French 5: Georges Brassens: un chanteur, une chanson, une vie
Personnage d'une immense discrétion, Georges Brassens a inscrit son nom dans le patrimoine artistique français en créant un style unique sculpté autour de mélodies simples et de textes qui sont autant de chefs-d'œuvre poétiques.
Ce cours a pour objectif de vous faire découvrir la vie et la carrière de cet artiste, figure éminente de la chanson française traditionnelle, en mettant l'accent sur les textes de ses chansons, leurs...
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
An introduction to the life and work of Georges Brassens, one of the most influential singer‑songwriters of the French chanson tradition. Poet, composer and performer, Brassens developed a highly distinctive voice, combining musical simplicity with linguistic sophistication, irony and moral independence. This course explores his career, his poetic language and his place in French cultural history, while consolidating your French through listening, reading and discussion activities.
What will we cover?
An overview of Georges Brassens's life and his intellectual influences Brassens and the tradition of French poetry and chanson Close study of selected songs and lyrics Key themes: freedom, friendship, marginal figures, humour and anticlericalism The legacy of Brassens in French culture
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
Identify the main stages of Georges Brassens’ life and career Better understand and analyse the lyrics of several of his songs Extract specific information from audio material and written texts Recognise recurring themes and stylistic features in his work Discuss and express informed opinions about chanson as a literary and musical form in French
Please note that the above outcomes may be adapted depending on the pace and interests of the group.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is taught in French and is designed for students with a fairly high level of French (approximately French 5). Learners should normally have studied French for at least 5 to 6 years to feel comfortable taking part in discussions and analysis.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Our courses are characterised by spoken interaction and communication. Typical activities include pair work, group work, role-plays and games. A range of resources will be used to support your learning including presentations, hand-outs, and audio-visual material.
This course uses Google Classroom, a digital learning platform where all the teaching and learning resources can be found. Here are some common answers to questions about Google Classroom
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Pierre studied towards a "Licence de Langue, Littérature et Civilisations anglo-saxonne" at Grenoble University in the early 1980s. He moved to Paris in 1986 where he worked in the field of Corporate and Financial Communication, first as an editor-in-chief for a specialised publishing company, and later as an executive in charge of Corporate and Financial Communication for a large national financial institution. In the early 1990s, he gave it all up and moved to the UK (an ambition since I was a teenager) and started teaching French in a private language school, then as a secondary school classroom teacher. He then went on to study and in 2010, he gained the Dip Trans IoLET (the Chartered Institute of Linguists Diploma in Translation). In 2013, he decided to resume his teaching career, albeit choosing to do so in the Life Long Learning sector. Pierre believes that learning and teaching a foreign language is (but not limited to) about having fun, expanding personal communication skills, seeing and understanding things from a different cultural perspective.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/french-5-georges-brassens-un-chanteur-une-chanson-une-vie310913French 5: Georges Brassens: un chanteur, une chanson, une viehttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/french-4-conversation-lf456-1024.jpg4949GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Languages/Courses/Languages/European/Courses/Languages/European/French/Courses/Online courses228512801281128717311228512801281<p>Personnage d'une immense discrétion, Georges Brassens a inscrit son nom dans le patrimoine artistique français en créant un style unique sculpté autour de mélodies simples et de textes qui sont autant de chefs-d'œuvre poétiques. </p><p>Ce cours a pour objectif de vous faire découvrir la vie et la carrière de cet artiste, figure éminente de la chanson française traditionnelle, en mettant l'accent sur les textes de ses chansons, leurs thèmes et leur importance culturelle. </p><p>À l’aide d’une sélection de titres, nous examinerons comment Brassens allie forme poétique, langage courant, familier, même parfois argotique, pour aborder des questions de liberté, de moralité et de conventions sociales. </p><p lang="EN-US">Par ailleurs, le format interactif du cours vous permettra de consolider vos compétences audio-orales en écoutant et analysant les paroles des textes de Brassens ainsi que leur prosodie, ceci afin de vous amener à échanger opinions, points de vue et impressions personnelles. </p><p> </p>003032941French 5: Georges Brassens: un chanteur, une chanson, une