Chanson is a popular musical genre that came from France, which is distinguished by the coherence of the storyline, the presence of colloquial words in the text and a simple plot familiar to each listener
The origin of chanson
Chanson in translation means "song." Initially, in France, peasant choral songs were called chansons. Later, street singers began to chant the songs of the peasants, and the most beloved became folklore. French songs entered the Russian culture in the form of chansonettes - light songs of simple content. Merging with Russian songs of those times, they were widely used in the restaurant genre. Odessa couplets became the founders of such a chanson, which today sounds familiar in cafes and restaurants.
Russian chanson could not develop openly at that difficult time, therefore, as a genre, it mainly existed "underground" and in places not so remote where it received the color of prison romance.
In 1957, Yves Montand performed in Moscow, and the influence of chanson spread to various song genres, including pop and bard songs. In the years 80-90, the Russian chanson gained great popularity and, thanks to the spirit of "dashing" time, acquired a shade of thieves song.
Features of the genre of chanson
The most distinctive feature of chanson is the plot of the text. As a rule, the story is taken from a simple life accessible and familiar to every listener. Even the situation based on the prison or thieves fate of the heroes appears not in a repulsive, but rather attractive way, and the listener involuntarily begins to sympathize with the characters. Another feature of the songs in the chanson genre is the writing of texts in a colloquial style and its connectedness.
Chanson is a unique genre that combines the romanticism of urban romances, the realism of the military as well as prison life, and the emotional color of bard song. Due to the fact that songs in this genre are well perceived by ear, the text is very understandable, and the plot is familiar. Chanson spreads very quickly and always finds its fans. Despite the fact that usually lyrical, and often tragic storylines are taken as a basis, there are also funny works in this genre that are also loved and sung. Many songs in the style of chanson become hits, and performers always collect full rooms, since this genre can rightfully be called popular and beloved. The most famous Russian chansonniers today are Grigory Leps, Mikhail Shufutinsky, Lyubov Uspenskaya, Mikhail Krug and others.
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