The video exceeded 1.4 million views on YouTube, not counting those on Facebook. And it does not emanate from stars of the scene. “A crazy success”, is surprised Valentin Vanderhaegen, at the origin of a “Confined Symphony”, which triggered hundreds of glowing comments on social networks.
On screen, forty-five musicians and singers from all over France each deliver their version of Bourvil’s “Tenderness”, and are brought together in a delightful and moving ensemble. “This song was obvious. She talks about essential things common to all men, explains Valentin Vanderhaegen, singer and actor. And then there is this sentence: Work is necessary but if you have to stay for weeks without doing anything, well … We get used to it. It suited the news pretty well. “
For the 28-year-old artist in confinement in Monclar, a village in the Gers, instead of being on tour, this initiative is also a way of responding to his desire to make music with his friends. “I thought it might be relevant to show that we could create a collective work anyway, when we are all isolated in our little bubbles. That it would have strength to do something together. “
In the end, if he had worked with some of them before and many of them are friendly and professional acquaintances, a small minority joined the project through friends.
After having sent his guitar-voice part to all the participants, Valentin Vanderhaegen collected the recordings of each, assembled to arrive at the final result, stunning. A technical performance that required hours of patience. “It’s a big puzzle job. I wanted there to be an evolution throughout the song, a crescendo ”, he specifies.
Launched fully into this symphony, he was also able to count on the support of his family to shape his idea. His father, Paul, pianist, helped to mix the ensemble while his sister Julie, who works in theater and cinema, produced the video editing. “I didn’t know anything about it on video!” Fortunately, my sister was heavily involved, slides Valentin. I was so devoted to it day and night that they saw it was important to me. “
Requested by musicians from around the world
Dedicated to all those directly or indirectly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, the “Confined Symphony” could be “the anthem of this period”, according to some. Asked by musicians from around the world to renew the experience, Valentin Vanderhaegen admits to thinking about it without being sure to follow up. “Perhaps it is better to stop on a success! He smiles.
