Chanson

Virtually no other musical discipline is as closely linked with the culture and essence of a country as the chanson with France. With roots in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, this secular, lyric-driven form of song has been reborn throughout French historyand continues to influence todays pop artists. Featuring the work of such celebrated photographers as Robert Doisneau, this fascinating history of the chanson profiles some of its most beloved artists, their music, and the cultural moments they represent. Readers will learn about Aristide Bruantthe red scarf-wearing subject of one of Lautrecs most recognizable posters. It recounts the lives of Josephine Baker, Maurice Chevalier, and their contemporaries as it peeks inside the Folies Bergre and the Moulin Rouge. It introduces readers to the Piaf Generation, which produced the likes of Yves Montand and Georges Moustaki. And it explores the bohemian enclaves of postwar France, when revolutionary artists remade the chanson in their own melancholy image. In addition, this volume shows how classic songs of the all American song book, such as My Way, or September Morning have their roots in the chanson tradition. Whether youre a fan of 1920s torch songs or prefer the electronica of ZAZ, youll learn how the chanson is important to just about every French musical traditionand why this genre is the perfect expression of the countrys history and culture.