Bergerault

1932
Albert BERGERAULT, a passionate musician with a brilliant creative mind, founds his own company. He becomes the first xylophone maker in France.

1941
Albert Bergerault is made prisoner of war by the German army and is held in Poland in Sagan at the Stalag VIII C. There he creates, with his knife and several makeshift tools, a xylophone. The guard gives him the score of “Souvenir de Cirque Renz” by Gustav Peter which he plays for the other prisoners. A true ray of sunshine.

1942
On his return from captivity, he takes up his activity and his research on new sounds. He creates xylophones, marimbas, vibraphones, bells playing, glockenspiels…

1950
The high sound quality of instruments is recognized, many bands and drummers play on BERGERAULT: Paris Opera, conservatories of music, Radio France, Les Percussions de Strasbourg, the Michel Legrand orchestra and Michel Hausser, first French vibraphonist and friend of Mick Jackson present on many jazz festivals in Europe.

SECOND GENERATION
1970
Gilbert Fergeau, Albert Bergerault’s son-in-law, takes the lead.
He creates with Mack and Sylvia Perry, president of the PERIPOLE USA, a new line of instruments meant to be used for the “ORFF method” music education. References are numerous in colleges and universities, with conventions in Cincinnati, Memphis, Chicago, Minneapolis, Boston, Denver, Los Angeles…

The company creates unique instruments in the world at the request of major contemporary composers:
– the first contemporary 5 octave bass marimba presented for the first times at the PAS in San Jose;
– sixtens for Xénakis;
– vibraphone and ¼ tone glockenspiel for the Conservatory of Geneva, Switzerland;
– vibraphone-bass marimba, unique piece for the Polish composer Karol Szymanowski;
– set of crotals with damper mechanism (vibraphone);
– glockenspiel with damper mechanism and resonator (vibraphone system);
– plates bells in partnership with the CNRS (National Centre for Scientific Research);
– tubular bells for monumental chimes in Japan.

THIRD GENERATION
2002

Mathieu Fergeau, Alexandre Fergeau et David Alaime, Albert Bergerault’s grandsons, now preside over the destiny of BERGERAULT France-USA.
The company masters technical skills for work with wood, metal, composite materials and musical acoustics. Its activity is still developing with the manufacture of specialized furniture for orchestras.

2010
The first range of BERGERAULT timpani is created.

Since its creation, BERGERAULT has added up many references among most prestigious orchestra in the world:
Bolshoi Theatre, Mariinsky Theatre, London Symphony Orchestra, Berliner Philharmonic, Phenece, Paris Opera, Tours Opéra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Opera and many artist and composer: Li Biao (orchestra and solo performances, China), Karol Szymanowski (jazz, 6 rods technique, Poland), Ricardo Angellini (timpanist, Italy), Cory Band (brass band, England), Quartuor Beat (France), Pulse trio (Belgium)…

The French Government labels BERGERAULT “Living Heritage Company” and under the aegis of UNESCO, is now in the “rare art-work” inventory

2012
BERGERAULT and DYNASTY develop in partnership a full range of professional percussion instruments thought out and designed by leading universities and Drums Corps U.S.:
– Santa Clara Vanguard
– Phantom Regiment
– Glassmen…

And “Concert Signature” pieces for artists and orchestras:
– She-E-Wu
– Christopher Deane
– Mark Ford, University of North Texas