Variety (December 1909)

VARIETY 19 FRENCH SONGS AND SINGERS By £. G. KENDREW. Ah, make the most of what we yet may Hpend, Hrfore we. 1(io, Into tin* dust descend; Punt unto dust, and under dust to lie, Shun wine, shiih song, naiiH Hinging, and hhiih end. (Rulmiyiit of Omar KhayyHiu.) Tlii*re is an old adage, and which in it- self is an admirable metaphorical descrip- tion of the people, that "everything in Frame finishes by a song." This is true, Verses are written and melodies placed to every subject under the sun, the most sensational or trivial, the most delicate or grotesque. France is not unique in this respect, but the people of this country, witty and critical as they are, have always excelled in singing their victories and disasters, their joys and sorrows, their idols and enemies. All the vicissitudes of their national life have in turn formed the sub jfet of nurserv rhvines or patriotic anth- cms. Every child, from the moment it can Imm an air or remember a chorus, has instinctively learned the adventures of La Palisse and the death of Marlborough,* to say nothing of the Chant du Depart and Samhre et^Meuse. As in other countries, many line songs have been inspired by historical events and ludicrous trifles. The tears of Marie Stuart and the misfortunes of Marie Antoinette, the Italian accent of Ma/arin. and the bourgeoisie of Louis Philippe have been popular themes. Today the stil- ling songs of the [{evolution, written more than P20 years ago, resound in every part of the world, have been appropriated by other nations, and arc used by work ers and reformers as they march to vic- tory in strikes or protests. No national hymn is better known that "The Marseil laise": the refrains of Napoleon's troupes are still recalled, and the ditties of Be ranger reincinhcn 1 by all. It is indeed an honor to have written the popular -ongs of a great nation, and the sage who had that wish rather than to make a ration's laws knew what power then- i- U hind a ringing refrain. Of course a jTcat popular song arises n-oni a great popular movement. which fortunatch docs not present itself everv dav. Minn will remember Paulus moving the people to enthusiasm at the Champs K!ys«Vs cafe ehantants (as they really were in those days) during the Boulanger crisi-.. "I'ere la Victoire" and "En r'venant d'la rexne" stirred an audience to frenzy al that moment. Poor Sfretti, who always accompanied Paulus as pianist until he went to New York as musical director of 1 lainmerstein's Hoof Garden, has often described to me the cheering these song- caused, which gave the surroundings more the a|)pearance of a political meeting than an entertainment. The history of France is a great one. with countless victories and honorable defeats. In every I'jbc there is ;i song of the period, chanted by the soldiers or sung by the people. It has ever been a mighty arm for leaders of men. and no I eople arc more stirred by song than the French. Yet they are probably more critical than any other nation, while less exact- ing with their ballads. Each epoch of his- * Tliis I'rciu-li :ilr N iu>\\ much used In Kntflisli ^prnklnjr countries under the title of "For He'* n I.-l!v ;Jood Fellow." tory has Ikmii severely censured and then unreasonably lauded frequently beyond its importance by the songwriter. Songs have made many men in France; songs have ruined many others. And the criti- cal song is very fashionable today. In that gay quarter of the capital, where all nocturnal gaiety of Paris con- gregates (over-rated Montmartre) caba- rets are found on every hand, in which have to live here a dozen years to really understand them. No one is sacred, from the President of the Republic or King Edward VII (favorite butts for their wit) to the women cab-drivers or American tinned meats. Everybody laughs, even the authorities, and he who laughs is dis- armed. Monarchs or potentates paying incognito visits to Paris—and they arc legion- arc wont to see these cabarets, now open in all parts of the city from 9 till 12, and are among the first to grin at the skits they hear about themselves. Boosevclt could listen to several this year on his hunting expedition, and he would smile. The secret lies in the fact that the skits are not really insulting or even spiteful; they arc amusing, often leste, and frequently true. are not cabarets as we now understand them, though posing as such, but cheap exhibitions catering to the foreign visi- tors. I remember when these cabarets now charging 00 cents admission, were happy to fill the boite at 10 cents a head, al- though Salis' fampus Chat Noir (now defunct) charged $1.20 fifteen years ago. There is a platform in one corner, with a piano at the edge, and the ehansion nier stands on one side (often leaning on the instrument) while he sings, or reads, his own latest poetical effusion. It is generally letter than heard at the large music halls and warranted to suit in turn every shade of poetical opinion. Fancy bearing ditties of how Mr. Taft undresses, how Knox would receive the suffragettes 'li I'All.l.Kl'X. ..f Mhin|>iii: ••-•) i>i:.\m:\|; TYPES OK FBENCII SINCEKS. i II KSY. ;i fillni'ii-. in n^ii- In, II *l;n h" v III ■|..i ,,| liii'i'h .iriist: i.". i col ON N A : d'o YIM'KK. one ni' 111 • - mans pretty vl.igers nn tin- ciir ion, n i si;i^i': OIHAKP. comic sillier: l!)i MA VOL. !»<•<! |i;ii.l uiu-ie hull singer in Iniinec; iloi lUSSIMri'; (III I» CIA I»K. cliiiiii.t.r i "A|.;u lie" st\le) singer; i l.'li OKKMAINK OAI.I.OIS, formerly .(' I lie S.nl.i. Nn I no S.-.il., \|.l- II;. II <l> iHilCiil'.Iti:. II typii-iil Freneli iT' l\M! lln'IT. i:i.|.>i ado Mini Aiiiliiiss.'Klenrs; iSi MAUI.'* . Hliollier e;il. w in i« \ new oni.-i | singer ; ( 12 i ('Oil the chaiisoiiiiicrs and young poets dis- course their own effusions, ruthlessly criti cising all events of the hour, chaffing their own politicians and foreign rulers in a pitiless manner, which would never l>e allowed in public in any other country. In free England they would l>o put in prison. But the Parisian is above every- thing a blagueur and loves to chair. Every phase of life is ridiculed scandals reiterated with prudery cast to the winds in the form of crude verse, known as the chanson rosse. They are invar- niblv verv fiiniiv, often clever, but you The up to date cabaret does not exist. outside of Paris. One will l>e found in Berlin, with a French title though lack- ing the same license, but it is totally unknown in English speaking '-ountries. As a rule thev are installed in lai ■:<• stores, made into a small concent hall as ii. were, holding from 200 to 400 people. The prices range from f>0 cents to $1. which includes an ordinary drink. The most famous of the present day are Boite :\ Fursy, Tame Bousse, Los Quartz Arts, Pie qui Chante. Carillon and Noctambules. L'Enfer .\Y>anf, Ceil, and such fancy places and so on (imagine French humor dealing ii sinniar local subjects) and you will undei stand the sort of songs rattled off nightly bv the score in the innumerable cabarets of Paris. 1 insist on the fact that they are droll and intelligently rendered. Fursy, .1. Moy, Bonnaud, llyspa, Montya. Fallot, Numa Hies, Bait ha, Marcel fiegay, XaM«*r Privas, etc., are artistes besides being poets. They can read the public mind and prepare a subject for its distraction with- in an hour. That the cabarets are fa^h- (Contiuufl on I'ugr 151.)