La Vie En Rose There Essay

Just as there is a drastic difference between the Louis Armstrong version of What a Wonderful World, and that of Hawaiian folk singer Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, yet both bring tears to one's eyes, both move straight to the heart, and both are timeless.

So, too, is La Vie en rose. For this analysis, though, it was easier to try to quantify some of the similarities and differences between recorded performances and then hone in on what makes the differing versions so uniquely special. By sticking to female singer with somewhat of a torch song tone, we can get more of a uniquely "french" flavor in the classic:

Artist

Genre' Version

Year

Comments

Piaf, Edith

http://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=b1fWC8-KJwM

French Folk, Torch

1946+ several versions

Classic french folk with pining voice, silky vowel sounds and sensuous chord changes

Francis, Connie

http://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=JJLPmSVnaPU

At the height of her popularity; less sultry, more in line with her image of the all-American girl.

1965- mixed English / French version

Uses tricks of chromaticism and upward chord changes, stretches top notes as was her signature.

Dietrich, Marlene

http://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=WpAON4N_1ek

Truer to form, piano and more nighclub orchestration, takes many liberties with meter

1949+ - French / she is German torch singer, very sultry, speaks and tells a story of longing

Played the song as if it were a movie, one can almost see her batting her eyes at the camera

Bitton, R.

http://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=wibMvS5CfVY

Faster tempo, less sultry, concentrates on story element; more Parisan and uppler class dialect

1998+ French / English, has a traveling show that is a tribute to Piaf; brough Piaf's music to many modern listeners

Numerous versions available; beautiful but not as sulty

Franklin, A.

http://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=dbKFsTxEMB0&feature=related

Limited orchestration, more liberty, bends notes as was her style, very Ella Fitzgerald-like

1977- At a Paris Jazz festival;

Much slower, many more liberties with the melody; sultry but in an elegant jazz manner

Midler, B.

http://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=kj-1iHIpwSc&feature=related

Slower, more lyrical, less sultry, less nightclub and more concert

Late 1970s, uses at multiple concerts

Slow, milks tones but sounds more 1940s Big Band than Torch

Mathieu, Mireille

http://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=fKyij4h9_oE&feature=related

More robust and larger voice than Piaf, almost like a version for the 1990s, Big Band Orchestra meets French cafe

1990+; French, large voice, almost operetic, fabulous breath control

Probably the closest to Piaf; the longing tones, the accent, the emotion.

Data Collection and Sourcing - In thinking about this assignment, I was struck by the juxtaposition between quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis. While requirements of research may vary between disciplines, and some may prefer qualitative or quantitative methodologies. . In its most basic outline, quantitative data is information that can be measured by numbers or numerical values. Quantitative inquiry is a method that is used in scientific methodology to gather a logical and provable manner of collecting and analyzing data. Qualitative research uses a less numerical and more open ended approach to data -- it investigates the why and how of decision making; whereas quantitative focuses more on the what, where, and when -- which are all numerically measurable. One method is not necessarily better than the other, it is entirely dependent upon the hypothesis that is being tested. Indeed, qualitative research is often used to form the hypothesis and narrow the question prior to studying the data quantitatively. For example, a focus group might be formed with the purpose of looking.....