The Salle Pleyel, located 252 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore, Paris France[1] in the 8^th arronaissment[2]. Construction started in 1925, and the building was inaugurated in 1927, named after Ignace Pleyel[3]. The first time the Salle Pleyel underwent reconstruction was due to a fire in 1928, it was thankfully not perished and was able to reopen later that same year[4]. In 1981, it was restored[5], and then reconstructed again from 2014-2016[6]. It is the only symphony hall in Paris, with three main rooms used. The first, and largest hall is the great hall, which seats 3000 people, the second hall, the Chapin Hall seats 509 people, while the Debussy room seats 150 people[7].

In the 1950s, the Salle Pleyel invited many famous jazz artists to play at their venue, including Louis Armstrong[8]. This is relevant as to why this site was included in the walking tour. During the Second World War, jazz music was very popular among the French-Jewish people, and was therefore banned from playing in music halls by the Nazis[9]. Due to the banning of jazz music, the Nazi-occupation of Paris, the Nazis were having an effect on all Parisian, no matter the race or religion.

[1] "Welcome at the Salle Pleyel." Salle Pleyel. https://www.sallepleyel.com/tag/la-sallepleyel_t5/1.

[2]"Pleyel Room" Wikipedia L'encyclopédie libre. https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salle_Pleyel.

[3] "Welcome at the Salle Pleyel." https://www.sallepleyel.com/tag/la-sallepleyel_t5/1.

[4] Ibid

[5] "Pleyel Room" https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salle_Pleyel.

[6] "Welcome at the Salle Pleyel." https://www.sallepleyel.com/tag/la-sallepleyel_t5/1.

[7] "Pleyel Room" https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salle_Pleyel.

[8] "Welcome at the Salle Pleyel." https://www.sallepleyel.com/tag/la-sallepleyel_t5/1.

[9] Fancourt, Daisy. "Maurice Chevalier." Music and the Holocaust. http://holocaustmusic.ort.org/resistance-and-exile/french-resistance/maurice-chevalier/

This destination is the 5th stop on the Nazi-Occupied Paris: Entertainment Tour.

Jazz music was seemingly played the most, at the Salle Pleyel, even before the Second World War[1]. In 1934, before the war, Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, and Duke Ellington were some of the jazz musicians who played the venue[2]. Due to the hatred the German army held again Jewish people, it is understandable where the banning of jazz music came from. The dislike of Jazz music could have also come from the issues surrounding the Nazi perception of Black people. Due to the stigmas surrounding Black people during the time of the Second World War, not just in France, but other European countries and North America as well, as well as jazz music being dominated by Black men, the banning of jazz music came about.

With the domination the Nazi army in Paris, they held control over everything the Parisian people did, including entertainment. As a result of this, what was entertaining for the people of Paris, was not always entertaining for the Nazis, and as a result of this, jazz music was made less popular. While there were still some jazz artists playing at the Salle Pleyel during World War Two, such as Fud Candrix, were permitted to play, however, the artists that were playing were primarily white, European jazz artists[3]. Other issues surround jazz music being dominated by Black Americans, was due to the fact that Hitler did not like American people. Looking at the 1936 Olympics, a Black American man named Jesse Owens won gold in the 100-metre sprint, Hitler who was watching the Olympics, ignore the winner, and did not congratulate him as he did other winners[4].

The controversies surrounding the Salle Pleyel, and the type of music and artists that played the venue prior, and after the Second World War tell us a lot of the lifestyle lived by Parisian people and Nazis during this time. After the end of the War, although things did not go completely back to normal, Paris tried its best by bringing back famous jazz artists, like Louis Armstrong, and allowing them to play. Today, the Salle Pleyel does not just have jazz musicians play, but they still do have jazz musicians play every-so-often, bring back a blast from the past.

[1] "Nightclubs and other venues." Grove Music Online. 2003. 24 Mar. 2019.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Dayley, Arthur J. "Owens Captures Olympic Title, Equals World 100-Meter Record." New York Times (1923-Current File), Aug. 04, 1936.

Resources

Andrade, E.N. DA C. "The Salle Pleyel, Paris, and Architectural Acoustics." Nature 130, no.3279 (September 3, 1932).

Dayley, Arthur J. "Owens Captures Olympic Title, Equals World 100-Meter Record." New York Times (1923-Current File), Aug. 04, 1936.

"Nightclubs and other venues." Grove Music Online. 2003. 24 Mar. 2019. http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-2000330000#omo-9781561592630-e-2000330000

ORT, World. "Music and the Holocaust." Music and the Holocaust: Chevalier, Maurice. Accessed March 20, 2019. http://holocaustmusic.ort.org/resistance-and-exile/french-resistance/maurice-chevalier/.

"Welcome at the Salle Pleyel." Salle Pleyel. https://www.sallepleyel.com/tag/la-sallepleyel_t5/1.