More from Charles Spira
Bonjour Chanson Series 10, Episode 48.
(00:25:08)
From: Charles Spira
We introduce Six French Singer/Songwriters in English and invite you to listen when they interpret one of their songs in French. It may be habit-forming.
Bonjour Chanson Series 10, Episode 47.
(00:27:09)
From: Charles Spira
Six Francophone artists interpret one of their songs in French. We'll tell you about them and their songs in English.
Bonjour Chanson Series 10, Episode 46.
(00:29:21)
From: Charles Spira
This Episode of "Bonjour Chanson" runs the gamut from a fantastic world where kids solve mysteries hidden in iron masks and stone sarcophagi, to a wronged woman who takes a ...
Bonjour Chanson, Series 9, Episode 45
(00:29:05)
From: Charles Spira
An exciting mixture of French chansons that will lift your spirits. Extraordinary French rap, blues, a tender ballad. A wonderful compilation of great artists and songs with ...
Bonjour Chanson, Series 9, Episode 44.
(00:27:04)
From: Charles Spira
From the famous rock song "Dare Josephine" by Alain Bashung to a song by the French film music composer Alex Beaupain, this episode of"Bonjour Chanson" brings a variety of ...
Bonjour Chanson, Series 9, Episode 43.
(00:24:31)
From: Charles Spira
Each episode of "Bonjour Chanson" introduces an entertaining selection of French Language Popular Songs to English speaking audiences. No need to speak French to enjoy the show.
Bonjour Chanson Series 9, Episode 42
(00:28:47)
From: Charles Spira
From a Canadian Folk Opera to Experimental Vocals with Electronic accompaniment,this Episode of "Bonjour Chanson" brings a varied selection of French Language Popular Music ...
Bonjour Chanson Series 9, Episode 41.
(00:25:22)
From: Charles Spira
Six very diverse Francophone artists perform in this musical program specially created for English Speaking Audiences. No need to understand French to enjoy it.
Bonjour Chanson Series 8, Episode 40
(00:25:34)
From: Charles Spira
In this Episode 6 Francophone Artists are introduced in English with one of their songs. No need to understand French to enjoy their offering because you'll know what each ...
Bonjour Chanson Series 8, Episode 39
(00:27:40)
From: Charles Spira
Six Francophone Singers/Songwriters are introduced in a manner that English speaking Audiences can understand and enjoy. Some are rising stars, others are already well ...
Related Pieces
Piece Description
We like to think of French Popular Music as a colorful tent. In the center stand srong pillars, representing the legendary artists from the 1950's. A bit further from the center we find the pillars of the next generation of Artists. At the periphery there is constant movement. Young artists are coming into the tent and immigrants are bringing their traditions, adapting them to the idiom of French Popular Music. You'll take a Grand Tour of this beautiful genre in less than an hour. The commentary is in English, but you'll be surrounded by beautiful melodies and voices singing in French. Prepare to be dazzled. This program is perfect to mark Bastille Day.
If you enjoy this program, then you will love the "Bonjour Chanson" Series which will bring you many hours of French Language Music.
In this program you'll hear extracts from:
Najoua Belyzel, (France), Au Feminin
Edith Piaf, (France), Cri du Coeur
Georges Brassens, (France), Les Passantes
Charles Aznavour, (France), Emmenez-moi
Jacques Brel, (Belgium), Amsterdam
Mouloudji, (France), Un Jour tu Verras
Barbara, (France), Du Bout des Levres
Charles Trenet, (France), Vous Qui Passez Sans Me Voir
Francis Cabrel, (France), La Robe et L'Echelle
Francoise Hardy, (France), Je Suis Moi
Alain Souchon, (France), Ecoutez d'Ou Ma Peine Vient
Jean-Jacques Goldman, (France), On Ira
Calogero, (France), En Apesanteur
La Grande Sophie, (France), Quelqu'un d'Autre
Renan Luce, (France), Nantes
Clarika, (France), La Venus en Caoutchouc
MC Solaar, (France), Caroline
Olivia Ruiz, (France), La Femme Chocolat
Isabelle Boulay, (Canada), Chanson Pour les Mois d'Hiver
Les Cowboys Fringants, (Canada), Les Etoiles Filantes
Lara Hurni, (Canada), Coeur Assassin
Claude Nougaro, (France), Le Coq et la Pendule
3 Comments
|
TOO SHORTThis piece provided a very cursory introduction to some artists of French chanson. I would have liked a little more discussion of what are the common characteristics of French chanson, (something about instrumentation, perhaps?) and I would have liked to hear at least one or two songs in full. |
