Figure 1.--This poster for a tour of the Petits Chanteurs à la Coix de Bois to Japan show the boys in their traveling uniform and their white cassocks in which they sometimes perform.
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Figure 1.--This poster for a tour of the Petits Chanteurs à la Coix de Bois to Japan show the boys in their traveling uniform and their white cassocks in which they sometimes perform. |
One common costume is white monks' cassocks. I am not sure why this is such a common choir costume in France. It may be because that many pribate schools in France are Catholic schools and at many of these schools the teachers are monks who dress in the cassocks. French boys at these schools may wear these cassocks for Forst Communion. Several different choirs perform in this costume for at least some of their performances. Many choir costumes such as blazers, eclesiastical ribes, sailor suitsm, and others are used by choirs in different countries. These white robes, howevervare characteristic of French choirs. A French reader provides a little background concerning the use of the alb as a boy choir garment. "Abbé Maillet
founded Les Petits Chanteurs à la Croix de Bois " boy choir in Paris (1907). At the time the tradition of boy choirs in France had long disappeared. The choir gradualy became quite famous and by the 1920s was the best known boy choir in France. Inspirted by the Abbé Maillet's success, other boy choirs were founded. Abbé Maillet adopted the white alb as a costume for the boys durijg the church chant. This look becam very popular and was copied by many other French boy choirs. This Choir made many trips, both within France nd to other countries. They travelled several time to the United States. Their concerts were very successful. They were recieved by President Roosevelt and other dignararies. This boy choir-look after World War II was dopted for bith First Communion and altar boy costumes. The First Choirboy Congres was held in Paris (1947). Over 6,000 boys participated in a procession through the streets dressed in white albs. The Second Congress was held in Rome. Pope Pius XII declared the " International Pueri Cantores " and appointed Mgr. Maillet as the Head. Since this date, most French boys doing First Communion dressed in white albs for the ceremony . Also in France the white alb becam the only dress for altar boys. This was the case when I was an altar boy during the 1950s."
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