vie4949https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/french-4-conversation-lf456-1024.jpgInStockDaytimeTueOnlineAvailable courses1 to 4 weeksWeekday2026-11-10T00:00:00+00:00AdvancedNov 2026LanguagesLFW514949French 5: Georges Brassens: un chanteur, une chanson, une vie393249Pierre Porcheronfrench-5-georges-brassens-un-chanteur-une-chanson-une-vie/lfw51-2627<p>Personnage d'une immense discrétion, Georges Brassens a inscrit son nom dans le patrimoine artistique français en créant un style unique sculpté autour de mélodies simples et de textes qui sont autant de chefs-d'œuvre poétiques. </p><p>Ce cours a pour objectif de vous faire découvrir la vie et la carrière de cet artiste, figure éminente de la chanson française traditionnelle, en mettant l'accent sur les textes de ses chansons, leurs thèmes et leur importance culturelle. </p><p>À l’aide d’une sélection de titres, nous examinerons comment Brassens allie forme poétique, langage courant, familier, même parfois argotique, pour aborder des questions de liberté, de moralité et de conventions sociales. </p><p lang="EN-US">Par ailleurs, le format interactif du cours vous permettra de consolider vos compétences audio-orales en écoutant et analysant les paroles des textes de Brassens ainsi que leur prosodie, ceci afin de vous amener à échanger opinions, points de vue et impressions personnelles. </p><p> </p>0000-Available|2026-11-10 00:00:00<p>An introduction to the life and work of Georges Brassens, one of the most influential singer‑songwriters of the French chanson tradition. Poet, composer and performer, Brassens developed a highly distinctive voice, combining musical simplicity with linguistic sophistication, irony and moral independence. This course explores his career, his poetic language and his place in French cultural history, while consolidating your French through listening, reading and discussion activities.</p><p>Personnage d'une immense discrétion, Georges Brassens a inscrit son nom dans le patrimoine artistique français en créant un style unique sculpté autour de mélodies simples et de textes qui sont autant de chefs-d'œuvre poétiques. </p><p>Ce cours a pour objectif de vous faire découvrir la vie et la carrière de cet artiste, figure éminente de la chanson française traditionnelle, en mettant l'accent sur les textes de ses chansons, leurs thèmes et leur importance culturelle. </p><p>À l’aide d’une sélection de titres, nous examinerons comment Brassens allie forme poétique, langage courant, familier, même parfois argotique, pour aborder des questions de liberté, de moralité et de conventions sociales. </p><p lang="EN-US">Par ailleurs, le format interactif du cours vous permettra de consolider vos compétences audio-orales en écoutant et analysant les paroles des textes de Brassens ainsi que leur prosodie, ceci afin de vous amener à échanger opinions, points de vue et impressions personnelles. </p><p> </p><p>An overview of Georges Brassens's life and his intellectual influences<br>Brassens and the tradition of French poetry and chanson<br>Close study of selected songs and lyrics<br>Key themes: freedom, friendship, marginal figures, humour and anticlericalism<br>The legacy of Brassens in French culture</p><p>Identify the main stages of Georges Brassens’ life and career<br>Better understand and analyse the lyrics of several of his songs<br>Extract specific information from audio material and written texts<br>Recognise recurring themes and stylistic features in his work<br>Discuss and express informed opinions about chanson as a literary and musical form in French</p><p>Please note that the above outcomes may be adapted depending on the pace and interests of the group.</p><p>This course is taught in French and is designed for students with a fairly high level of French (approximately French 5). Learners should normally have studied French for at least 5 to 6 years to feel comfortable taking part in discussions and analysis.</p><p>If you are not sure about your level, please contact Languages on languages@citylit.ac.uk or check our level assessment chart on: <a href="http://www.citylit.ac.uk/self-assess-your-level" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.citylit.ac.uk/self-assess-your-level</a></p><p>Our courses are characterised by spoken interaction and communication. Typical activities include pair work, group work, role-plays and games. A range of resources will be used to support your learning including presentations, hand-outs, and audio-visual material.</p><p><br>This course uses Google Classroom, a digital learning platform where all the teaching and learning resources can be found. <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/common-questions-about-google-classroom" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Here</a> are some common answers to questions about Google Classroom</p><p>There are no other costs.