Edith Piaf: L'Intégrale (Complete) / 20 CD / 413 Chansons [Box set, Import]

Edith Piaf | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 26, 2007)
• Number of Discs: 20
• Format: Box set, Import
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: EMI Music France
• ASIN: B000MR9DZ4
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,914 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #11 in Music > World Music > Europe > Continental Europe > General AAS
  • #11 in Music > World Music > Europe > Continental Europe > General
  • #14 in Music > Miscellaneous > Nostalgia

Track Listings

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Greatest collection of any major artist yet put together?, August 4, 2008

By 

L J Thomson (UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Edith Piaf: L'Intégrale (Complete) / 20 CD / 413 Chansons (Audio CD)

Well, I think with a possible moments pause here, that I would respond to the question posed by my review title with an affirmative. This collection brings together for the very first (but doubtfully the last) time the early Piaf recordings originally owned by Polydor (1936-45) together with the Pathe Marconi years, 1946-63. It also includes many rarities, alternative takes and a representation of the Carnegie Hall 1956/7 shows. It is certainly the definitive Piaf, if not actually the "complete" recordings.

On a positive note, the remastering is absolutely crystal clear with good deep sound staging and wonderful lifelike resolution of detail. Please remember these recordings are old though and you can't expect todays sound quality or anything close to it. Now, back to the music....

I have a few gripes about this set. Firstly, the 30th Anniversary Sets produced in 1993 included material incongruously absent from this mammoth 20CD set produced in 2003 (second time round re-mastering). For instance, "L' Homme Du Berlin" recorded as a demo on a crude tape recorder is missing from this set but included in the 10 CD set from 1993 (and even the 2 CD sampler from that set). Whilst this set DOES include the same song, it is a polished studio take and although good in its own right, I personally like the intimate raw feel of the first recording. Okay, you can't please everyone all the time and there must be limits on space, but come on, this is a 20 CD set! Why not have made it into a 24 CD set and called it the COMPLETE RECORDINGS? It's frustrating for collectors and completists but nobody else need worry - this set is simply outstanding in its representation of Piaf at all ages and times.

There are other "issues" which possibly need mentioning. The Carnegie Hall recordings are NOT complete. Again, for reasons better known to the folks at EMI France, the 1957 show has been abridged so that it fits neatly onto the disc 20 when the 1956 show spills over from disc 19 leaving the rest of the disc to cover the 57 show. I have not heard the complete 57 show but it was released on vinyl back in 1977 and according to people who own that issue, it is a better show and recording than 1956. It seems odd to compromise a recording familiar to the larger public for the sake of "space" when compiling such a big set to begin with. The 1956 show also has an instrumental introduction whereas the 57 show has Piaf singing the same song. Puzzling decision?

There are no booklets included or any sleeve notes. I personally would have liked to see this but at the bargain prices this set can be found for, that is a small glitch in my view. Buy it now whilst you can and enjoy France's greatest ever singer. Then buy the biographies to help put the songs and recordings into some context.

PS - since writing this review, I have added the following titles to my Piaf CD collection: Live In Lausanne, Live In Brussels, Live At The Copacabana, Unplugged in Quebec 1955-56, At Paris L'Olympia 1955, ditto 1956, ditto 1958, ditto 1960, ditto 1962. I also have found the said 1977 Lp set of Carnegie Hall January 13th 1957 which has the "missing" 6 songs left off Disc 20 of "L'Integrale". Is there any more out there? I also wonder if some of the songs used in the films Piaf appeared in such as "Etoile Sans Lumiere" are represented here in the same versions? Needless to say if you're either a fan or a collector, there is a lot of additional material out there which is not included in this set. I don't believe you'll ever find a better starting point though.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most complete collection of Edith Piaf recordings, October 19, 2007

By 

M.M. "mydivas" (VA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Edith Piaf: L'Intégrale (Complete) / 20 CD / 413 Chansons (Audio CD)

This box set is the 2007 re-issue of the 2003 "L'Integrale" box set released as part of the 40th anniversary of Piaf's passing in 1963. This box set is so far the most complete collection of Edith Piaf recordings put together. 413 tracks in total, including 6 "inedit" tracks discovered in 2003.
This box consists of a CD-sized sturdy cardboard box that holds the 20 CD's in individual cardboard sleeves, with and outer slip case of the artwork shown. The CD's have a 2003 copyright, which confirms that this box set has not been remastered again. No booklet is included. Tracklistings are found on the back of each CD sleeve. The audio quality is great in most tracks, including the 6 "inedit" ones. Get this bargain while you can, since the box set can be found for as low as $80 on amazon, which makes each CD $4.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The ultimate Piaf collection, November 10, 2007

By 

Shane (New Zealand) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Edith Piaf: L'Intégrale (Complete) / 20 CD / 413 Chansons (Audio CD)

I like to keep my reviews short and to the point (sometimes).

And there is only one thing to say about this collection:

If you are a staunch Piaf fan, buy this. It is likely the ultimate Piaf collection.

It's more affordable than the accordeon set, but features the exact same track listing, newly remastered.
The sound quality on all tracks is marvelous (though representative of the recording techniques and technologies of the time it was recorded).

I adore this collection, and any Piaf fan would.
Also, its fun to realize every now and then that you are hearing a track for the first time.

Another plus, is the amount of essentially, demo recordings, alternate takes, and recordings of Piaf on stage at Carnegie Hall (the final two discs of the 20).

Simply: buy it... you will have no regrets.