“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, guitar
Music score
Item no.: 738863
(The Thomas Crown Affair)
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 487444
Gegenwartsmusik
for: Mezzo-soprano and 5 Instruments
Score, Parts
Item no.: 373259
(Liebe, Erotik & Sex)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 757353
for: für Chansonnier, Klavier, Kontrabass und Schlagzeug
Lyric book
Item no.: 162521
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook
Item no.: 274281
Paroles et musique avec accompagnement piano
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 465029
Cat. Thematique incl. les refrains de 222 grands succes de varietes et de jazz
for: Melody, Lyrics and Chords
Book
Item no.: 193603
for: Zither (3 chords)
Backing sheet
Item no.: 157331
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook
Item no.: 1669586
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 608208
for: Voice, guitar
Music score (with TABs)
Item no.: 1013803
for: Guitar
Buch
Item no.: 609462
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 1354282
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 619144
for: Voice (high), orchestra
Partitur, [französisch, englisch]
Item no.: 120755
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 668791
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Buch
Item no.: 617595
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 645595
Am
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Piano/Voice/Guitar
Item no.: 1047888
for: Voice, piano
Songbook (melody, lyrics, chords)
Item no.: 617345
for: Tenor saxophone (B-flat)
Instrumental Solo
Item no.: 1052931
for: Guitar
Songbook (with lyrics and chords – without notes)
Item no.: 320596
Orchester
for: Orchestra
Sheet music
Item no.: 596887
for: Voice (medium), piano
Music score
Item no.: 731351
for: Voice, orchestra
Sheet music
Item no.: 1254132
Collection Crock'Music
for: Piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1324174
Sing & Play
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 204973
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 376800
for: Guitar
Book
Item no.: 146208
(Heimat und Heimatlosigkeit)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 757366
for: Horn (F), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1254139
for: Trumpet
Instrumental Solo
Item no.: 1052930
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 726393
Single edition
Item no.: 561731
Pop und Rock
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Buch
Item no.: 147410
Russische Musik der Moderne
for: Voice (soprano), 2 violins, basso continuo
Study score
Item no.: 109242
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 608078
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Buch
Item no.: 466713
for: Voice, piano
Songbook (melody, lyrics, chords)
Item no.: 683013
for: Guitar
Item no.: 340161
Recueil de 110 succès
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 358589
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 637508
(Diskriminierung, Intoleranz & Antisemitismus)
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 757359
for: Voice (high), piano
Music score, CD
Item no.: 609306
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 760546
for: Piano
Songbook, 2 Playback-CDs
Item no.: 630256
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 722963