Role

:

Composer Conductor  

Country

:

France

Birth

:

February 24, 1932 in Paris, France

Death

:

January 26, 2019 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France

 

Michel Legrand was a French composer, arranger, and conductor who was born on February 24, 1932, in the Parisian suburb of Bécon-les-Bruyères. He was the son of Raymond Legrand, a composer and conductor, and Marcelle Der Mikaëlian, a pianist. Michel Legrand grew up in a musical family and began playing the piano at a young age. He was also exposed to jazz music through his father, who was a fan of American jazz musicians such as Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. At the age of 22, Michel Legrand began his career as a composer and arranger for French singers such as Édith Piaf and Yves Montand. He also worked as a conductor for French television and film. In the 1960s, he began to gain international recognition for his work in film music. He composed the score for the French film "Les Parapluies de Cherbourg" (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg) in 1964, which won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Score. Legrand's success in film music continued throughout the 1960s and 1970s. He composed the scores for several Hollywood films, including "The Thomas Crown Affair" (1968), "Summer of '42" (1971), and "Yentl" (1983). He also worked with prominent directors such as Norman Jewison, Jacques Demy, and Jean-Luc Godard. In addition to his work in film music, Michel Legrand was also a prolific composer of jazz music. He recorded several albums as a jazz pianist and worked with jazz musicians such as Miles Davis, Stan Getz, and Sarah Vaughan. He also composed jazz-influenced works for orchestra, such as his "Concerto for Jazz Band and Orchestra" (1970). Throughout his career, Michel Legrand received numerous awards and honors for his work in music. He won three Academy Awards for Best Original Score, for "The Thomas Crown Affair" (1968), "Summer of '42" (1971), and "Yentl" (1983). He also won five Grammy Awards, including one for his jazz album "Legrand Jazz" (1958). In 2002, he was awarded the National Order of the Legion of Honour, the highest decoration in France. Michel Legrand continued to compose and perform music until his death on January 26, 2019, at the age of 86. He left behind a legacy of memorable film scores, jazz compositions, and orchestral works that continue to be celebrated by music lovers around the world.

More....