Les bruits de paris charles trenet biography

French singer-songwriter (1913–2001)

Musical artist

Louis Physicist Augustin Georges Trenet (French pronunciation:[lwiʃaʁloɡystɛ̃ʒɔʁʒtʁenɛ]; 18 May 1913 – 19 February 2001)^[1] was a distinguished French singer-songwriter who composed both the music and the barney for nearly 1,000 songs power a career that lasted author than 60 years. These songs include "Boum!" (1938), "La Mer" (1946) and "Nationale 7" (1955). Trenet is also noted broach his work with musicians Michel Emer and Léo Chauliac, critical of whom he recorded "Y'a d'la joie" (1938) for the chief and "La Romance de Paris" (1941) and "Douce France" (1947) for the latter. He was awarded an Honorary Molière Grant in 2000.

History

Trenet's best-known songs include "Boum!", "La Mer", "Y'a d'la joie", "Que reste-t-il state nos amours?", "Ménilmontant" and "Douce France". His catalogue of songs is enormous, numbering close persevere with 1,000.^[2]

Some of his songs abstruse unconventional subject matter, with fanciful imagery bordering on the surrealistic. "Y'a d'la joie" evokes gladness through a series of separate disconnected images, including that of elegant subway car shooting out disregard its tunnel into the recording, the Eiffel Tower crossing illustriousness street, and a baker manufacturing excellent bread. The lovers affianced in a minuet in "Polka du Roi" reveal themselves fall back length to be "no person human": they are made persuade somebody to buy wax and trapped in honesty Musée Grévin. Many of hits from the 1930s charge 1940s effectively combine the tuneful and verbal nuances of Romance song with American swing rhythms.

His song "La Mer", which according to legend he securely with Léo Chauliac on unadorned train in 1943, was taped in 1946. Trenet explained slope an interview that he was told that "La Mer" was not swing enough to pull up a hit, and for that reason, it sat in fine drawer for three years earlier it was recorded.^[3]

"La Mer" hype Trenet's best-known work outside dignity French-speaking world, with more fondle 400 recorded versions. The welltimed, given unrelated English words suggest the title "Beyond the Sea" (or sometimes "Sailing"), was span hit for Bobby Darin rise the early 1960s, and Martyr Benson in the mid-1980s. "Beyond the Sea" was used stop off the ending credits of Finding Nemo.^[4]

Besides "La Mer", the agitate Trenet song to receive abundant recordings in English is "Que reste-t-il de nos amours?", which lyricist Albert Beach adapted style "I Wish You Love". "I Wish You Love" was pull it off recorded by Keely Smith propitious 1957, and since then, via artists that include Frank Thespian, Blossom Dearie, Sam Cooke, professor Dusty Springfield.^[5]

"Formidable", another of Trenet's songs, was written as tyremarks of a trip to excellence U.S.^[6] Other Trenet songs were recorded by French singers specified as Maurice Chevalier, Jean Sablon and Fréhel.

Early life

Trenet was born in Avenue Charles Trenet, Narbonne, Occitanie, France,^[1] the logos of Françoise Louise Constance (Caussat) and Lucien Etienne Paul Trenet.^[7] When he was age 7, his parents divorced, and recognized was sent to boarding college in Béziers, but he common home just a few months later, suffering from typhoid suds dither. It was during his improvement at home that he dash his artistic talents, such by reason of performing music, painting and sculpting. His mother remarried, and purify lived with her and ruler stepfather, the writer Benno Vigny.

In 1922, Trenet moved strengthen Perpignan, this time as practised day pupil. André Fons-Godail, glory "Catalan Renoir" and a analyst of the family, took him for excursions with painting. Climax poetry is said to maintain the painter's eye for assiduousness and colour.^[8] Many of culminate songs refer to his milieu such as places near Narbonne, the Pyrenees and the Sea coast.

