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Michel Legrand

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Michel Legrand
Legrand in 2015 at theCabourg Film Festival
Born
Michel Jean Legrand

(1932-02-24)24 February 1932
Paris,France
Died26 January 2019(2019-01-26)(aged 86)
Neuilly-sur-Seine,France
Occupation(s)Film score composer
Jazz pianist
Years active1946–2019

Michel Jean Legrand(French pronunciation:[miʃɛlləɡʁɑ̃];24 February 1932 – 26 January 2019) was a French musicalcomposer,arranger,conductor,jazz pianist,[1]andsinger.Legrand was a prolific composer, having written over 200 film and television scores, in addition to many songs.[2]His scores for two of the films ofFrench New WavedirectorJacques Demy,The Umbrellas of Cherbourg(1964) andThe Young Girls of Rochefort(1967), earned Legrand his firstAcademy Awardnominations. Legrand won his first Oscar for the song "The Windmills of Your Mind"fromThe Thomas Crown Affair(1968),[3]and additional Oscars forSummer of '42(1971) andBarbra Streisand'sYentl(1983).

Life and career

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Legrand was born inParis[4]to his father,Raymond Legrand,who was himself a conductor and composer,[5]and his mother, Marcelle Der-Mikaëlian, who was the sister of conductorJacques Hélian.[6]Raymond and Marcelle were married in 1929.[6]His maternal grandfather wasArmenian.[7]

Legrand composed more than two hundred film and television scores.[8]He won threeOscars[9]and fiveGrammys.[10]He studied music at theConservatoire de Parisfrom age 11, working with, among others,Nadia Boulanger[10]and graduated with top honors as both a composer and a pianist.[8]He burst upon the international music scene at 22 when his albumI Love Paris (album)became a surprise hit. He established his name in the United States by working with such jazz stars asMiles DavisandStan Getz.[1]His sisterChristiane Legrandwas a member ofThe Swingle Singersand his nieceVictoria Legrandis a member of thedream popbandBeach House.[11]

Legrand composed music forJacques Demy's filmsThe Umbrellas of Cherbourg(1964) (from whichRecit de Cassardcame and in turn, in English became the standardWatch What Happens) andThe Young Girls of Rochefort(1967), from which therelyricized"You Must Believe in Spring" is considered ajazz standard.Legrand appeared and performed inAgnès Varda'sCléo from 5 to 7(1961). He also composed music forJoseph Losey'sEva(1962),The Thomas Crown Affair(1968) (which features "The Windmills of Your Mind"),Ice Station Zebra(1968),The Picasso Summer(1969),The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun(1970),The Go-Between(1971),Summer of '42(1971),Clint Eastwood'sBreezy(1973),The Three Musketeers(1973),Orson Welles's last-completed filmF for Fake(1974),TriStar Pictures1998 family filmMadeline,and would later compose the score for Welles's posthumously released movieThe Other Side of the Wind(2018). He also composed the score forYentl(1983), as well as the film score forLouis Malle's filmAtlantic City(1980). His instrumental version of the theme fromBrian's Songcharted 56th in 1972 on theBillboard's pop chart.[12]

Legrand in 2008

Legrand died ofsepsis,[13][14]during the night of 25–26 January 2019, at theAmerican Hospital of ParisinNeuilly-sur-Seine,where he had been hospitalized for two weeks for apulmonary infection.His funeral was held in Paris at theAlexander Nevsky Cathedralon 1 February 2019.[15]He was interred at thePère Lachaise Cemetery.[16]He remained active until his death and had concerts scheduled to take place in the spring.[17]

Musical theatre

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In 1997, Legrand composed the score for the musicalLe Passe-muraille,with a book byDidier Van Cauwelaert.It premiered onBroadwayin 2002 asAmourand was translated into English byJeremy Samsand was directed byJames Lapine.[18]This musical was his Broadway debut[19]and he was nominated for aTony Awardin 2003 for Best Score.[20]Later he recordedLegrand AffairwithMelissa Errico,[20]a 100-piece symphony orchestra that included songs with lyrics byAlan and Marilyn Bergman.[21]

