes,
this phenomenon widespread throughout France in the 19th century, but
today forgotten." To find traces of the character, Jean-Pierre Gilbert
combs through the archives, rereading in particular Mes carnets rouges
by Maxime Vuillaume, Philémon, vieux de la vieille by Lucien Descaves.
Delorme rubbed shoulders with Félix Pyat and other Berry natives. He was
born in Saint-Amand-Montrond in 1837 and "went up" to Paris in 1855 to
exercise his talents as a singer and worker. Songs were everywhere in
the streets, in the goguettes, in popular culture under the obsessive
control of Napoleon III's police. "A worker like us and a poet in his
spare time" the newspaper Les coquelicots considers him. Songs conveyed
poetry, information from news items to political acts, ideas and the
goguettes were places of popular education. Jean-Pierre Gilbert's
approach allows us to mix the life of a witness, a very interesting
sociological and historical approach. We enter the history of the
goguettes, these small friendly groups, mostly male, of less than twenty
people, to spend a good time together and sing, express themselves. The
songs are grouped together in brochures, published in newspapers,
distributed in reading rooms.
A man of conviction
Delorme also wrote in newspapers, La Rue by Jules Vallès, in particular.
Jean-Pierre Gilbert extracts two articles by Delorme sketching a very
beautiful portrait of Millières, shot during the Bloody Week in front of
the Pantheon and another by Jean-Baptiste Clément. He is a man of
conviction, Emmanuel Delorme, like his republican father deported to
Algeria after the coup d'état of 1851. Little information on his action
during the Commune, he joined the National Guard, Vuillaume sees him as
a commander there. He managed to take refuge in Geneva, got involved in
solidarity with the outlaws and the return after the amnesty of 1880 was
harsh, Paris, political life had evolved without them. Descaves
translates it very well in his book Philémon, vieux de la vieille.
However, he would get involved in the socialist movement until his death
in 1896.
A collection of songs
Benoît Malon published a very beautiful article taken up by Jean-Pierre
Gilbert, in La Revue socialiste on the songs of Emmanuel Delorme.
Delorme's Paris appears through La Grisette travailuse, La Peste, Pied
de grue, titles that bring to mind Steinlen's paintings. Just like the
world of work with La journée de l'ouvière, Le vieux paysan. Political
commitment is expressed in Le Meneur, La France révolutionnaire, Les
Couches sociales. Others reveal scenes from social life. How to choose?
Jean-Pierre Gilbert takes up those selected with his friends
Marie-Annick Bourguignon and Michel Pinglaut for their historical
cabaret show. Michel Pinglaut, passionate about his land, Berry, its
culture and the Communards, dynamic co-president of the Berry committee
of Friends of the Paris Commune 1871, preface, in a lively style, of
this work. Here is an excellent introduction to a historical study of
this social life through the songs of the people.
* Jean-Pierre Gilbert
Emmanuel Delorme, incorrigible chansonnier and Berry Communard
Ed. La Bouinotte, 2024
https://monde-libertaire.fr/?articlen=8183
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