|
Perfectly engaging tour of French chansonI listened on an overcast, late-spring day, which put me into a Parisian mindset. On any day, though, I would have thoroughly enjoyed Charles' survey of French music. I had heard of many of the artists, and heard their work, but I never had context - who was contemporary with whom, who influenced whom. This piece is great for structuring my understanding of the music, presenting the artists in loose time sequence and drawing connections of influence among them. I enjoyed hearing stylistic shifts across artists and over time. I'd like a piece like this for many music traditions worldwide. Charles' writing is simple, clear, and interesting - a great combination that made it much easier to remember what I was hearing. The production quality is high. Nothing fancy, just professionally done, and a reminder that simplicity can work well. The piece does start to feel rather long after 40 minutes or so - Charles himself acknowledges there's a lot of music to go through. It might be worth breaking it up by decade, even at risk of losing the stylistic comparisons over time. |
Transcript
The Magic Tent: A Celebration of French Language Popular Music
Play Introductory music: Najoua Belyzel (0:07 to fadeout at 0:47)
Start of Text Segment 1:? Did this music catch your attention? Yes, French Language Popular Music can be pure magic. It has a long tradition, but in this show we’ll go forward from the 1950’s. My name is Charles Spira and I’ll be your companion on this journey of discovery. I like to think of French Popular Music as a colorful tent in which new artists constantly enter, to make their own contribution. At the center of the tent stand solid pillars, representing the legendary performers from the past, who support the tent. The next generation of artists contributes pillars further from the center and at the periphery there is a flurry of constant movement. Young people are entering, as well as immigrants bringing their own traditions into the tent and ad...
Read the full transcript
Musical Works
| Title | Artist | Album | Label | Year | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Au Feminin | Najoua Belyzel | Au Feminin. | Scorpio Music | 1999 | 01:17 |
| Cri du Coeur | Edith Piaf | Eternelle. | EMI | 2000 | 01:00 |
| Les Passantes | Georges Brassens | Fernande. | Mercury France | 2001 | 01:15 |
| Emmenez-moi | Charles Aznavour | The Greatest Songs. | Petrol Records | 2006 | 01:28 |
| Amsterdam | Jacques Brel | Infiniment. | Universal Music Division Barclay | 2009 | 01:43 |
| Un jour tu Verras | Marcel Mouloudji | France, je t'Adore. | Golden Stars | 2007 | 01:20 |
| Du Bout des Levres | Barbara | Les 50 Plus Belles Chansons. | D.E.P. | 1997 | 01:19 |
| Vous, Qui Passez Sans Me Voir | Charles Trenet | Swing Troubadour. | Productions Speciales | 2001 | 01:15 |
| La Robe et L'Echelle | Francis Cabrel | Des Roses et Des Orties. | Sony | 2008 | 01:24 |
| Je Suis Moi | Francoise Hardy | Message Personnel. | UIO | 1991 | 01:18 |
| Ecoutez d'Ou Ma Peine Vient | Alain Souchon | Ecoutez d'ou Ma Peine Vient. | EMI Latin | 2008 | 01:10 |
| On Ira | Jean-Jacques Goldman | 00:00 | |||
| En Apesanteur | Calogero | Calogero. | Mercury | 2003 | 01:27 |
| Quelqu'un d'Autre | La Grande Sophie | Des Vagues et Des Ruisseaux. | Disc Az France | 2009 | 01:43 |
| Nantes | Renan Luce | Le Clan des Muros. | Barclay | 2009 | 01:12 |
| La Venus en Caoutchouc | Clarika | La Fille Tu Sais. | Universal France | 2002 | 01:29 |
| Caroline | MC Solaar | Le Tour de La Question. | Sentinel Ouest | 1998 | 01:42 |
| La Femme Chocolat | Olivia Ruiz | La Femme Chocolat. | Polydor | 2005 | 01:22 |
| Chanson Pour les Mois d'Hiver | Isabelle Boulay | Chanson Pour les Mois d'Hiver. | V2 | 2009 | 01:16 |
| Les Etoiles Filantes | Les Cowboys Fringants | La Grand-Messe. | WEA International | 2006 | 01:31 |
| Coeur Assassin | Lara Hurni | Petit Coeur Assassin. | CFM Music | 2009 | 00:48 |
| Le Coq et La Pendule | Claude Nougaro | Nougaro. | Decca | 2000 | 00:34 |
Additional Credits
We Thank the Management of Station WYPR for their Hospitality.
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Marc Cherbonnier
Posted on July 16, 2010 at 09:17 AM | Permalink
Harmony of music and voice lifts the spirit
I am moved by this most human music. The emphasis is expression in a beautiful way, not to be loud or shock and there is no repetition of a backbeat. French chanson takes you to a better world.