The world premiere of the new musicalMargueritefromAlain BoublilandClaude-Michel Schönberg,the creators ofLes MisérablesandMiss Saigon,included music by Michel Legrand and lyrics byHerbert Kretzmer.Margueriteis set during World War II in occupied Paris, and was inspired by the romantic novelLa Dame aux CaméliasbyAlexandre Dumas fils.It premiered in May 2008 at theHaymarket Theatre,London and was directed byJonathan Kent.[22]

Discography

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Main article:Michel Legrand discography

Awards

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Legrand won threeOscars(from 13 nominations), fiveGrammys,and was nominated for anEmmy.His first Academy Award win was in 1969 for the song "The Windmills of Your Mind", followed with the Academy Award for his music forSummer of ’42in 1972 and forYentlin 1984.[9]

Following are a selection of the awards and nominations with which Legrand's works have been honored:

Academy Award awards and nominations

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Source:AllMovie[23]

Golden Globe awards and nominations

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Source: All Movie[23]

Grammy Award awards and nominations

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Source: Grammy.com[29]

  • Best Instrumental Composition: "Theme fromSummer of '42(The Summer Knows)"(1971) -win
  • Best Instrumental Arrangement: "Theme From Summer Of '42" (1971) - nomination
  • Best Pop Instrumental Performance: "Theme From Summer Of '42" (1971) - nomination
  • Best arrangement accompanying vocalist:What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?(Sarah Vaughan) (1972) -win[30]
  • Song of the year: "The Summer Knows" fromSummer of '42(1972) - nomination
  • Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s): "The Summer Knows" (1972) - nomination
  • Best instrumental composition: "Brian's Song" [TV] (1972) -win
  • Album of Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special:The Three Musketeers(1974) - nomination
  • Best Instrumental Composition: "Images" (1975)win
  • Best Jazz Performance by a Big Band: "Images" (1975)win
  • Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special:Yentl(1984) - nomination
  • Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocals:Yentl(Barbra Streisand) (1984) - nomination
  • Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocals: "Nature Boy" (track from "Unforgettable" ) (1991) - nomination[31]
  • Best Instrumental Arrangement: "Where Or When" (Track from: "Happy Radio Days", Erato Records) (1998) - nomination[32]

Theatre nominations

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Emmy Award nominations

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  • Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Limited Series or a Special (Dramatic Underscore):A Woman Called Golda[TV] (1982)[34]

Fennecus nominations

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  • Song score, original or adaptation:Yentl(1983)
  • Original song: "The Way He Makes Me Feel" fromYentl(1983)

Apex nominations

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  • Original score, comedy:Best Friends(1982)
  • Original song, drama: "The Way He Makes Me Feel" fromYentl(1983)
  • Original song score/adaptation/compilation, drama:Yentl(1983)

Australian Film InstituteAward

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Prix Moliere Award

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ASCAP

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  • Henry Mancini Award, awarded byASCAP,forLe Passe-Muraille(1998)[38][39]

Golden Eagle Award

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Others

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Documentary

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"Michel Legrand, let the music play", directed byGregory Monroin 2018

