Cat No 3017293

The cabrette bagpipe and its distinctive sound have become symbols of a particular regional culture. Developed in its present form in the mid 19th century, it was the instrument played at the dances organised by the thriving Auvergne community of small tradesmen in Paris until eventually superceded by the increasingly popular accordion around the time of the First World War.Michel Esbelin, with occasional accordion accompaniment, plays both cabrette and violin, and the polkas, bourées and mazurkas heard on this CD confirm that the Auvergnat tradition is alive and well.