L’emprunt(e) – Prairie Comeau

With their new project, L’emprunt(e), the Québeco-Fransaskois duo Prairie Comeau formed by Anique Granger & Benoit Archambault explores songs from a repertoire know as “La Bonne Chanson”.

To French-Canadians, La Bonne Chanson evokes a time past when these songbooks could be found in the piano bench of almost every school and home. This particular collection is a part of what connects francophones to their ancestors. It ignites a profound sense of belonging. Many of the melodies are well known even today, and have become engrained in the cultural DNA of francophones throughout Canada.

The songbooks were published by La Bonne Chanson, a company based in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec and led by a priest, Charles-Émile Gadbois. Between 1937 and 1951, Gadbois collected and published over 500 French and Canadian songs. The songs most often touched on themes supported by the clergy: family, country, nature, love, and a certain nostalgia for a more traditional way of life. As such, Father Gadbois may have at times, taken liberties in editing the content.

Prairie Comeau’s mission is to rearrange, re-edit and reinterpret these songs, to look at the lyrics symbolically and examine them through the lens of their own experience. The duo reharmonizes, creates new combinations of words and melody, sometimes nostalgically, sometimes critically, but always with the utmost respect for the raw material.

Folk music has always been fluid. Prairie Comeau wishes to preserve this musical heritage by reflecting on its meaning and sharing in its evolution. These songs play a crucial role in connecting us to our roots. They have contributed to the shaping of the country and the continent as we know it.