Michel Jean Legrand (; 24 February 1932 – 26 January 2019) was a French musical

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Def ...

, arranger, conductor, and

jazz pianist Jazz piano is a collective term for the techniques pianists use when playing jazz. The piano has been an integral part of the jazz idiom since its inception, in both solo and ensemble settings. Its role is multifaceted due largely to the instru ...

. Legrand was a prolific composer, having written over 200 film and television scores, in addition to many songs. His scores for two of the films of

French New Wave French New Wave (french: La Nouvelle Vague) is a French art film movement that emerged in the late 1950s. The movement was characterized by its rejection of traditional filmmaking conventions in favor of experimentation and a spirit of iconocla ...

director

Jacques Demy Jacques Demy (; 5 June 1931 – 27 October 1990) was a French director, lyricist, and screenwriter. He appeared at the height of the French New Wave alongside contemporaries like Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut. Demy's films are celebra ...

, ''

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg ''The Umbrellas of Cherbourg'' (french: Les Parapluies de Cherbourg) is a 1964 musical romantic drama film written and directed by Jacques Demy, with music and lyrics by Michel Legrand. Catherine Deneuve and Nino Castelnuovo star as two youn ...

'' (1964) and '' The Young Girls of Rochefort'' (1967), earned Legrand his first

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

nominations. Legrand won his first Oscar for the song " The Windmills of Your Mind" from '' The Thomas Crown Affair'' (1968), and additional Oscars for ''

Summer of '42 ''Summer of '42'' is a 1971 American coming-of-age film based on the memoirs of screenwriter Herman "Hermie" Raucher. It tells the story of how Raucher, in his early teens on his 1942 summer vacation on Nantucket Island (off the coast of Cape ...

'' (1971) and

Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...

's '' Yentl'' (1983).

Life and career

Legrand was born in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

to his father,

Raymond Legrand Raymond Paul Legrand (May 23, 1908 in Paris – November 25, 1974 in Montreal) was a French composer and conductor. Career Legrand studied harmony and orchestration as a pupil of Gabriel Faure. In the realms of jazz and light music, he made arra ...

, who was himself a conductor and composer, and his mother, Marcelle Ter-Mikaëlian, who was the sister of conductor Jacques Hélian. Raymond and Marcelle were married in 1929. His maternal grandfather was Armenian. Legrand composed more than two hundred film and television scores. He won three

Oscars The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

and five

Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

s. He studied music at the

Conservatoire de Paris The Conservatoire de Paris (), also known as the Paris Conservatory, is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. Officially known as the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP), it is situated in the avenue ...

from age 11, working with, among others,

Nadia Boulanger Juliette Nadia Boulanger (; 16 September 188722 October 1979) was a French music teacher and conductor. She taught many of the leading composers and musicians of the 20th century, and also performed occasionally as a pianist and organist. From a ...

and graduated with top honors as both a composer and a pianist. He burst upon the international music scene at 22 when his album ''

I Love Paris "I Love Paris" is a popular song written by Cole Porter and published in 1953. The song was introduced by Lilo in the musical '' Can-Can''. A line in the song's lyrics inspired the title of the 1964 movie '' Paris When It Sizzles''. Notable re ...

'' became a surprise hit. He established his name in the United States by working with such jazz stars as

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...

and

Stan Getz Stanley Getz (February 2, 1927 – June 6, 1991) was an American jazz saxophonist. Playing primarily the tenor saxophone, Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, with his prime influence being the wispy, mellow timbre ...

. His sister

Christiane Legrand Christiane Legrand (21 August 1930 – 1 November 2011) was a French soprano. Biography Legrand was born in Paris. Her father Raymond Legrand was a conductor and composer renowned for hits such as ''Irma la douce'', and her mother was Mar ...

was a member of The Swingle Singers and his niece Victoria Legrand is a member of the

dream pop Dream pop (also typeset as dreampop) is a subgenre of alternative rock and neo-psychedelia that emphasizes atmosphere and sonic texture as much as pop melody. Common characteristics include breathy vocals, dense productions, and effects such as ...

band

Beach House Beach House is an American musical duo formed in Baltimore, Maryland in 2004. The band consists of Victoria Legrand (vocals, keyboards) and Alex Scally (guitar, keyboard, backing vocals). Their self-titled debut album was released in 2006 t ...

. Legrand composed music for

's films ''

'' (1964) and '' The Young Girls of Rochefort'' (1967), and appeared and performed in

Agnès Varda Agnès Varda (; born Arlette Varda; 30 May 1928 – 29 March 2019) was a Belgian-born French film director, screenwriter, photographer, and artist. Her pioneering work was central to the development of the widely influential French New Wave film ...

