La vie en rose

Outside of the strict confines of classical music, French popular culture in the 20th century regards Édith Piaf (1915-1963) as its national voice. Piaf grew up in colorful surroundings both in her grandmother’s bordello and then, after World War I, on tour with her father’s circus troupe. She continued her vagabond lifestyle even after marrying, and her professional break came in 1935 at an underworld nightclub. Piaf’s most recognized song, La vie en rose (Life Through Rose-Tinted Glasses) was written in 1945 and released commercially two years later. With lyrics that resonated for a generation that just survived the long turmoil and heartache of World War II, La vie en rose became an international sensation gradually synonymous with the post-war era in Europe and, ultimately, with Piaf herself. Tonight we hear a new arrangement of the song by Zachary Wadsworth. Wadsworth keys in on the emotion conveyed in the text. As he notes, “Though written in a major key, the song’s words of love are tinged by falling scales, inverted chords, and aching bass. In my arrangement, I’ve extended the introduction’s melancholic unfolding, but I’ve otherwise avoided tinkering with Piaf’s modern masterpiece.”

(c) Jason Stell