“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.
Bedenkliches, Bedeutendes und Bedauerliches "Die Erde dreht sich wie am Spieß"
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 731681
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 758657
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 747860
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 760496
Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
for: Piano/Vocal/Chords
Item no.: 1529690
for: Violin, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1254136
Tod und Vergänglichkeit "Ich weiß nicht, ob ich tot bin"
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 724859
Tod und Vergänglichkeit "Ich weiß nicht, ob ich tot bin"
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 724860
Tod und Vergänglichkeit "Ich weiß nicht, ob ich tot bin"
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 724861
Tabus und ihre Folgen "Und was zu sagen wär', wird nicht gesagt"
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 724865
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 759480
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 759482
Tabus und ihre Folgen "Und was zu sagen wär', wird nicht gesagt"
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 724870
(„Polterabend“)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 739829
(Fassung in „Lola Blau“)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 725518
Tod und Vergänglichkeit "Ich weiß nicht, ob ich tot bin"
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 731677
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 747931
Bedenkliches, Bedeutendes und Bedauerliches "Die Erde dreht sich wie am Spieß"
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 731679
(Heimat und Heimatlosigkeit)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 757356
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 741269
for: Piano/Vocal/Chords
Item no.: 1363791
for: Solo for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, Euphonium, Violin, or Violoncello & Orchestra
Sheet music
Item no.: 1251618
for: Oboe, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1254144
for: Flute, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1254133
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 732287
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 732288
Bedenkliches, Bedeutendes und Bedauerliches "Die Erde dreht sich wie am Spieß"
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 737472
(Seemann aus Cuxhaven)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 722950
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 739606
(Fassung in "Lola Blau", stark gekürzt)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 759479
Tabus und ihre Folgen "Und was zu sagen wär', wird nicht gesagt"
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 746466
Tod und Vergänglichkeit "Ich weiß nicht, ob ich tot bin"
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 724862
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 722953
for: Voice (medium), piano
Music score
Item no.: 731351
(Liebe, Erotik & Sex)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 757353
(Liebe, Erotik & Sex)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 757355
for: Voice, guitar
Music score
Item no.: 738863
(Diskriminierung, Intoleranz & Antisemitismus)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 757359
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 760546
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 726393
(Fassung B)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 738275
for: Horn (F), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1254139
for: Tenor saxophone (B-flat)
Instrumental Solo
Item no.: 1052931
for: Trumpet
Instrumental Solo
Item no.: 1052930
for: Voice, orchestra
Sheet music
Item no.: 1254132
(Heimat und Heimatlosigkeit)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 757366
Am
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Piano/Voice/Guitar
Item no.: 1047888
(Fassung A)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 725514