's ''

Cléo from 5 to 7 ''Cléo from 5 to 7'' (french: Cléo de 5 à 7 ) is a 1962 French New Wave film written and directed by Agnès Varda. The film follows a young singer, Florence "Cléo" Victoire, from 5 p.m. on June 21, until 6:30 p.m. as she waits to hea ...

'' (1961). He also composed music for

Joseph Losey Joseph Walton Losey III (; January 14, 1909 – June 22, 1984) was an American theatre and film director, producer, and screenwriter. Born in Wisconsin, he studied in Germany with Bertolt Brecht and then returned to the United States. Blacklisted ...

's '' Eva'' (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), ''

'' (1971),

Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western TV series '' Rawhide'', he rose to international fame with his role as the " Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's "'' Do ...

's ''

Breezy ''Breezy'' is a 1973 American romantic drama film directed by Clint Eastwood, produced by Robert Daley, and written by Jo Heims. The film stars William Holden and Kay Lenz, with Roger C. Carmel, Marj Dusay, and Joan Hotchkis in supporting roles ...

'' (1973), ''

The Three Musketeers ''The Three Musketeers'' (french: Les Trois Mousquetaires, links=no, ) is a French historical adventure novel written in 1844 by French author Alexandre Dumas. It is in the swashbuckler genre, which has heroic, chivalrous swordsmen who fight f ...

'' (1973),

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...

's last-completed film '' F for Fake'' (1974) and would later compose the score for Welles's posthumously-released movie ''

The Other Side of the Wind ''The Other Side of the Wind'' is a 2018 satirical drama film, directed, co-written, co-produced and co-edited by Orson Welles, and posthumously released in 2018 after forty-eight years in development. The film stars John Huston, Bob Random, P ...

'' (2018). He also composed the score for '' Yentl'' (1983), as well as the film score for

Louis Malle Louis Marie Malle (; 30 October 1932 – 23 November 1995) was a French film director, screenwriter, and producer who worked in both French cinema and Hollywood. Described as "eclectic" and "a filmmaker difficult to pin down," Malle's filmogr ...

's film ''

Atlantic City Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.

'' (1980). His instrumental version of the theme from ''

Brian's Song ''Brian's Song'' is a 1971 ABC Movie of the Week that recounts the life of Brian Piccolo (James Caan), a Chicago Bears football player stricken with terminal cancer after turning pro in 1965, told through his friendship with teammate Gale Sayer ...

'' charted 56th in 1972 on the ''Billboard'''s pop chart. Legrand died of

sepsis Sepsis, formerly known as septicemia (septicaemia in British English) or blood poisoning, is a life-threatening condition that arises when the body's response to infection causes injury to its own tissues and organs. This initial stage is follo ...

, during the night of 25–26 January 2019, at the

American Hospital of Paris The American Hospital of Paris (''Hôpital américain de Paris''), founded in 1906, is a private, not-for-profit hospital that is certified under the French healthcare system. Located in Neuilly-sur-Seine, in the western suburbs of Paris, France ...

Neuilly-sur-Seine Neuilly-sur-Seine (; literally 'Neuilly on Seine'), also known simply as Neuilly, is a commune in the department of Hauts-de-Seine in France, just west of Paris. Immediately adjacent to the city, the area is composed of mostly select residentia ...

, where he had been hospitalized for two weeks for a

pulmonary infection Lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) is a term often used as a synonym for pneumonia but can also be applied to other types of infection including lung abscess and acute bronchitis. Symptoms include shortness of breath, weakness, fever, cough ...

. His funeral was held in Paris at the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral on 1 February 2019. He was interred at the

Père Lachaise Cemetery Père Lachaise Cemetery (french: Cimetière du Père-Lachaise ; formerly , "East Cemetery") is the largest cemetery in Paris, France (). With more than 3.5 million visitors annually, it is the most visited necropolis in the world. Notable figure ...

. He remained active until his death and had concerts scheduled to take place in the spring.

Musical theatre

In 1997, Legrand composed the score for the musical '' Le Passe-muraille'', with a book by

Didier Van Cauwelaert Didier Van Cauwelaert (born 29 July 1960) is a French author of Belgian descent who was born in Nice. In 1994 his novel '' Un Aller simple'' won the Prix Goncourt. In 1997 he was awarded the Grand prix du théâtre de l’Académie française. ...

. It premiered on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

in 2002 as '' Amour'' and was translated into English by

Jeremy Sams Jeremy Sams (born 12 January 1957) is a British theatre director, writer, translator, orchestrator, musical director, film composer, and lyricist. Early life and education Sams is the son of the late Shakespearean scholar and musicologist Eri ...

and was directed by

James Lapine James Elliot Lapine (born January 10, 1949) is an American stage director, playwright, screenwriter, and librettist. He has won the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical three times, for ''Into the Woods'', '' Falsettos'', and '' Passion''. He ...

