“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.
(Fassung B)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 738275
(Heimat und Heimatlosigkeit)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 757366
for: Horn (F), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1254139
for: Voice, orchestra
Sheet music
Item no.: 1254132
for: Voice (medium), piano
Music score
Item no.: 731351
for: Tenor saxophone (B-flat)
Instrumental Solo
Item no.: 1052931
for: Trumpet
Instrumental Solo
Item no.: 1052930
Am
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Piano/Voice/Guitar
Item no.: 1047888
(Fassung A)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 725514
(Liebe, Erotik & Sex)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 757350
(Diskriminierung, Intoleranz & Antisemitismus)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 757351
(Das Wort "Verlassen")
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 756196
(Liebe, Erotik & Sex)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 739024
Tod und Vergänglichkeit "Ich weiß nicht, ob ich tot bin"
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 744046
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 722962
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 722963
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 741270
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 731874
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 731873
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 741268
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 757606
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 726395
(Das ist gut)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 738274
for: Clarinet, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1254143
for: Bassoon, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1254142
for: Trumpet, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1254141
from „The Magic Flute“
for: Männerchor (Bar Solo, TTBB a cappella)
Music score
Item no.: 722923
Tod und Vergänglichkeit "Ich weiß nicht, ob ich tot bin"
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 738144
Tabus und ihre Folgen "Und was zu sagen wär', wird nicht gesagt"
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 724866
(Diskriminierung, Intoleranz & Antisemitismus)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 757354
(Heimat und Heimatlosigkeit)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 757362
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 758658
Dm
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Piano/Voice/Guitar
Item no.: 1036259
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 759475
Bedenkliches, Bedeutendes und Bedauerliches "Die Erde dreht sich wie am Spieß"
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 746467
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 759483
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 722952
(Urfassung)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 725520
Edition Schott
for: Sopran und Streichorchester
Piano reduction
Item no.: 757059
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 726387
Tabus und ihre Folgen "Und was zu sagen wär', wird nicht gesagt"
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 731678
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 726388
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 722964
(Diskriminierung, Intoleranz & Antisemitismus)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 757363
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 738654
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 738276
Diskriminierung, Intoleranz & Antisemitismus)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 757364
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 734225