Emile Vacher (1883-1969)
by John Mackie
I acquired my first accordion some 60 years ago, and in that time I have had three mentors, namely Emile Vacher, Will Starr and Toralf Tollefsen, each individualistic, each differing from the other in style, content and technique, yet each sharing a common denominator, being ‘legends in their own lifetime’.
The sole survivor of the trio is Tollefsen, whom I have known for over 40 years. He is now retired professionally and lives surrounded by his family which includes two great-grand-children.
We communicate on a fairly regular basis and exchange as much information as we can.
However, this article is not about Tolly, but Emile Vacher, ‘Prince of the Musette’, a well deserved soubriquet, as although much of his work was published under the name of Jean Peyronin, his pianist, this was done for reasons of expediency, as I believe that Sacem, the French equivalent of our Performing Rights society did not at that time recognize the accordion as being a musical instrument. I am certain that ‘Reine de Musette’ (Queen of Musette) the most famous of all musettes, is a Vacher composition, as are many others accredited to Peyronin.
I heard my first Vacher recording in 1927 and even at that early age was impressed by his unorthodox technique.
Emile Vacher was born in Tours in 1883, he was greatly encouraged by Luis Vacher, his father, who bought Emile a small diatonic accordion when he was 10 years old. This in itself was remarkable, as many people thought, including myself, that Vacher played a chromatic instrument and the only person whom I know of who was convinced that Vacher played a diatonic box was the late George MacLean, father of Malcolm MacLean of Renfrew.
Father and son began professionally in a café cum dance hall in the very tough working class district of Paris called Montreuil. The place was called the ‘Bal Delpech’ after its proprietress and was a regular haunt of the local Apaches, the ones famous for their dance, not the Plains Indians Tribe but the Paris Gangsters. Soon he was able to afford a three row Stradelkla which he exploited to the full.
Vacher soon graduated from the doubtful surroundings of Montreuil, where he played for Madame Delpech for 10 years, to the more salubrious Abbaye, Rue de Puteaux, where Luis retired and was replaced by harpist Jean Demarco, a unique combination, accordion and harp.
After about a year, Vacher formed his famous recording trio, himself on accordion, Jean Peyronin on piano and the gypsy guitarist and banjoist Guisti Maller, and their fame spread throughout Europe and even extended as far as Tunisia.
In 1931, an extremely up-market dance palace in the famous Monmartre district of Paris engaged the Emile Vacher Trio as its resident band. During his sojourn in the Latin quarter, Vacher continued to compose, as the fame of the trio continued to spread even into the cinema.
Vacher’s recordings, which were on the Odeon Label are said to exceed 400 in number. I have a tape of his 78s from a friend’s collection, but I understand that there is a CD of Vacher recordings comprising of some 22 items – a must for those who know Vacher, and of course, own a CD player.
I have yet to hear of anyone attempting to emulate Vacher’s technique, he was without doubt, one of the most innovative players of our time.
Box and Fiddle
April 1992
The sole survivor of the trio is Tollefsen, whom I have known for over 40 years. He is now retired professionally and lives surrounded by his family which includes two great-grand-children.
We communicate on a fairly regular basis and exchange as much information as we can.
However, this article is not about Tolly, but Emile Vacher, ‘Prince of the Musette’, a well deserved soubriquet, as although much of his work was published under the name of Jean Peyronin, his pianist, this was done for reasons of expediency, as I believe that Sacem, the French equivalent of our Performing Rights society did not at that time recognize the accordion as being a musical instrument. I am certain that ‘Reine de Musette’ (Queen of Musette) the most famous of all musettes, is a Vacher composition, as are many others accredited to Peyronin.
I heard my first Vacher recording in 1927 and even at that early age was impressed by his unorthodox technique.
Emile Vacher was born in Tours in 1883, he was greatly encouraged by Luis Vacher, his father, who bought Emile a small diatonic accordion when he was 10 years old. This in itself was remarkable, as many people thought, including myself, that Vacher played a chromatic instrument and the only person whom I know of who was convinced that Vacher played a diatonic box was the late George MacLean, father of Malcolm MacLean of Renfrew.
Father and son began professionally in a café cum dance hall in the very tough working class district of Paris called Montreuil. The place was called the ‘Bal Delpech’ after its proprietress and was a regular haunt of the local Apaches, the ones famous for their dance, not the Plains Indians Tribe but the Paris Gangsters. Soon he was able to afford a three row Stradelkla which he exploited to the full.
Vacher soon graduated from the doubtful surroundings of Montreuil, where he played for Madame Delpech for 10 years, to the more salubrious Abbaye, Rue de Puteaux, where Luis retired and was replaced by harpist Jean Demarco, a unique combination, accordion and harp.
After about a year, Vacher formed his famous recording trio, himself on accordion, Jean Peyronin on piano and the gypsy guitarist and banjoist Guisti Maller, and their fame spread throughout Europe and even extended as far as Tunisia.
In 1931, an extremely up-market dance palace in the famous Monmartre district of Paris engaged the Emile Vacher Trio as its resident band. During his sojourn in the Latin quarter, Vacher continued to compose, as the fame of the trio continued to spread even into the cinema.
Vacher’s recordings, which were on the Odeon Label are said to exceed 400 in number. I have a tape of his 78s from a friend’s collection, but I understand that there is a CD of Vacher recordings comprising of some 22 items – a must for those who know Vacher, and of course, own a CD player.
I have yet to hear of anyone attempting to emulate Vacher’s technique, he was without doubt, one of the most innovative players of our time.
Box and Fiddle
April 1992