. This musical was his Broadway debut and he was nominated for a

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

in 2003 for Best Score. Later he recorded '' Legrand Affair'' with

Melissa Errico Melissa Errico (born March 23, 1970)"Melissa Errico"
profile,

, a 100-piece symphony orchestra that included songs with lyrics by

Alan and Marilyn Bergman Alan Bergman (born September 11, 1925) and Marilyn Keith Bergman (November 10, 1928 – January 8, 2022) were an American songwriting duo. Married from 1958 until Marilyn's death, together they wrote music and lyrics for numerous celebrated telev ...

. The world premiere of the new musical '' Marguerite'' from

Alain Boublil Alain Boublil (born 5 March 1941) is a French musical theatre lyricist and librettist, best known for his collaborations with the composer Claude-Michel Schönberg for musicals on Broadway and London's West End. These include ''La Révolution ...

and

Claude-Michel Schönberg Claude-Michel Schönberg (born 6 July 1944, in Vannes) is a French record producer, actor, singer, songwriter, and musical theatre composer, best known for his collaborations with lyricist Alain Boublil. Major works include ''La Révolution Fran� ...

, the creators of ''

Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...

'' and ''

Miss Saigon ''Miss Saigon'' is a stage musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's 1904 opera ''Madame Butterfly'', and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed rom ...

'', included music by Michel Legrand and lyrics by

Herbert Kretzmer Herbert Kretzmer (5 October 192514 October 2020) was a South African-born English journalist and lyricist. He was best known as the lyricist for the English-language musical adaptation of ''Les Misérables'' and for his long-time collaboration ...

. ''Marguerite'' is set during World War II in occupied Paris, and was inspired by the romantic novel ''

La Dame aux Camélias LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...

'' by

Alexandre Dumas fils Alexandre Dumas (; 27 July 1824 – 27 November 1895) was a French author and playwright, best known for the romantic novel '' La Dame aux Camélias'' (''The Lady of the Camellias''), published in 1848, which was adapted into Giuseppe Verdi's ...

. It premiered in May 2008 at the

Haymarket Theatre The Theatre Royal Haymarket (also known as Haymarket Theatre or the Little Theatre) is a West End theatre on Haymarket, London, Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in ...

, London and was directed by Jonathan Kent.

Discography

Awards

Legrand has won three

(from 13 nominations), five

s, and was nominated for an

Emmy The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

. His first Academy Award win was in 1969 for the song "The Windmills of Your Mind", followed with the Academy Award for his music for ''Summer of ’42'' in 1972 and for ''Yentl'' in 1984. Following are a selection of the awards and nominations with which Legrand's works have been honored:

Academy Award awards and nominations

Source:

AllMovie AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne. History AllMovie was founded by popular-cul ...

"Legrand Awards"
AllMovie.com, retrieved 30 January 2019 * Best Original Score, Substantially Original Score: ''

'' (1965) - nominated"1965 Academy Awards"
Infoplease.com, retrieved 29 January 2019 * Best Original Score for a Motion Picture (not a Musical): '' The Thomas Crown Affair'' (1968) - nominated"1968 Academy Awards"
Infoplease.com, retrieved 29 January 2019 * Best Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Best Adaptation Score: '' The Young Girls of Rochefort'' (1968) - nominated * Best Original Dramatic Score: ''

'' (1971) - won * Best Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Best Adaptation Score: '' Yentl'' (1983) - won * Best Original Song: ** " I Will Wait for You" from ''The Umbrellas of Cherbourg'' (1965) - nominated ** " The Windmills of Your Mind" from ''The Thomas Crown Affair'' (1968) - won ** "

What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life? "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" is a song with lyrics written by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman and original music written by Michel Legrand for the 1969 film ''The Happy Ending''. The song was nominated for an Academy Award for Bes ...

" from ''

The Happy Ending ''The Happy Ending'' is a 1969 drama film written and directed by Richard Brooks, which tells the story of a repressed housewife who longs for liberation from her husband and daughter. It stars Jean Simmons (who received an Oscar nomination), J ...

'' (1969) - nominated ** " Pieces of Dreams" from '' Pieces of Dreams'' (1970) - nominated ** "

How Do You Keep the Music Playing? "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" is a song composed by Michel Legrand, with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman for the 1982 film '' Best Friends'', where it was introduced by James Ingram and Patti Austin. The Austin/Ingram version became a si ...

" from ''Best Friends'' (1982) - nominated ** "

Papa, Can You Hear Me? "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" is a 1983 song composed by Michel Legrand with lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman, for Barbra Streisand in the title role of '' Yentl''. The song was nominated for Best Original Song at the 56th Academy Awards ...

