Chanson Cabaret
tagStarted 1900Peak 1930–1970Last big hit still activeFrom FranceSung in French
Located in 1 route
Chanson cabaret emphasizes lyric poetry, dramatic diction, and emotional shading over groove, often with piano or small orchestra and a darker European theatrical atmosphere than Anglo-American standards singing. The pacing is flexible, the vowels do a surprising amount of the acting, and the mood can turn from erotic to existential in a single refrain.
History
Emerging from French cabaret and artistic song culture, then influenced by Weimar repertoire and later international stage interpretation, the style was defined by performers such as Édith Piaf, Juliette Gréco, Jacques Brel, Barbara, Patricia Kaas, and Ute Lemper; it became one of the most exportable European branches of cabaret song.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, "Cabaret"
- Library of Congress, "Musicals of Stage and Screen"
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, "Cabaret" historical context. citeturn6search0turn6search5