“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 [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook
Item no.: 274281
for: für Chansonnier, Klavier, Kontrabass und Schlagzeug
Lyric book
Item no.: 162521
for: Guitar
Songbook (with lyrics and chords – without notes)
Item no.: 320596
for: Voice, piano
Songbook (melody, lyrics, chords)
Item no.: 617345
(Diskriminierung, Intoleranz & Antisemitismus)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 757359
for: Voice (soprano), 2 violins, basso continuo
Study score
Item no.: 109242
(Fassung in "Lola Blau", stark gekürzt)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 759479
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 637508
for: Voice, guitar
Music score (with TABs)
Item no.: 1013803
for: Orchestra
Sheet music
Item no.: 596887
for: Horn (F), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1254139
for: Voice, orchestra
Sheet music
Item no.: 1254132
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 608208
for: Piano
Songbook, 2 Playback-CDs
Item no.: 630256
aus dem gleichnamigen Film
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 646896
Chanson von Michel Berger
Bosse Hits a cappella
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1668026
Chanson
Piano/Vocal/Chords
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Single edition
Item no.: 649763
Single edition
Item no.: 404846
Paroles
for: Voice, guitar
Item no.: 302522
50 chansons
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 608548
Cinquante chansons
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 617236
for: Accordion
Music score (anthology), Playback-CD
Item no.: 695397
32 morceaux complets
for: Piano
Music lesson book, CD (mp3)
Item no.: 1107382
Songbook
Item no.: 182589
Collection Music en Poche
for: Voice, guitar [keyboard/accordion/piano]
Songbook (melody, lyrics, chords)
Item no.: 337176
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 1046423
for: Voice (low), piano
Item no.: 169603
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 1317548
für Gesang und Klavier
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 488045
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Book
Item no.: 609606
for: Voice, piano
Songbook
Item no.: 1021721
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Songbook
Item no.: 603351
Collection Crock'Music
for: Piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1324057
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook
Item no.: 649640
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 803396
for: Voice, piano [guitar/accordion/keyboard]
Item no.: 225927
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook
Item no.: 169844
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1183289
for: Salon orchestra [band]
Item no.: 405798
for: Voice, piano
Buch
Item no.: 608072
Tod und Vergänglichkeit "Ich weiß nicht, ob ich tot bin"
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 744046
(Das ist gut)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 738274
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 741270
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 741268
(Liebe, Erotik & Sex)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 739024
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 731874
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 731873
(Fassung A)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 725514