Fulelli is located next to Tagliu Isulacciu, the place of birth of Jean-François and Alain Bernardini. Strictly speaking, it is incorrect to say that the two villages are located right next to each other, since Tagliu Isulacciu lies much higher in the mountains than Fulelli. It is therefore much quieter and deserted than Fulelli. I personally find it a very pleasant silence to be in, and in the Netherlands I do not know of a place to go that is so close to the main road, and also where you can enjoy such peace.

In Tagliu Isulacciu there is also a studio built by Jean-François and Alain; it’s the former workshop of their father, next to their parental home. Although their parents have passed away, the village is still kind of home, and that knowledge causes that you travel to that particular concert with a different feeling.

The concert itself takes place in a field in front of a bakery called “Chiaverini”, near the central roundabout of the town. That roundabout causes drivers to reduce their speed on the main highway N198. This highway runs from north to south Corsica, and cuts many villages in half, along with Fulelli. Next to this road there are houses, and the people who live there can enjoy the concert tonight for free … Anyway, the whole village will certainly not go to sleep until 00:30 hour.

Fulelli is a small village with a nice big indoor shopping mall, where the big supermarket Hyper-U is located. There are also some smaller shops, including a small shop which is packed with tourist stuff, but also has a pretty extensive collection of Corsican music on CD and DVD. Basically, they have everything of I Muvrini in stock. This is not surprising since the production society of I Muvrini, the AGFB, is around the corner- so the supply is no problem.

Inseme – Together

At the sound check I approach Jean-François. He is always so busy that only now, one week after my first concert, do I have the opportunity to greet him. I ask him if it’s possible to ask him a few questions after the sound check, and he says okay. The atmosphere is good at the sound check. Since this is already the tenth concert of the Giru, it will not take a long time before the sound is complete. Alain and Jean-François are still together on stage; Jean-François behind the small piano and Alain sitting on the platform of the stage. Jean-François sings an old song, “Inseme.” I recognize it from the live CD “In Core,” which was released in 1990, before I had ever heard of I Muvrini.

Although the piano playing of Jean-François is not flawless, it sounds beautiful and strong, especially if Alain joins in and they sing together. Such a shame that they do not perform this song the evening of the concert. I would love it if they could just once go on tour to perform their “golden oldies.” They have so many of them that I am sure they could easily fill three nights without having to having to repeat one song. And I’m also sure that songs that you previously may not have noticed, are instant favorites after you’ve heard them live. Anyway, now there is a new album in the pipeline, and the repertoire tonight is dominated by that event.

After the sound check, Jean-François does not forget me. He calls me and invites me to come behind the fence. I quickly grab my bag and when I look back I just do not see where he went. When I am at the gate I see him standing behind a loud speaker stand, so he is out of sight. I grab the paper with the questions I had prepared, and he is checking it to see if it is long list. It is not, and immediately he grabs his mobile to check whether there are messages. My main question is when the new CD will be released, and he replies in early 2010. This is just a little disappointment, because first it was told that the new album would come out late in 2009. Meanwhile, Jean-François is still checking his phone for new messages. He is always working, so I decide to be very brief. I ask him if certain songs they have played live will be on the new CD, which he confirms “yes.” He still refers to the new CD-single that they have just brought out, the Canzona di u Rizzanese, and then we wrap up. A little later I see him sitting behind the podium in one of the tents where the musicians can to store their stuff and change clothes. He is reading and writing, he réally is always working.

At the concert you can immediately get a feeling that it’s a “special” night, since it’s so close to the Bernardini’s home. The public is more excited than they are at other concerts. There are even people who sing along to “Quandu Senterà” and “Ùn Ti Ne Scurdà”. It is as if they are cuddled warmly all night. With “À Voce Rivolta”, the last song, the children may naturally go on stage again, and it is once again a big party. The applause is overwhelming.

