THE PROVENÇAL VILLAGE
The Tambourin Player
People often mistake this santon because they don’t recognize his instruments. He plays two at once: a three-hole flute with his left hand, and a long drum with his right. This unusual pair (known in English as the pipe and tabor) is the signature instrument of Provence. It’s still played today, and it connects the nativity to a real church tradition.
What you see
A man walking, a flute held to his lips with one hand, a long drum hanging from his arm or slung on his back, and a drumstick in the other hand. He’s almost always shown on the move, and he’s the only santon whose pose clearly points in a direction.
People often see a flute player and go looking for a separate drummer. He plays both.
Two instruments, one pair of hands
The galoubet is a straight flute about 12 inches long, made of boxwood, olive, rosewood or ebony, with just three holes. It’s played with the left hand alone: the thumb, index and middle fingers cover all the holes. That leaves the right hand free to beat the tambourin, a “very elongated” drum, with a small stick.
Three holes, two octaves: the player gets extra notes by blowing harder or softer, so one fingering can make several notes. The sound is described as “very piercing,” which is exactly what you want from an instrument meant to be heard outdoors over a crowd.
The word galoubet is attested as early as 1723 in a Provençal–French dictionary. In the 19th century, the Félibrige poet François Vidal codified its repertoire in Lou Tambourin, published in Aix-en-Provence and Avignon in 1864: a 299-page volume in three parts (history of the instrument, method, and national airs of Provence), found in the French union catalog and reprinted in 1971. The standard modern work is the reference book by Maurice Guis, Thierry Lefrançois and Rémi Venture (held by the Smithsonian Libraries), published in 1993, a richly illustrated 269-page volume.
In the theater, a presence more than a role
The tambourin player is often described as a character in the pastorale. That’s sort of true, but not quite.
In the Pastorale Maurel, he shows up in a stage direction: the shepherds come in with the tambourin player, followed by the Bohemians. He has no name and no lines. He’s not a character. He’s the music, the village band crossing the stage.
That difference matters. The santon makers turned this musician into a figure in his own right, with his own look and his own place. So the nativity’s tambourin player doesn’t come from a stage role. He comes from a real musician, the one who played during the performance.
The real link: the pastrage
His strongest connection isn’t to the theater but to the church. The pastrage, the offering of a lamb at Midnight Mass, is set to music, and the town of Les Baux-de-Provence describes it simply: “Provençal carols are sung to the flute and tambourine,” while the head shepherd, the bayle, presents the newborn lamb.
So the tambourin player in your nativity isn’t a made-up folklore figure. He’s a portrait of a real musician who, in several villages in Provence, still plays on Christmas Eve. See pastorales and the pastrage.
Where to place him in the nativity
At the front of the procession. That’s his job, literally: he leads the way and sets the pace. A tambourin player in the middle of the group looks out of place.
Walking, not standing still. Point him the way the procession is heading, not parked in front of the stable. He plays as he walks. He isn’t giving a concert.
Give his arms room. His whole look comes from the flute and drum held out on either side. Against a wall or behind another santon, he just becomes a blur. Same problem as the ravi, same fix: give him space. See arrangement.
Frequently asked questions
What instruments does the tambourin player play?
Two at once. The galoubet is a straight flute about 12 inches long with only three holes, played with the left hand alone (thumb, index and middle finger). The right hand stays free to beat the tambourin, a long drum carried on the arm or a shoulder strap, with a small stick.
How can you play a melody with three holes?
By blowing harder or softer, the player gets several notes from one fingering, which lets the instrument cover about two octaves. It’s tricky to play, with a very piercing sound made to carry outdoors over a crowd.
Is the tambourin player a character in the pastorale?
He appears in it, but not as a speaking role: he comes on with the shepherds in a stage direction and has no lines. He’s the village band. Santon makers turned him into a character of his own.
Where do you place the tambourin player?
At the front of the procession, heading the way everyone is going. That’s his job: he leads the way and sets the pace. In the middle of the group, or standing still in front of the stable, he loses his meaning. A marching musician doesn’t stand still.
Is the galoubet and tambourin still played?
Yes, and not just for show. It’s still played at Provençal festivals and, at Christmas, at Midnight Mass in some villages. In Les Baux-de-Provence, Provençal carols are sung to the flute and tambourin during the pastrage ceremony.