“I want to make people cry even when they don’t understand my words.” Edith Piaf (1915-1963)
From jazz to rock, from pop to rap, the hugely varied and diverse genre, French Chansons started to take shape at the end of the 19th century, and was immediately a huge hit amongst young and old alike. Browse our sheet music and scores, and discover all the greatest French Chanson hits with Stretta today!
At the end of the 19th century, the first French Chansons, cabaret songs emerged, which were already very different from the popular classical French Song and French Opera. Cafes, variety shows became venues to showcase French Chanson, and some of the most famous venues are still known today, Moulin Rouge, Les Folies Bergères, Le Chat Noir and L’Olympia.
In the 1930s, one of the greatest idols of French Chanson came to the fore, Édith Piaf, whose name was soon on everyone’s lips in France and abroad. She was followed by other popular artists such as Yves Montand, Henri Salvador, Annie Cordy and many others.
At the same time, singers like Jacques Brel and Georges Brassens were more inspired by literary, emotionally committed texts.
The 1960s saw the birth of rock music, which came mainly from the United States, and with it came the age of fans, who followed their idols such as Johnny Hallyday, Claude François, Sylvie Vartan, Françoise Hardy and many others. They were nicknamed “yéyés”, which came from the English“ yeah”, from the Beatles “She Loves You”. Thanks to these stars, the record market experienced a legendary boom.
At the end of 1970, it was the ’rock opera’ by Michel Berger and Luc Plamondon Starmania which paved the way for the genre of French musical comedy. It was followed by ’Notre Dame de Paris’, ’The Ten Commandments’, ’Romeo and Juliet’ and many others.
At the end of the century, Jean-Jacques Goldman and Mylène Farmer revolutionized the French music video, while the Canadian Céline Dion achieved international success with the release of the world’s best-selling French-language album “D’eux”, written and produced by JJ Goldman.
In the early 2000s, singers emerged, mostly from musicals, such as Garou and Lara Fabian, but the focus soon shifted back to singers with literary texts like Raphaël, Carla Bruni and Bénabar, who were hugely successful.
The Belgian singer Stromae made a name for himself on the French music scene in 2013 with his album “Racine Carré”, the best-selling album of the decade. His unique style highlights the elaborate texts that are reminiscent of those of his compatriot Jacques Brel.
Today, urban music that emerged in the 90s is the mainstay of French Chanson, with Maître Gims, Soprano and Sexion d’Assaut, among others.
Akkordeon-Ausgabe
for: Accordion
Music score (anthology)
Item no.: 104367
30 Chansons – Paroles et Musique originales
for: Voice (medium), piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 225364
for: Voice, guitar [piano]
Single edition PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 1651262
Single edition
Item no.: 604204
für Gesang und Klavier
Partitur und Stimme
for: Voice, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1310760
Verlagskopie
for: Salon orchestra [band]
Item no.: 1688009
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook (melody, lyrics, chords)
Item no.: 817449
Songbook paroles et mélodies
for: Voice, piano
Songbook (melody, lyrics, chords)
Item no.: 630659
der 50er- bis 70er- Jahre
for: Accordion
Music score (anthology)
Item no.: 659415
30 Lieder aus Pop, Schlager, Evergreen und Chanson für Keyboard
(mit Texten)
for: Keyboard
Music score
Item no.: 670141
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook
Item no.: 348649
Power Of Voice
for: Women's choir (SSAA), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 1655661
Quatre Chansons 2
for: Voice, piano
Music score, single part
Item no.: 1658695
for: Voice, piano
Songbook
Item no.: 1021725
Französische Musette und mehr...
Spielheft für Steirische Harmonika in Griffschrift inkl. Aufnahmen
for: Diatonic accordion
Music book (notes and tablature), online audio (app)
Item no.: 467985
Plein Jeu
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 674792
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 550715