Tu Mi Manchi – I Miss You

The encores begin with the jokes of “Dicocorse” where the people in Folelli of course get ahearly laugh. But then comes the turnaround with “Tu Mi Manchi” ( “I Miss You”). The song was written when Jean-François and Alain’s mother passed away in 2008. Jean-Francois introduced the number by saying: « Il y a des gens qui dans le don ne vous apprennent que la pudeur du don. On les porte dans son cœur, ceux-là, et quand ils s’en vont, ils nous manquent terriblement… ».
“There are people who, when they give you something, you learn nothing else than the purity of giving. And when they go, then we miss them terribly”.
And then he puts himself in his piano playing. I can imagine, of course, but I really believe that he sings this song more glowingly than the other nights. The lump in my throat is getting bigger, because this beautiful picture taken by Gypsy Flores of Jean-François and his mother constantly plays in my head. It speaks so much of the care and affection, and much of the spirit of his mother. At the end of the song I see the eyes of Jean-François are watery. He takes the applause, and finally gives a kiss upwards, towards his parents in Tagliu Isulacciu. Take a look at it yourself:

Peccatu – Shame

Jean-François knows well to restrain his tears. It is also necessary because he must sing the next encore too. That is about his father, who always encouraged his children to keep moving forward, towards an even better performance. This was demonstrated in the new song “Peccatu”(“It’s a shame”) «….. un encouragement, une confiance, une force, une critique bienveillante ou exigeante, il disait un mot, dicia “peccatu´– dommage, ce serait dommage d’en rester là. Et avec ce mot-là il réveillait en moi… il réveillait en moi l’envie de retrouver mes forces et de faire mille fois mieux. C’était sa manière de dire: “Tu es plus grand que tu ne penses, j’attends beaucoup mieux de toi et tu peux faire beaucoup mieux.” Comme une confiance énergique qui soutient tout ce qui est fragile, tout ce qui commence…une manière de transmettre le merveilleux fardeau de la responsabilité et peut-être la plus belle estime que l’on puisse avoir de l’autre. Et je nous souhaite à tous de l’entendrent de le dire le plus souvent possible en écoutant les mots de nos enfants. Je nous souhaite à tous de l’entendre et de le dire: peccatu.- dommage. Ce serait dommage que tu en restes là… ce serait dommage: peccatu… peccatu.»
«….an encouragement, a confidence, a strength, constructive or demanding criticism, he said a word, he said “peccatu’- a shame, it would be a shame to stop there. And with that word he awoke in me … he awoke in me the desire to regain my strength and do a thousand times better. It was his way of saying: “You’re bigger than you think, I expect much better of you and you can do much better.” As a strong confidence that supports all that is fragile, or what just has started something … a way to convey the wonderful burden of responsibility and perhaps the most beautiful appreciation you can have for another. And I wish us all here to hear it and to say it as often as possible when we listen to the words of our children. I wish us all to hear and to say: peccatu .- a shame. It would be a shame if you stop here … it would be a shame: peccatu … peccatu.»

The song “Peccatu”:

It is of course a great song with again a leading part for the violin of Laurence Dupuis. Then they play a new song, Ti Ricunnoscu, and they close off again with the shorter performance of “Sarà”.

Indeed it was a special night, unlike any other. What is the same, is the crowd awaiting autographs after the concert. Because the breaking down should immediately start after the concert, everyone walks in the wake of Jean-François to the beginning of the field. Stephane Mangiantini, the third singer whose voice gives such a wonderful relief to the voice of Alain, is there too. We are all together on the side of the bakery, where the asphalt turns into lawn. Pictures are taken, books are signed and signatures are put on almost everything that can contain a signature, such as CD booklets, t-shirts, tickets, posters, photographs, maps. And everyone gets a turn, Jean-François, Alain and Stéphane really go away as last of all. Unbelievable perhaps after a concert by 2.5 hours, but it really is true.

For more beautiful pictures of Gypsy Flores, click here.

For the pictures of the sound check and this concert in Fulelli, click here.

Moriani – Fulelli= 7,4 km, 8 minutes

The route between Moriani and Fulelli.

Grotere kaart weergeven

The grounds in front of the bakery “Chiaverini” are located directly left below the junction of the yellow lines.

Grotere kaart weergeven

A picture of the site so you can always return to it when you’re looking around in Google Maps.

This is the entrance to the field. On the right side you’ll see the bakery “Chiaverini”

Grotere kaart weergeven