“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: Piano
Music score, CD
Item no.: 1107448
für Gesang und Klavier
for: Voice, piano
Item no.: 479118
Quatre Chansons 2
for: Voice, piano
Music score, single part
Item no.: 410964
for: Celtic Harp
Buch
Item no.: 366907
Der Party-Titel von Markus Becker feat. Mallorca Cowboys. Den muss man haben..
for: Big band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 472813
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Buch
Item no.: 616309
10 chansons
for: Piano
Music score, Playback-CD
Item no.: 209083
Les 30 plus belles chansons sur Paris
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 183896
Great Singers Collection
for: Voice, guitar
Music score (with TABs), Playback-CD
Item no.: 608541
Livre d’Or (Carisch)
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Buch
Item no.: 170120
for: Voice, piano
Item no.: 186233
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 491483
Akkordeon-Ausgabe
for: Accordion
Music score (anthology)
Item no.: 104367
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 368396
Plus Grands Succès, Les (Carisch)
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Buch
Item no.: 142947
30 Chansons
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook
Item no.: 187395
Zehn Titel des französischen Entertainers, mit Il faut savoir, Je m'voyais déja, Sur ma vie, u.a.
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 271998
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Music score (anthology)
Item no.: 189917
Vocal Selections
for: Voice
Buch
Item no.: 399553
for: Guitar; voice ad lib.
Music score (with TABs)
Item no.: 642766
Songbook
Item no.: 402240
Blasorchester
for: Male choir, concert band
Sheet music
Item no.: 587862
Blasorchester
for: Mixed choir, concert band
Sheet music
Item no.: 587861
Plus Grands Succès, Les (Carisch)
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Buch
Item no.: 559038
Facile
for: Piano
Music score, CD
Item no.: 223218
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 261238
for: Voice, orchestra
Sheet music
Item no.: 1310757
for: Solo for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, Euphonium, Violin, or Violoncello & Orchestra
Sheet music
Item no.: 1308269
50 chansons
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 1013004
Pop und Rock
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 223305
for: Voice, guitar
Item no.: 302524
The Café Accordion Orchestra
for: Accordion
Music score (anthology), online audio (playback)
Item no.: 266186
Blasorchester
for: Male choir, concert band
Sheet music
Item no.: 592168
Klassik
for: Voice, piano
Score
Item no.: 606832
Klassik
for: Voice, piano
Score
Item no.: 156470
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 467713
Book (softcover)
Item no.: 195436
Swing
Hal Leonard Easy Jazz Ensemble
for: Big band
Score, set of parts, online audio
Item no.: 462868
De Haske Pop Collection
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 676923
for: Voice (medium), piano
TSCHECH
Item no.: 114416
für Gesang und Klavier
for: Voice, piano
Songbook
Item no.: 657709
for: Voice, piano
Songbook
Item no.: 1701569
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Single edition
Item no.: 658312
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 615055
Klassik
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 1354455
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 616325
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1130502
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 1354351