Category: Music

Géraldine: Learning French through love songs

Listening to French music is a great way to improve your French oral comprehension and speak more modern, everyday French. Today, we’ll discover a famous French love song — perhaps you can use some of these romantic phrases in your own life! Hymne à l’Amour (= Anthem for Love, literally) is a song from 1949 by the very famous French singer Édith Piaf. She was a huge star between 1935 and 1960.

Let’s walk through this French love song’s history, some of its lyrics, and see how you could use some of this French poetry yourself! Take care and stay safe. – Géraldine

Francis Cabrel intimate: his confidences on his adopted daughter

Guest of 50 ‘Inside on the occasion of the release of his new album, Francis Cabrel has agreed to say a few words about his family. The singer spoke of Thiu, his daughter adopted in 2004 in Vietnam and the emotion felt that day.

A beloved but discreet singer, Francis Cabrel has just made his comeback with the album At the Returning Dawn . The public was there for this opus which was certified gold in just over a week. Guest of 50 ‘Inside this Saturday, October 31 to talk about his return to music, Mariette’s husband took the opportunity to say a few words about his family . Francis Cabrel is the father of Aurélie, Manon and Thiu. The latter, aged 16, was adopted in Vietnam in 2004 , and he dedicated the song Mademoiselle l’Aventure , released in 2008 to her.

In this title which was on his album Des roses et des netties , Francis Cabrel put words on this adoption and the emotion felt. “ She (the song) says something very intimate ,” he reminded Nikos Aliagas. And to continue: “ The first year when I sang this song, I didn’t dare to have the light on me because I didn’t know if I would manage to go to the end. It’s an important song . ” Rather modest. , the artist admitted all the same: ” The arrival of each of my children was something very strong and it was indeed of particular circumstance .”

“Overwhelmed by emotion”

This song, Mademoiselle l’Aventure, is special for Francis Cabrel, but he nevertheless had no difficulty in writing it. ” I didn’t think for a second, I even remember the song came in two or three days I was so carried and overwhelmed with emotion , ” he revealed in 50 ‘Inside . ” These are the things that have to be done. It’s a very big decision to adopt . It assumes that you tear someone away from their land as well, so you must not make a mistake, and you must be sure of yourself. as for the life we ​​want to offer him , “he concluded. A beautiful declaration of love, in music.

Source: Francis Cabrel intimate: his confidences on his adopted daughter – Gala

Review: Rosemary Standley’s “Schubert in Love”

Schubert songs are considered the culmination of lieder. Now a new recording by folk singer Rosemary Standley has been released, which sounds very different from the many recordings before.

It’s the voice that first strikes you. Clear and warm, but somehow also silvery, rough and idiosyncratic. Classic song singing doesn’t sound like that, but Rosemary Standley isn’t a classic singer either. She has been the front singer in the French folk band Moriarty for many years and is part of the chamber pop duo Birds on a Wire. She also works regularly in classic crossover projects.

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW at: ALBUM DER WOCHE | 02.11. – 08.11.2020 – Rosemary Standley: “Schubert in Love” | rbbKultur

Favorite songs

On her new CD “Schubert in Love” she recorded a number of songs by Franz Schubert together with the Contraste ensemble. All personal favorite pieces, ranging from the “serenade” to the “winter trip” to Schubert’s “Ave Maria”. A popular selection that sounds completely new in the arrangements of Johan Farjot, the musical director of Ensemble Contraste.

Schubert as a pop composer

Johan Farjot has rearranged the piano parts of Schubert’s songs for viola, double bass, guitar, drums and piano. Schubert on guitar, bass and drums: this transforms his songs into songs, turns softly throbbing rhythms into swinging ones. Farjot jumps very skillfully between classical, jazz and world music in his arrangements. In some places he even flashes Kurt Weill. He wanted to show Schubert “as a pop composer,” said Farjot. Because the intimacy that defines his music is basically exactly the same intimacy that singer-songwriters work with.

Bonus: an opera singer in a duet

There are also two duets on the album that Rosemary Standley sang together with the French baroque soprano Sandrine Piau. The only moment on the album when Rosemary Standley briefly doubted her project:

” Sandrine is a real opera singer, I’m not. But Johan calmed me down and said: Don´t worry, don´t worry! Don’t worry! It will be good! And yes, I think it actually sounds good, really nice.”

Singer-songwriter Schubert

“Schubert in Love” is a charming, playful and idiosyncratic interpretation that shows that you can approach Schubert’s songs in a completely different way. This is not about highly developed artistic singing, but about playing with different sounds and moods.

In addition, Rosemary Standley sings convincingly clear – and proves that as a folk singer you can get to the bottom of Schubert.

Beate Stender, rbbKultur

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW at: ALBUM DER WOCHE | 02.11. – 08.11.2020 – Rosemary Standley: “Schubert in Love” | rbbKultur