Live in Cor

Live in Cor: When the Vosges Vibrates to the Sound of the Alpine Horn

Since 2015, the green amphitheater of Cornimont, nestled between the health center and the Moselotte river, has hosted an extraordinary festival every summer. Live in Cor was born from the passion of a group of musicians united within the association Cors et Accords, founded in 2010 by lovers of the Alpine horn living in the upper Vosges valley. The festival's name, a playful nod to Cornimont—whose first syllables evoke the horn—and the concept of a live concert, perfectly summarizes the event's DNA: authentic music, played outdoors, in an exceptional natural setting.

The Alpine Horn, the Festival's Star Instrument

An emblematic instrument of Alpine shepherds, the Alpine horn is a long wooden tube whose deep, melodious sounds can be heard for miles around. The nine musicians of Cors et Accords primarily play the F# horn but also have instruments in F, A-flat, and E-flat, as well as the Büchel, a shorter cousin of the horn that resonates in B-flat. During Live in Cor, horn ensembles perform outdoors, creating a unique sound spectacle where the notes blend with the rustling of the Moselotte and the echoes of the surrounding mountains. The repertoire combines traditional Swiss and Vosges pieces, original compositions, and sung pieces accompanied by accordion or organ.

An Eclectic Program Balancing Tradition and Discovery

While the Alpine horn remains the festival's backbone, Live in Cor opens its program to other musical expressions. Past editions have featured rock, piano, trumpet, harmonica concerts, and mountain songs, creating a rich and varied program that appeals to an intergenerational audience. Local and regional artists share the stage of the green amphitheater with the horn players, offering spectators a musical journey between mountain folklore and contemporary sounds. Afternoons are filled with musical entertainment, instrument demonstrations, and moments of conviviality featuring Vosges specialties.

Cornimont, Cradle of a Living Tradition

A commune in the upper Moselotte valley, Cornimont is a mountain village with a strong identity, located within the Ballons des Vosges Regional Natural Park. The association Cors et Accords, chaired by J.M. Mougin, has been preserving the practice of the Alpine horn for over fifteen years—an instrument usually associated with the Swiss and Austrian Alps but which has found a new resonance in the Vosges. The group's musicians, passionate self-taught individuals, rehearse weekly throughout the year and perform during transhumances, local festivals, international Alpine horn gatherings, and concerts in nursing homes. Live in Cor is the association's flagship annual event, a time when the entire Cornimont community comes together to share music and celebrate the Vosges summer.