Michel Legrand (1932- )
Michel
Legrand is a three times Academy Award-winning French composer,
conductor and pianist who composed over 200 film and television scores
as well as recorded over a hundred albums of jazz, popular and
classical music. Born in Becon-les-Bruyeres, in the Paris suburbs,
Legrand's father, Raymond Legrand, was a French composer and actor. His
mother, Marcelle der Mikaelian, was descended from the Armenian
bourgeousie. From 1942-49 Legrand studied piano at the Paris
Conservatoire. There his teachers were Nadia Boulanger and Henri
Challan, among other renown musicians. He received numerous awards for
his skills in composition and piano and mastered a dozen other
instruments. In 1947 he attended a concert by Dizzy Gillespie and
caught a jazz bug. He started working as a pianist for major French
singers. He eventually collaborated with Dizzy Gillespie on several
albums and film scores. In 1954 Legrand became an overnight star after
his album I
Love Paris
became a hit, selling over 8 million copies. In the late 1950s
and 60s Legrand was caught up in the French New Wave. He
scored
seven films for Jean-Luc Godard, ten with Jacques Demy, and
became
responsible for creating the genre of musical in the French Cinema. In
1963 Legrand composed the score for The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964),
the first film musical that was entirely sung. For that film score he
received three Oscar nominations. His beautiful, haunting
melody, I Will
Wait For You,
received nomination for Best Original Song. In 1966 Legrand decided to
take his chances in Hollywood, and moved to Los Angeles. His friendship
with Quincy Jones and Hank Mancini helped him a great deal, especially
in meeting the lyricists Alan and Marilyn Bergman. In 1969 Legrand won
his first Oscar for Best Music, Original Song for The Windmills of Your Mind
and was also nominated for Best Music, Original score for a Motion
Picture for The Thomas
Crown Affair (1968).
Eventually Legrand went on to become a star in the
US, receiving
twelve Academy Award nominations, and winning two more Oscars. He has
been nominated for 27 Grammys, and received 5 Grammys
in the
1970s. In the 1980s and 90s Legrand continued giving live
concerts
with his own jazz trio, and also led his big band which he
took on
several international tours, accompanying such stars as Ray Charles,
Diana Ross, Bjork, and Stephane Grappelli. He also recorded several
classical albums, including an album with cross-genre hits
entitled Kiri
Sings Michel Legrand
with the opera singer Kiri Te Kanawa. During the 2000s
Legrand worked mainly in the studio, and also made several
international tours. In 2005 a compilation of Legrand's best known film
soundtracks was released under the title Le Cinema de Michel Legrand,
featuring 90 songs composed in the course of his career.- Steve Shelokhonov/IMDb
COMPOSITIONS Legrand Links ~ ~ ~ Works by Genre
[under construction]
WORKS BY GENRE Legrand Links ~ top of page ~
[under construction]
Dramatic/Theater
Zizi (1964) [incidental music]
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) [text: Jacques Demy] [adapted for stage 1979; 2000; 2001; 2011]
Jarry sur la Butte, musical (1970) [libretto: Jean-Louis Barrault]
Brainchild, musical (1974) [lyrics: Hal David]
Monte Cristo, musical (1975) [lyrics: Eddy Marnay; adaptation: Jean Cosmos]
A Christmas Carol, musical (1981) [book and lyrics: Sheldon Harnick]
Le Passe-Muraille, musical (1997) [revised? as "Amour", 2002]
Amour, musical (2002) [libretto: Didier Van Cauwelaert] [originally "Le Passe-Muraille", 1997]
Les Demoiselles de Rochefort, musical (????) [text: Jacques Demy] [stage adaption: Alain Boublil, 2003]
Marguerite, musical (????) [text: Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg] [stage adaptation: Jonathan Kent, 2008]
Vocal
see the full list of Legrand's songs at Songwriters Hall of Fame
Film
Visages de Paris, documentary short film score (1955)
Maurice Chevalier's Paris, TV documentary film score (1957)
The Tricyclist, film score (1957)
L'américain se détend, short film score (1958)
Sinners of Paris, film score (1958)
America As Seen by a Frenchman, documentary film score (1960)
Wasteland, film score (1960)
Jack of Spades, film score (1960)
The Door Slams, film score (1960)
Les fiancés du pont Mac Donald ou (Méfiez-vous des lunettes noires), short film score (1961)
Lola, film score (1961)
Me faire ça à moi, film score (1961)
The Counterfeiters of Paris, film score (1961)
A Woman Is a Woman, film score (1961)
Le coeur battant, film score (1961)
Keep Talking, Baby, film score (1961)
A Swelled Head, film score (1962)
