Chanson is a musical direction known to everyone. However, practically no one can give an accurate and true answer to the question of what is chanson. Where did this musical direction come from, what kind of music can be attributed to it?
Two definitions
There are two definitions of such a musical direction as chanson:
- In French, the word "chanson" is translated as "song." In the Middle Ages and Renaissance, a chanson was called a polyphonic song in French. Similar vocals were a whole genre. Later, the chanson became a French pop song performed in the style of a cabaret.
- In Russia, as well as in France, the term "chanson" means a collection of various genres and trends of Russian music. Most often, it is associated with bard song and urban romance. Also, some emigrant, Russian folk and even pop songs are often referred to this musical direction in Russia.
Origin in Russia
At the beginning of the twentieth century, a new musical direction appeared in Russia, it immediately began to enjoy special popularity. What is chanson, what purpose are its representatives pursuing - questions that excite the thoughts of all music lovers who have paid attention to this genre. Very many define chanson only as the music of thieves and prisoners. And few people know that the works of hard fate, betrayal of a friend, unhappy love are the most prominent representatives of a new direction in music for Russia . Songs of the chanson were performed by such famous people as Leonid Utesov and inimitable Vladimir Vysotsky, our contemporaries Vika Tsyganova, Stas Mikhailov, Lyubov Uspenskaya, Alexander Rosenbaum and, of course, Mikhail Krug. Chanson in Russia is always a song and music from the heart, from the very depths of the human soul.
Music this style
No one can tell what chanson is better than the song itself. The real anthem of all the chansonniers was the work "Museum of the Chanson" performed by Konstantin Kuklin. Nothing will tell about chanson better than the lines from this song written by N. Rassadin:
It’s good there, the right people there,
There that which was, that which is and will be.
There is no falsity, and everything is at a glance,
So, however, and it should be in chanson.
And the following lines are the best way to tell what this ancient musical genre exists for and for whom : "He has absorbed everything: war and zone, love and pain from north to south, the enemy to death and to the death of a friend ..." - and these words are also from the famous "Chanson Museum".
Sensual and beautiful
In order to find the answer to the question of what is chanson, you need to move away from stereotypes. Forget about "thieves" and thieves' songs, study this musical direction a bit and listen to works of this kind. Only then can you understand and feel pain, love, despair and other strong emotions that permeate every work. After all, if these songs were only about prisons, thieves and criminals, it would be unlikely that Yuri Nikulin would sing “Take care of the clowns”, Lyubov Uspenskaya - “Convertible”, and Alexander Rosenbaum gave us his magical “Waltz-Boston”. And contemporary performers (for example, Grigory Leps) are no longer even perceived as representatives of this style, and yet their songs are nothing but a real Russian chanson about real feelings.