
Edith Piaf
Édith
Piaf,
or Édith
Giovanna Gassion,
was born December 19th, 1915. Daughter of a contortionist and a
singer, her life was anything but smooth sailing. But the scars left
by these trials and tribulations are precisely what made the Little
Sparrow’s
performances so captivating. Édith
Piaf
became disillusioned at a young age, wracked by solitude and thwarted
dreams when her mother abandoned her. It was while she was on the
road with her father that she discovered her true calling as a
singer. At the age of 15, she decided to go it alone. She fell in
love with Louis Dupont, and gave birth to a daughter named Marcelle,
who died tragically two years later.
After
these trying ordeals, she took to singing in the street, only to be
discovered shortly thereafter by Louis
Leplée.
He was responsible for launching her career. It was then that she
became the “Little
Sparrow,”
the hugely talented iconic French singer, still loved to this day.
Her enduring musical successes include “Mon
Dieu”,
“Les
amants d’un jour”,
“La
vie en rose” and
“Non,
je ne regrette rien”.
Between 1933 and 1961, Édith
Piaf experienced success, further pain, and all the joys and worries
of everyday life. She died on October 10th, 1963, having lived her
life to the full, leaving behind an incredible musical heritage for
future generations to enjoy. If you wish to move an audience, or just
your family and friends, with the emotion of the songs of Édith
Piaf,
simply choose a piano
score
that best suits your skill level and rediscover some classic French
popular songs.
Piaf’s life is portrayed in the 2007 biofilm “La Vie en rose,”
starring Marion Cotillard.