Patrice Coirault (26 September 1875 - 15 January 1959) was a French

ethnomusicologist Ethnomusicology is the study of music from the cultural and social aspects of the people who make it. It encompasses distinct theoretical and methodical approaches that emphasize cultural, social, material, cognitive, biological, and other dim ...

Early life

Patrice Coirault was born on 26 September 1875. His father was a schoolteacher and his mother was the daughter of farmers from

Poitou Poitou (, , ; ; Poitevin: ''Poetou'') was a province of west-central France whose capital city was Poitiers. Both Poitou and Poitiers are named after the Pictones Gallic tribe. Geography The main historical cities are Poitiers (historical c ...

. Coirault was educated at the Lycée de

Niort Niort (; Poitevin: ''Niàu''; oc, Niòrt; la, Novioritum) is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department, western France. It is the prefecture of Deux-Sèvres. The population of Niort is 58,707 (2017) and more than 177,000 people live in th ...

and the Lycée Michelet near Paris. He graduated from the

University of Paris , image_name = Coat of arms of the University of Paris.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of Arms , latin_name = Universitas magistrorum et scholarium Parisiensis , motto = ''Hic et ubique terrarum'' (Latin) , mottoeng = Here and a ...

, where he earned a two-year degree.

Career

Coirault worked as a high-ranking civil servant in the Ministry of Public Works. Coirault began researching traditional songs in the countrysides of Poitou and

Béarn The Béarn (; ; oc, Bearn or ''Biarn''; eu, Bearno or ''Biarno''; or ''Bearnia'') is one of the traditional provinces of France, located in the Pyrenees mountains and in the plain at their feet, in southwest France. Along with the three B ...

in 1898, under the mentorship of Charles Seignobos. By 1927, he authored his first book ''Recherches sur notre ancienne chanson populaire traditionnelle''. He went on to publish several more books about French regional ethnomusicologist.

Death

Coirault died on 15 January 1959 in his hometown of Surin; he was 85.

Works

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References

1875 births 1959 deaths People from Deux-Sèvres University of Paris alumni French ethnomusicologists French non-fiction writers {{France-nonfiction-writer-stub