The Character of a Place

Sometimes it is easy to forget that buildings and places have character. Buntrock has a radically different character or feel than Mellby or Thorson. In my research, it has become clear that the  character of a place can influence or be influenced by what happens inside. Le Théàtre du Vieux-Colombier (the Theatre of the Old Dovecot) is one of those places which is created with a distinct character in mind. Founded in 1913 by Jacques Coupeau, the theatre was to be a place for “poetic drama of artistic worth.”¹ A few years later, Les Six had their first concert there. Works of Honegger, Satie, and Milhaud found performances there, often because of their promotion by Jane Bathori. ² After the First World War, le Vieux-Colombier became a place that proved that the war had not in fact caused irreparable harm to French culture.³ It has been really exciting in my research to see how many musical giants of 1920s Paris were connected by this theatre. Although I have never been to the Vieux-Colombier, I feel like I’m getting to know the character of it. It was a place where thinking about the true nature of art was valued, and where new art could be performed in an inviting environment. I believe this is why Les Six began making music together there. We don’t often think about how a venue can influence the reception of music, but my research has made it clear that the spaces we create music in have a profound impact on what one can take from music.