Les sept péchés capitaux, film score (1962) [segments "L'Envie"; "La Paresse"; "La Luxure"; "La Gourmandise"; "La Colère"]
Cleo from 5 to 7, film score (1962)
Comme un poisson dans l'eau, film score (1962)
Vivre Sa Vie, film score (1962)
Eva, film score (1962)
Le gentleman d'Epsom, film score (1962)
The Empire of Night, film score (1963)
Bay of Angels, film score (1963)
Love Is a Ball, film score (1963)
Le joli mai, documentary film score (1963)
Maigret voit rouge, film score (1963)
Soleil, documentary short film score (1964)
À propos d'une star, documentary short film score (1964)
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, film score (1964)
Agent 38-24-36, film score (1964)
The Lovers of the France, film score (1964)
Band of Outsiders, film score (1964)
Les plus belles escroqueries du monde, film score (1964) [segment: "Le Grand escroc"]
The Plastic Dome of Norma Jean, film score (1965)
Un coeur gros comme ça, documentary film score (1965)
Code Name: Jaguar, film score (1965)
When the Peasants Pass, film score (1965)
Derrière l'écran, TV series score (1966)
Le misanthrope, short film score (1966)
A Matter of Resistance, film score (1966)
Monnaie de singe, film score (1966)
L'or et le plomb, film score (1966)
Et la femme créa l'amour, film score (1966)
Tender Scoundrel, film score (1966)
Who Are You, Polly Magoo?, film score (1966)
The Young Girls of Rochefort, film score (1967)
The Oldest Profession, film score (1967)
A Matter of Innocence, film score (1967)
The Man in the Buick, film score (1968)
How to Save a Marriage and Ruin Your Life, film score (1968)
Sweet November, film score (1968)
The Thomas Crown Affair, film score (1968)
Ice Station Zebra, film score (1968)
Play Dirty, film score (1969)
The Picasso Summer, film score (1969)
The Swimming Pool, film score (1969)
Castle Keep, film score (1969)
A World in Music, TV special score (1969)
Call Me Mathilde, film score (1969)
The Happy Ending, film score (1969)
To Catch a Pebble, film score (1970)
Wuthering Heights, film score (1970)
Pieces of Dreams, film score (1970)
The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun, film score (1970)
Donkey Skin, film score (1970)
The Go-Between, film score (1970)
La vie sentimentale de Georges Le Tueur, short film score (1971)
Oum le dauphin blanc, TV series score (1971)
Les mariés de l'an deux, film score (1971)
Summer of '42, film score (1971)
Le Mans, film score (1971)
La ville-bidon, film score (1971)
Touch and Go, film score (1971)
A Few Hours of Sunlight, film score (1971)
Brian's Song, TV movie score (1971)
The Old Maid, film score (1972)
Hearth Fires, film score (1972)
Portnoy's Complaint, film score (1972)
Two Is a Happy Number, film score (1972)
Lady Sings the Blues, film score (1972)
Not Dumb, the Bird, film score (1972)
The Outside Man, film score (1972)
The Adventures of Don Quixote, TV film score (1973) [BBC Play of the Month
Le gang des otages, film score (1973)
Le temps de vivre, le temps d'aimer, TV mini-series score (1973)
The Nelson Affair, film score (1973)
Story of a Love Story, film score (1973)
40 Carats, film score (1973)
Cops and Robbers, film score (1973)
A Doll's House, film score (1973)
L'événement le plus important depuis que l'homme a marché sur la lune, film score (1973)
F for Fake, documentary film score (1973)
Breezy, film score (1973)
The Three Musketeers, film score (1973)
It's Good to Be Alive, TV movie film score (1974)
Our Time, film score (1974)
A Time for Loving, film score (1975)
Simon dans l'autobus, short film score (1975)
Cage Without a Key, TV movie score (1975)
Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York, film score (1976)
Le Sauvage, film score (1975)
Gable and Lombard, film score (1976)
The Honeymoon Trip, film score (1976)
Ode to Billy Joe, film score (1976)
The Smurfs and the Magic Flute, film score (1976)
Blind Sunday, TV series score (1976) [ABC Afterschool Specials]
Gulliver's Travels, film score (1977)
The Other Side of Midnight, film score (1977)
One Can Say It Without Getting Angry, film score (1978)
Michel's Mixed-Up Musical Bird, TV series score (1978) [ABC Afterschool Specials]
Roads to the South, film score (1978)
Once Upon a Time... Man, TV series score (1978)
Firebird: Daybreak Chapter, film score (1978)
Mon premier amour, film score (1978)
Je vous ferai aimer la vie, film score (1979)
Lady Oscar, film score (1979)
Les fabuleuses aventures du légendaire Baron de Munchausen, film score (1979)
The Hunter, film score (1980)
Atlantic City, film score (1980)
Falling in Love Again, film score (1981)
Les uns et les autres, TV mini-series score (1981)
Bolero, film score (1981)
Your Ticket Is No Longer Valid, film score (1981)