</p><p>Any other French 4 or 5 course. </p><p>You may also wish to consider our <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/languages/language-culture" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> language and culture</a> or our <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/languages/conversation" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">conversation courses </a>to expand and consolidate your learning. </p><p> </p>EuropeanFrenchvirtual394932LFW51NONETue10/11/26 - 17/11/2614:00 - 16:0014:0016:002 sessions (over 2 weeks)21 to 4 weeksDaytimeWeekdayOnlineOnlinePierre PorcheronAdvancedAvailable courses2026-11-10T00:00:00+00:00Nov 2026Languages4949French 5: Georges Brassens: un chanteur, une chanson, une viefrench-5-georges-brassens-un-chanteur-une-chanson-une-vie/lfw51-2627<p>Personnage d'une immense discrétion, Georges Brassens a inscrit son nom dans le patrimoine artistique français en créant un style unique sculpté autour de mélodies simples et de textes qui sont autant de chefs-d'œuvre poétiques. </p><p>Ce cours a pour objectif de vous faire découvrir la vie et la carrière de cet artiste, figure éminente de la chanson française traditionnelle, en mettant l'accent sur les textes de ses chansons, leurs thèmes et leur importance culturelle. </p><p>À l’aide d’une sélection de titres, nous examinerons comment Brassens allie forme poétique, langage courant, familier, même parfois argotique, pour aborder des questions de liberté, de moralité et de conventions sociales. </p><p lang="EN-US">Par ailleurs, le format interactif du cours vous permettra de consolider vos compétences audio-orales en écoutant et analysant les paroles des textes de Brassens ainsi que leur prosodie, ceci afin de vous amener à échanger opinions, points de vue et impressions personnelles. </p><p> </p>0000-Available|2026-11-10 00:00:00<p>An introduction to the life and work of Georges Brassens, one of the most influential singer‑songwriters of the French chanson tradition. Poet, composer and performer, Brassens developed a highly distinctive voice, combining musical simplicity with linguistic sophistication, irony and moral independence. This course explores his career, his poetic language and his place in French cultural history, while consolidating your French through listening, reading and discussion activities.</p><p>Personnage d'une immense discrétion, Georges Brassens a inscrit son nom dans le patrimoine artistique français en créant un style unique sculpté autour de mélodies simples et de textes qui sont autant de chefs-d'œuvre poétiques. </p><p>Ce cours a pour objectif de vous faire découvrir la vie et la carrière de cet artiste, figure éminente de la chanson française traditionnelle, en mettant l'accent sur les textes de ses chansons, leurs thèmes et leur importance culturelle. </p><p>À l’aide d’une sélection de titres, nous examinerons comment Brassens allie forme poétique, langage courant, familier, même parfois argotique, pour aborder des questions de liberté, de moralité et de conventions sociales. </p><p lang="EN-US">Par ailleurs, le format interactif du cours vous permettra de consolider vos compétences audio-orales en écoutant et analysant les paroles des textes de Brassens ainsi que leur prosodie, ceci afin de vous amener à échanger opinions, points de vue et impressions personnelles. </p><p> </p><p>An overview of Georges Brassens's life and his intellectual influences<br>Brassens and the tradition of French poetry and chanson<br>Close study of selected songs and lyrics<br>Key themes: freedom, friendship, marginal figures, humour and anticlericalism<br>The legacy of Brassens in French culture</p><p>Identify the main stages of Georges Brassens’ life and career<br>Better understand and analyse the lyrics of several of his songs<br>Extract specific information from audio material and written texts<br>Recognise recurring themes and stylistic features in his work<br>Discuss and express informed opinions about chanson as a literary and musical form in French</p><p>Please note that the above outcomes may be adapted depending on the pace and interests of the group.</p><p>This course is taught in French and is designed for students with a fairly high level of French (approximately French 5). Learners should normally have studied French for at least 5 to 6 years to feel comfortable taking part in discussions and analysis.</p><p>If you are not sure about your level, please contact Languages on languages@citylit.ac.uk or check our level assessment chart on: <a href="http://www.citylit.ac.uk/self-assess-your-level" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.citylit.ac.uk/self-assess-your-level</a></p><p>Our courses are characterised by spoken interaction and communication. Typical activities include pair work, group work, role-plays and games. A range of resources will be used to support your learning including presentations, hand-outs, and audio-visual material.</p><p><br>This course uses Google Classroom, a digital learning platform where all the teaching and learning resources can be found. <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/common-questions-about-google-classroom" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Here</a> are some common answers to questions about Google Classroom</p><p>There are no other costs.</p><p>Any other French 4 or 5 course. </p><p>You may also wish to consider our <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/languages/language-culture" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> language and culture</a> or our <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/languages/conversation" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">conversation courses </a>to expand and consolidate your learning. </p><p> </p>EuropeanFrenchconfigurable