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Composer

 

Raymond Lévesque was a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet, and composer who was born on October 7, 1928, in Montreal, Quebec. He was the son of a working-class family and grew up in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve neighborhood of Montreal. Lévesque's father was a carpenter, and his mother was a homemaker. Lévesque's parents were both musically inclined, and they encouraged their son to pursue music from a young age. Lévesque began playing the piano at the age of six and started composing music when he was a teenager. He attended the École des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, where he studied music theory and composition. Lévesque was also interested in poetry and literature, and he began writing his own poems and lyrics. In the 1950s, Lévesque became involved in the Quebec independence movement, and his music and poetry reflected his political beliefs. He wrote songs that celebrated the French language and culture and called for Quebec's independence from Canada. Lévesque's music was popular among the Quebecois, and he became a prominent figure in the province's cultural scene. Lévesque's most famous composition is "Quand les hommes vivront d'amour" ("When Men Live by Love"), which he wrote in 1956. The song became an anthem for the Quebec independence movement and has been covered by numerous artists over the years. Lévesque also wrote the music for the film "Les Raquetteurs" ("The Snowshoers"), which won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1958. In addition to his music, Lévesque was also a prolific writer. He published several collections of poetry, including "La Vie en mauve" ("Life in Purple") and "Le Temps des amours" ("The Time of Love"). Lévesque also wrote plays and screenplays, including "Les Enfants Terribles" ("The Terrible Children"), which was based on the novel by Jean Cocteau. Lévesque continued to write and perform music throughout his life, and he remained a prominent figure in the Quebec cultural scene until his death on February 15, 2020, at the age of 91. He was remembered as a passionate advocate for Quebec's independence and a talented composer and poet who left a lasting impact on Canadian culture.

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