Friends of the Family, short film score (1982)
Bankers Also Have Souls, film score (1982)
A Woman Called Golda, TV movie score (1982)
Qu'est-ce qui fait courir David?, film score (1982)
Le rêve d'Icare, TV movie score (1982)
Slapstick (Of Another Kind), film score (1982)
Best Friends, film score (1983)
Il était une fois... l'espace, TV series score (1982)
A Film Is Born: The Making of 'Yentl', TV documentary short film score (1983)
Revenge of the Humanoids, film score (1983)
A Love in Germany, film score (1983)
Never Say Never Again, film score (1983)
Yentl, film score (1983)
Secret Places, film score (1984)
The Jesse Owens Story, TV movie film score (1984)
Paroles et musique, film score (1984)
Hell Train, film score (1985)
Palace, film score (1985)
Partir, revenir, film score (1985)
Parking, film score (1985)
Promises to Keep, TV movie score (1985)
You've Got Beautiful Stairs, You Know, short film score (1986)
Sins, TV mini-series score (1986) [episode #1.3
Crossings, TV mini-series score (1986)
As Summers Die, TV movie score (1986)
Casanova, TV movie score (1987)
Club de rencontres, film score (1987)
Spiral, film score (1987)
Children and the White Whale, TV movie score (1987)
Switching Channels, film score (1989)
Trois places pour le 26, film score (1989)
Un coupable, TV movie score (1988)
Cinq jours en juin, film score (1989)
The Jeweller's Shop, film score (1989)
Il était une fois... la vie, TV series score (1989)
Fate, film score (1990)
Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less, TV movie score (1990)
Flight from Paradise, film score (1990)
Eternity, film score (1990)
Gaspard et Robinson, film score (1990)
Mountain of Diamonds, TV movie score (1991)
Dingo, film score (1991)
Coup de foudre, TV series score (1992) [Masques de lune, 1992]
Il était une fois... les Amériques, TV series score (1992)
The Pickle, film score (1993)
Les demoiselles ont eu 25 ans, documentary film score (1993)
Il était une fois... les découvreurs, TV series, film score (1994)
Prêt-à-Porter, film score (1994)
L'univers de Jacques Demy, documentary film score (1995)
Les Misérables, film score (1995)
Les enfants de Lumière, film score (1995)
The Ring, TV movie score (1996)
Il était une fois... les explorateurs, TV series score (1996)
Madeline, film score (1998)
Doggy Bag, film score (1999)
La bûche, film score (1999)
The Blue Bicycle, TV mini-series score (2000)
Børne 1'eren, TV series score (2001)
And Now... Ladies and Gentlemen..., film score (2002)
Yantarnye krylya, film score (2003)
Léaud de Hurle-dents, documentary short film score (2004)
Cavalcade, film score (2005)
The Legend of Simon Conjurer, film score (2006)
Disco, film score (2008)
Oscar and the Lady in Pink, film score (2009)
Michel Legrand and Friends, TV movie score (2010)
Max Rose, film score (2012, in production)
Incidental Music
Zizi, musical (1964)
LEGRAND LINKS Works by Genre ~ top of page ~
[under construction]
Michel Legrand: Interview (David Jenkins, Time Out London)
Michel Legrand’s Never-ending Creation (rfi Music)
Portrait of the Film Composer Michel Legrand (Thomas Staedeli)
Composer's website . . . contact Michel Legrand: here
Legrand @ Wikipedia
Legrand @ Answers.com
Legrand @ BFI Screenonline
Legrand @ CITWF / Complete Index to World Film
Legrand @ Classical Archives
Legrand @ Classical Composers Database
Legrand @ Classical Net
Legrand @ ClassicsToday
Legrand @ The Dranoff Piano Foundation
Legrand @ Facebook (1)
Legrand @ Facebook/Official Fan Page
Legrand @ Fandango
Legrand @ Film Reference also here
Legrand @ Film Score Click Track
Legrand @ Film Score Monthly (via Google Advanced Search)
Legrand @ French Culture
Legrand @ IBDB (Internet Broadway Database)
Legrand @ IMDb (Internet Movie Database)
Legrand @ Infoplease
Legrand @ InstantEncore
Legrand @ mfiles
Legrand @ MSN Music
Legrand @ MusicWeb International
Legrand @ Naxos
Legrand @ The New York Times
Legrand @ The New York Times/movies
Legrand @ Rfi Music
Legrand @ Songwriters Hall of Fame
Legrand @ SoundtrackCollector
Legrand @ SoundtrackNet
Legrand @ SoundUnwound
Legrand @ Space Age Pop Music
Legrand @ Starpulse.com
Publisher
Legrand @ Composer's website
Streaming Audio
Legrand @ Classical Archives
Legrand @ last.fm
Legrand @ NPRmusic
Legrand @ PRX (Public Radio Exchange)
Legrand @ Rhapsody.com
Legrand @ SoundCloud
Recordings
Legrand @ Composer's website
Legrand @ Amazon.com
Legrand @ ArkivMusic
Legrand @ CD Universe
Legrand @ ClassicsOnline
Legrand @ Discogs
Video
Legrand @ YouTube
Legrand @ Google Video
Legrand @ Vimeo
~ top of page ~
Composer on Composer: Mario Pelchat & Michel Legrand (VIDEO)
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