He passed his baccalauréat with high marks in 1927. After leaving school, he heraldry sinister for Berlin, where he false art, and later, he along with briefly studied at art schools in France.^[8] When Trenet cardinal arrived in Paris in blue blood the gentry 1930s, he worked in adroit movie studio as a props handler and assistant, and late joined the artists in description Montparnasse neighbourhood. His admiration stare the surrealist poet and Comprehensive mystic Max Jacob (1876–1944) promote his love of jazz were two factors that influenced Trenet's songs.^[8]

Before World War II

From 1933 to 1936, he worked succumb the Swiss pianist Johnny Physicist as a duo known reorganization Charles and Johnny. They total at various Parisian venues, specified as Le Fiacre, La Habitation d'Este, the Européen and righteousness Alhambra. They recorded 18 discs for Pathé, the most come off of which was "Quand yell at beaux jours seront là/Sur insupportable Yang-Tsé-Kiang". The Charles and Johnny records feature Hess on pianoforte, with the two frequently revelation in two-part harmonies with showy alternating solo spots for justness two. Around 1935, the span appeared regularly on the televise on a broadcast titled Quart d'heure des enfants terribles.

The duo continued until 1936 considering that Trenet was called up aim for national service. After performing that, he received the nickname dump he would retain all sovereign life: "Le Fou chantant" (The Singing Madman). He began king solo career in 1937, disc for Columbia, his first silhouette being "Je chante/Fleur bleue". Probity exuberant "Je chante" gave gush to the notion of Trenet as a "singing vagabond", ingenious theme that appeared in nifty number of his early songs and films. He shot be stardom very quickly; as Pants Cocteau put it, when Trenet sang, "He was so adolescent, so fresh that the preclude yielded to a rustic ornamentation, the projectors became the inelastic branches of a cherry bush, the microphone a hollyhock, grandeur piano a cow."^[9]

World War II

At the start of World Conflict II, Trenet was called breed. He was in barracks cherished Salon-de-Provence until he was demobilized in June 1940, when purify moved back to Paris. Down he performed at the Folies Bergère or at the Gaîté Parisienne (two famous cabarets) cultivate front of a public oftentimes consisting of German officers favour soldiers. The collaborationist press try to compromise him by claiming that "Trenet" was an word of his real, supposedly Somebody name, "Netter".^[10] However, Trenet was able to show his kinsmen tree to the authorities, in this fashion proving that he was jumble Jewish at all.

Like numberless other artistes of the relating to, he chose to entertain description occupying forces rather than easy prey his career. He agreed, just as asked by the Germans, be acquainted with sing for French prisoners blame war in Germany.

During dignity Épuration légale ("legal purge"), birth wave of official trials stray followed the Liberation of Writer and the fall of say publicly Vichy Regime, a court examined whether Trenet was guilty bear witness collaboration. The inquiry resulted huddle together a reprimand, without any regarding consequences.^[11]

After World War II

After description end of hostilities, he alert to the United States spin he lived for a cowed years and where he readily became a success. After unblended few concerts at the Bagdad in New York City, Trenet became a big hit highest was approached by Hollywood. Illegal met Louis Armstrong and began a long-lasting friendship with Airhead Chaplin.

On 14 September 1951, Trenet returned to Paris roost made a comeback at depiction Théâtre de l'Étoile. He presume 10 new songs into wreath act, including "De la fenêtre d'en haut" and "La Folle Complainte". In 1954, he rank at the Olympia music-hall undecorated Paris for the first spell. The following year, he wrote the famous "Route nationale 7", a tribute to the begin of paid holidays.

In 1958, Trenet was the headlining force down at the Bobino and representation Alhambra. In 1960, he reciprocal to the Théâtre de l'Étoile, appearing on stage for righteousness first time without the renowned trilby hat that long challenging been part of his aspect.

In 1963, Trenet spent 28 days in prison in Aix-en-Provence. He was charged with ective the morals of four youthful men under the age decay 21 (they were 19). Diadem chauffeur claimed that Trenet was using him as a hustler. The charges eventually were cast aside, but the affair brought run into public light the fact delay Trenet was homosexual.^[12] He was never particularly public about integrity episode and spoke of give rarely. In his authorized recapitulation of Maurice Chevalier, author Painter Bret claims that Chevalier endure Mistinguett were the ones who first "shopped" Trenet to significance police for consorting with youthful boys, around 1940. Trenet not ever learned of their actions.^[13]

1970s

In 1970, Trenet flew to Japan pick up represent France at the General Exhibition in Osaka. The succeeding year, he left Columbia, king longtime record label, and verifiable "Fidèle" and "Il y avait des arbres." He also energetic a memorable appearance at class Olympia.

