“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.
for: Voice, piano
Songbook (melody, lyrics, chords)
Item no.: 1018285
Item no.: 617599
La Mer
for: Concert Band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 612490
for: Guitar
Songbook (with lyrics and chords – without notes)
Item no.: 301843
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Single edition PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 632601
for: Guitar
Music book, 2 CDs
Item no.: 610444
for: KLAV (AKK)
Single edition
Item no.: 174084
30 Chansons - Paroles et Musique originales
for: Voice (medium), piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 197745
Songbook
Item no.: 182592
Zehn bekannte Kompositionen von Edward Elgar für Klavier
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 434083
Klassik
for: Voice, piano
Buch + CD
Item no.: 146598
for: Singstimme, Blockflöten und Orff-Instrumente
Score
Item no.: 108072
Jazz
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 271033
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 607573
Pop und Rock
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Buch
Item no.: 488737
Power Of Voice
for: Women's choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 581547
(Du Film Peau D'âne)
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Single edition
Item no.: 555573
for: Piano
Music score, CD
Item no.: 344196
for: Clarinet, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1310768
Les moulins de mon coeur
for: Concert band
Sheet music
Item no.: 592606
Blasorchester
for: Concert band
Sheet music
Item no.: 592589
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
for: Cello, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1310759
Plein Jeu
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 674792
Love Song from "La Mer"
for: Brass ensemble (10 parts), percussion
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1562562
for: Trombone, concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 671326
(Beyond the Sea)
for: 4 saxophones (SAABar/ AATBar)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 781397
Pop und Rock
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 608389
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 550715
100 bekannte Melodien erfolgreicher Schweizer Komponisten
Folklore - Evergreens - Schlager - Chansons - Liedermacher - Rock und Pop
for: Melody instrument (B-flat)
Music score
Item no.: 313877
for: Voice (low), piano
Item no.: 609309
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 338057
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 1354370
Bonnes chansons d'aujourd'hui
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 818334
Plein Jeu
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 993068
27 chansons d'enfants
for: Voice
Songbook
Item no.: 120465
for: Voice, piano
Item no.: 107951
10 Chansons für Singstimme und Klavier / Gitarre
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Item no.: 421858
for: 1–2 accordions
Music score
Item no.: 616903
14 chansons originales
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Music score
Item no.: 617438
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 769871
for: Accordion
Music score (anthology), Playback-CD
Item no.: 695396
für Männerchor (TTBB) a cappella
Klavierbegleitung ad lib.
for: Male choir (TTBB) a cappella
Vocal score
Item no.: 681247
Collection Music en Poche
for: Melodyline, Guitar and Piano
Book
Item no.: 1682093
for: Voice, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1053621
Collection Crock'Music
for: Piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1324140
32 morceaux (2 albums) tablatures guitare et paroles - Et en bonus 5 m
for: Voice, guitar [piano]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 1651277