The music contests

Music contests are often organised during the celebrations but also aside from them, resulting in proper fully-fledged events. They would gather the city’s choral societies, brass bands, wind sections, and singer societies.

The Great International Music Contest on the 15th, 16th and 17th of August 1902. Lille, official programme.
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This programme describes the three days of the contest in 120 detailed pages.

Some of the contests have an international aspiration and gather bands from both the North of France and Belgium. Sight-readings, performance contests, theatrical plays and parades are organised through several days.

International Contest for Male Voice Choirs, Wind Sections and Brass Bands. 24th and 25th of May 1896.
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This programme describes the two days of the contest in 77 detailed pages.

Music societies from the North of France participate in contests outside of their home cities in order to gain fame when they come back victorious. The Crick-Sicks choral society from Tourcoing is a good example. It became famous after winning national and international contests and later performed for emblematic figures such as: The President of the French Republic, Kaiser Wilhelm II… and memorable events, such as the 1924 Olympic Games.

Music in Tourcoing since the beginning of the century.
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The Male Voice Choir Society (Crick Sicks) victorious come-back from the Senlis contest on July 12th 1868

The Crick Sicks became a national society, which corresponds to the highest level for musical societies, and it is still active today!

All the songs in patois from the singer Desrousseaux in five volumes: 260 songs, satirical monologues and plays with 1, 2 or 3 characters, with lyrics and music sheet.
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The music sheet of “L’Canchon Dormoire, ou P’tit Quinquin” by Desrousseaux.

Click here to watch an extract from the Crick Sicks interpretation of “Le P’tit Quinquin”