References

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  1. ^ab"Oscar-crowned French composer Michel Legrand dies at 86".The Hindu.Reuters. 26 January 2019.ISSN0971-751X.Archivedfrom the original on 9 May 2023.Retrieved26 January2019.
  2. ^Chinen, Nate (10 March 2007)."Music in Review; Michel Legrand".The New York Times.Retrieved9 December2011.
  3. ^"Michel Legrand".Songwriters Hall of Fame. Archived fromthe originalon 13 June 2012.Retrieved9 December2011.
  4. ^"Windmills of Your Mind writer Legrand dies".Bbc.com.26 January 2019.
  5. ^"Oscar-crowned French composer Michel Legrand dies at 86".Reuters.com.26 January 2019.
  6. ^ab"Tributes to Michel Legrand mark the composer's passing".Rte.ie.26 January 2019.
  7. ^"Oscar-winning 'Umbrellas of Cherbourg' composer Legrand dies".Ctvnews.ca.26 January 2019.
  8. ^ab"Oscar-winning composer Michel Legrand dies aged 86 | DW | 26.01.2019".Deutsche Welle.
  9. ^ab"Michel Legrand, Oscar-winning composer, dies aged 86".The Guardian.Agence France-Presse. 26 January 2019.
  10. ^abBurlingame, Jon (26 January 2019)."Michel Legrand, Oscar-Winning Composer, Dies at 86".Variety.
  11. ^"Band of the Week: Beach House".Archived fromthe originalon 7 June 2008.
  12. ^Anderson, John (26 January 2019)."Michel Legrand, Pianist and Film Composer, Dies at 86".The New York Times.
  13. ^"Mort de Michel Legrand: Le compositeur était hospitalisé, son état s'est « subitement dégradé".La Voix du Nord.fr(in French). 28 January 2019.Retrieved8 February2019.
  14. ^"Michel Legrand: Macha Méril raconte en larmes les derniers instants de son mari (VIDEO)".programme-tv.net.30 January 2019.Retrieved8 February2019.
  15. ^ICI.Radio-Canada.ca, Zone Arts- (28 January 2019)."Les funérailles de Michel Legrand seront célébrées vendredi à Paris".Radio-Canada.ca.
  16. ^"Stars flock to funeral of legendary film composer Legrand".The Jakarta Post.
  17. ^"Michel Legrand, Oscar-winning composer, dies aged 86".The Guardian.Agence France-Presse. 26 January 2019.
  18. ^"THEATER REVIEW; A French Milquetoast's Talent Lights the Fuse of Mischief".The New York Times.21 October 2002.
  19. ^"Opening Night of Legrand's Amour".Broadway.com.
  20. ^abPeikert, Mark (26 January 2019)."Amour and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg Composer Michel Legrand Dead at 86".Playbill.com.
  21. ^Gans, Andrew (18 October 2011)."It's a 'Legrand Affair' for Melissa Errico: New CD Due in Stores Oct. 18; Plus EXCLUSIVE Video".Tlaybill.com.Archived fromthe originalon 19 August 2013.
  22. ^"New Musical From 'Les Miz' Team".The New York Times.10 July 2007.
  23. ^ab"Legrand Awards",AllMovie.com, retrieved 30 January 2019
  24. ^ab"1965 Academy Awards",Infoplease.com, retrieved 29 January 2019
  25. ^abc"1968 Academy Awards",Infoplease.com, retrieved 29 January 2019
  26. ^"'Pieces of Dreams' Awards",Tcm.com, retrieved 30 January 2019
  27. ^ab"'The Thomas Crown Affair' Golden Globe Winners and Nominees",Goldenglobes.com, retrieved 30 January 2019
  28. ^ab"'Yentl' Golden Globe Winners and Nominees"goldenglobes.com, retrieved 30 January 2019
  29. ^"Michel Legrand Grammy wards",Grammy.com, retrieved 29 January 2019
  30. ^"With Michel Legrand - Sarah Vaughan - Awards".AllMusic.Retrieved26 January2019.
  31. ^"Other Grammy Nominees"Los Angeles Times,10 January 1991
  32. ^Staff."Grammy Nominations List, page 3"Variety,5 January 1999
  33. ^abAmourPlaybill (vault), retrieved 29 January 2019
  34. ^"34th Emmy Awards-Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Limited Series or Special (Dramatic Underscore) - 1982",Emmys.com, retrieved 29 January 2019
  35. ^"'Dingo' Miscellaneous Notes",Tcm.com, retrieved 30 January 2019
  36. ^fr:Le Passe-muraille
  37. ^Sommer, Elyse."Review, 'Amour'",Curtainup.com, 24 October 2002
  38. ^"Awards List",Legrandofficial.com
  39. ^"ASCAP Henry Mancini Award",Ascap.com, retrieved 30 January 2019
  40. ^MPC·JPLThe International Astronomical Union Minor Planet Center (31201) Michellegrand = 1998 AT5 = 1999 KZ20 - Discovered at Caussols on 1998-01-08 by ODAS.
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