The Éditions musicales Henry Labatiaz

Rooted in a long tradition of French-speaking Swiss music publishing houses active since the late 19th century, Éditions musicales Henry Labatiaz aims to contribute to preserving the musical heritage of this region while adopting a proactive stance in promoting the works of contemporary Swiss Romande composers. The history inherited by Éditions musicales Henry Labatiaz is particularly rich, and it is this history that they are keen on highlighting.

Our repertoire, assembled through the creation of various publishing houses, is a testament to the unique character of Romandie artistic activity, which has been continuously developing since the early 19th century, forging an identity that is far from trivial. Situated geographically between Germany, France, and Italy, Switzerland has constantly constructed itself by drawing on the surrounding cultural influences, including a tradition of translation deeply embedded in its culture. The case of the Romandie choral music is a prime example of this phenomenon: before 1800, Romandy had little to no choral singing, while musical folk traditions in France and Germany were quite distinct. France valued monodic singing, accompanied by instruments but not other voices, while Germany was influenced by the Lutheran musical heritage (1517), which introduced four-voice psalms to encourage congregational singing. This popular choral culture from Germany gradually spread to the Swiss German region, and later to Romandie. With the arrival of German pastor Jean Bernard Kaupert (1786-1863) in Morges in 1811, choral singing gained significant popularity in the region. Surprised by the fact that people sang very little and only in unison, Kaupert introduced them to the Germanic tradition. The enthusiasm was overwhelming, and the Romande choral culture was established. The repertoire of that time mainly consisted of translated German psalms. Over time, regional composers born in the second half of the 19th century began to compose new songs, still following the German four-voice structure but with a style of their own: a Romandie style.

Since then, many composers have contributed to maintaining and developing this repertoire and style through their music.

This musical heritage, its history, and its great value are what Éditions musicales Henry Labatiaz aims to rekindle, preserve, and perpetuate. Our wish: to see Romande music regain its place of honor in the musical program!

See also:

– Jacques Burdet, La musique dans le canton de Vaud au XIX^e siècle, Lausanne, Payot, 1971

– Paul Budry, La Suisse qui chante. Histoire illustrée de la chanson populaire du chant choral et du festspiel en Suisse, Lausanne, Freudweiler-Spiro, 1932