French music has historically adhered to an aesthetic of grace and elegance, its composers becoming adept at using chords and timbres that convey sophistication, while still conveying emotion without creating unnecessary dissonance or chaos.
Romantic masterpieces by Gounod, Hector Berlioz and Camille Saint-Saens reignited interest in opera and symphonic music; Edith Piaf’s melancholic evocations created an atmosphere of lost love, sexual tension and despair.
Romantic Period
The Romantic Period marked a series of new musical styles. Composers utilized expressive melodies and harmonies in compositions, while also exploring instruments with unheard-of textures – creating more vivid emotional connections between composer and listener.
Romantic composers explored tempo fluctuations and increased dynamic ranges. They could do this because better mechanical innovations, including improved instruments and expanded orchestral ranges, enabled greater expressive variety through dynamic changes like sudden crescendos or diminuendos.
Debussy and Ravel’s chromaticism and impressionism was an early signal of post-Romanticism; Eric Satie became one of the key figures during this era by merging classical tradition with cabaret music and street sounds for an original new sound.
The Golden Age of Chanson
Most people’s idea of French music revolves around Edith Piaf and Jacques Brel; however, there’s much more to the genre than these iconic figures alone.
Georges Brassens, Leo Ferre and Jacques Dutronc made history during the golden age of chanson with their daring style that put their signature spin on this genre. Through songs with uninhibited sexual content that subverted respectability norms they brought it mainstream with an edge.
Charles Aznavour became one of the most revered singers during this era with his dark toned songs that took chanson realiste to new levels. He has often been credited with demystifying life of Parisian ladies of the night in such a way that everyone could understand it.
His signature style and charisma helped propel this genre onto a worldwide platform. For something more modern and upbeat, check out France’s electronic music scene which continues to push boundaries through cutting-edge sounds and styles.
The Second Half of the 20th Century
Debussy’s innovative melodies and complex harmonies in pieces like “Clair de Lune,” and Maurice Ravel’s revolutionary Impressionist and Symbolist tunes revolutionized classical music and created a trend that continues today.
Music notation evolved during the Renaissance, enabling composers to communicate more precisely. French Revolutionary principle of assimilation encouraged composers to explore cosmopolitan styles such as Rossini’s “Guillaume Tell” and Meyerbeer’s “Robert le Diable”, cementing grand opera as national genres.
Regional folk music, commonly referred to as musique traditionnelle, captures France’s rural areas vividly. Musette accordion chords provide the background soundtrack for community connections in Parisian cafes; iconic artists like Serge Gainsbourg and Jacques Brel have made lasting emotional marks through pop music; while today Daft Punk, Stromae, Christine and the Queens blend traditional chanson with contemporary genres to achieve international acclaim.
The 21st Century
French music has had a powerful impact on global musical trends for centuries, from classical compositions and chansons, through chansons and jazz, with iconic artists like Edith Piaf, Serge Gainsbourg and Jacques Brel leaving lasting legacies that span classical composition, chansons, soulful essence of chansons and dynamic jazz styles. Piaf’s powerful emotive voice in “La Vie en Rose” as well as Gainsbourg’s provocative lyrics in “Je t’aime…moi non plus” both left their mark that transcended artistic boundaries for years after them.
Debussy’s dreamlike melodies and harmonic innovation influenced Impressionist and Symbolist music while Maurice Ravel’s iconic pieces, including “Bolero,” showcase his orchestral prowess. These French composers and musicians highlighted how music could serve to shape cultural identity through cultural identity-shaping music.