" from ''Yentl'' (1983) - nominated **" The Way He Makes Me Feel" from ''Yentl'' (1983) - nominated

Golden Globe awards and nominations

Source: All Movie * Original Score: ** '' The Thomas Crown Affair'' (1968)" 'The Thomas Crown Affair' Golden Globe Winners and Nominees"
Goldenglobes.com, retrieved 30 January 2019 ** ''The Happy Ending'' (1969) ** ''

Wuthering Heights ''Wuthering Heights'' is an 1847 novel by Emily Brontë, initially published under her pen name Ellis Bell. It concerns two families of the landed gentry living on the West Yorkshire moors, the Earnshaws and the Lintons, and their turbulent re ...

'' (1970) ** ''Le Mans'' (1971) ** ''Summer of '42'' (1971) ** ''Lady Sings the Blues'' (1972) ** ''Breezy'' (1973) ** ''Yentl'' (1983)" 'Yentl' Golden Globe Winners and Nominees"
goldenglobes.com, retrieved 30 January 2019 * Original Song: ** " The Windmills of Your Mind" from '' The Thomas Crown Affair'' (1968) (won) ** "What are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" from ''The Happy Ending'' (1969) ** "Pieces of Dreams" from ''Pieces of Dreams'' (1970) ** "Breezy's Song" from ''Breezy'' (1973) ** "Yesterday's Dreams" from '' Falling in Love Again'' (1980) ** "The Way He Makes Me Feel" from ''Yentl'' (1983)

Grammy Award awards and nominations

Source: Grammy.com *Best Instrumental Composition: " Theme from ''Summer 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: ''

'' (

Sarah Vaughan Sarah Lois Vaughan (March 27, 1924 – April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer. Nicknamed "Sassy" and " The Divine One", she won two Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, and was nominated for a total of nine Grammy Award ...

) (1972) - win * Song of the year: "The Summer Knows" from ''Summer of '42'' (1972) - nomination * Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s): "The Summer Knows" (1972) - nomination * Best instrumental composition: "Brian's Song" V(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'' (

) (1984) - nomination *Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocals: "Nature Boy" (track from "Unforgettable") (1991) - nomination *Best Instrumental Arrangement: "Where Or When" (Track from: "Happy Radio Days", Erato Records) (1998) - nomination

Theatre nominations

for Best Original Score: '' Amour'' (2002)''Amour''
Playbill (vault), retrieved 29 January 2019 *

Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. F ...

for Outstanding Music and Outstanding Orchestrations: ''Amour'' (2002)

Emmy Award nominations

* Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Limited Series or a Special (Dramatic Underscore): ''A Woman Called Golda'' V(1982)

Fennecus nominations

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

Apex nominations

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

Australian Film Institute The Australian Film Institute (AFI) was founded in 1958 as a non-profit organisation devoted to developing an active film culture in Australia and fostering engagement between the general public and the Australian film industry. It is responsib ...
Award

* Best Original Music Score: ''

Dingo The dingo (''Canis familiaris'', ''Canis familiaris dingo'', ''Canis dingo'', or ''Canis lupus dingo'') is an ancient ( basal) lineage of dog found in Australia. Its taxonomic classification is debated as indicated by the variety of scienti ...

'' (1991) win

Prix Moliere Award

* Best musical (1997): ''Le Passe-Muraille'' (French stage version of ''Amour'')

ASCAP

* Henry Mancini Award, awarded by

ASCAP The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...

, for ''Le Passe-Muraille'' (1998)

Golden Eagle Award

* Golden Eagle Award: Outstanding contribution to world cinema (2002)

Others

* In 2018, asteroid 31201 Michellegrand was named in his honour.

Documentary

"Michel Legrand, let the music play", directed by Gregory Monro in 2018

References

External links

Michel Legrand
at the

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

* *
Interview with Michel Legrand at the Press Launch for Margeruite in London UK
{{DEFAULTSORT:Legrand, Michel 1932 births 2019 deaths 20th-century French conductors (music) 20th-century French male musicians 21st-century French conductors (music) 21st-century French male musicians Best Original Music Score Academy Award winners Best Original Music BAFTA Award winners Best Original Song Academy Award-winning songwriters Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery Broadway composers and lyricists Columbia Records artists Conservatoire de Paris alumni Deaths from sepsis Easy listening musicians French expatriates in the United States French film score composers French jazz composers French jazz pianists French male conductors (music) French male film score composers French male pianists French music arrangers French musical theatre composers French people of Armenian descent Golden Globe Award-winning musicians Grammy Award winners Jazz arrangers Male jazz composers Male jazz pianists Male musical theatre composers Musicians from Paris Philips Records artists Prix Benois de la Danse winners RCA Victor artists