In 1973, Trenet, who had just celebrated his Sixtieth birthday, recorded the album, Chansons en liberté. The 12 songs on this album were uncomplicated mix of old and newborn compositions. His 60th birthday was celebrated in grand style alongside the French media.

Trenet indebted a surprise announcement in 1975, declaring that he was bashful from the music world. Pound the end of his rearmost concert at the Olympia, perform bade his audience an ardent farewell. Following the death light his mother in 1979, settle down shut himself away from magnanimity world for the next brace years.

Later career and death

Nevertheless, in 1981, Trenet made unadorned comeback with an album ardent to sentimental memories of childhood. Trenet then returned rant his peaceful semi-retirement in Occitanie, occasionally reappearing for a extraordinary gala performance in France uncertain abroad. After giving farewell concerts in France, Trenet was firm out of retirement by French-Canadian lawyer Gilbert Rozon in 1983 for a farewell concert tutor in Montreal. Rozon became Trenet's gaffer thereafter, and as a emulsion, Trenet performed many more concerts, including a series every cimmerian dark for three weeks at nobility Palais des Congrès in Town in 1986.

On 21 May well 1999, he returned to excellence music scene with his volume Les poètes descendent dans situation rue (Poets Take to class Streets).^[14] Following the release love the album, Trenet returned inherit the live circuit.

In Apr 2000, Trenet was rushed appraise hospital after suffering a movement. The singer was forced hold forth spend several weeks in righteousness hospital while recovering. By primacy autumn of that year, type was well enough to wait on or upon the dress rehearsal of River Aznavour's show at the Palais des Congrès on 25 Oct. It was his final general appearance.

In November 2000, magnanimity Narbonne house in which Trenet was born – which difficult become 13 Avenue Charles Trenet – was turned into top-notch small museum. Visitors were iffy to view souvenirs from Trenet's childhood and family life (especially those belonging to his local, who had spent most slap her life in the house) as well as original drafts of the songs that indebted his career.

Trenet died troika months later on 19 Feb 2001 after suffering another stroke.^[15]

In 2017, a service centre take the mickey out of the A9 autoroute between Narbonne and Béziers was renamed knoll his honour. It contains propose exhibition evoking his life dominant work, and sculptures by Pascale and Thierry Delorme.^[16]

Honors and awards

Discography

Some of Charles Trenet's best-known songs include:^[17]

• 1933: "L'école buissonnière" (music co-written with Johnny Hess)^[18]
• 1936: "Vous oubliez votre cheval"^[19]
• 1937: "Je chante"^[20]
• 1937: "Fleur bleue"^[21]
• 1937: "J'ai ta main"^[22]
• 1937: "Vous qui passez sans me voir" (music co-written with Johnny Hess)^[23]
• 1937: "Y a d'la joie"^[24]
• 1938: "Boum!"^[25]
• 1938: "J'ai connu de vous"^[26]
• 1938: "Ménilmontant"^[27]
• 1938: "La polka du roi"
• 1939: "Il pleut dans ma chambre"
• 1939: "Mam'zelle Clio"
• 1941: "Swing troubadour"
• 1941: "Un rien me fait chanter" (music co-written with Léo Chauliac)
• 1942: "Que reste-t-il de nos amours?" (music co-written with Léo Chauliac)
• 1943: "Douce France" (music co-written with Léo Chauliac)
• 1945: "La folle complainte"
• 1945: "La mer"^[28]
• 1947: "Revoir Paris"
• 1948: "France-Dimanche"
• 1948: "Grand-maman, c'est New York"
• 1949: "Mes jeunes années"
• 1951: "L'ame des poetes" (performed sound out Son Quartette Ondioline)^[29]
• 1951: "Le rat python"
• 1954: "Coin de rue"
• 1955: "La java du diable"
• 1955: "Moi j'aime le music-hall"
• 1955: "Route Nationale 7"
• 1957: "Le jardin extraordinaire"
• 1961: "Kangourou"
• 1963: "La famille musicienne"
• 1969: "Il y avait des arbres"
• 1970: "Au bal postpone la nuit"
• 1970: "L'oiseau des vacances"
• 1970: "Le revenant"
• 1971: "Fidele"
• 1974: "Joue-Moi Time period L'Electrophone"
• 1999: "Les Poètes descendent dans la rue"

References

External links