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Paul Bonneau (14 September 1918 – 8 July 1995) was a French
conductor Conductor or conduction may refer to: Biology and medicine * Bone conduction, the conduction of sound to the inner ear * Conduction aphasia, a language disorder Mathematics * Conductor (ring theory) * Conductor of an abelian variety * Cond ...
,
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 ...
and arranger, whose career was mainly in the field of light music and films.


Career

Born in
Moret-sur-Loing Moret-sur-Loing (, literally ''Moret on Loing'') is a former commune in the Seine-et-Marne department located at the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is situated along the confluence of rivers Loing and Seine. Moret–Veneux- ...
in 1918, Paul Bonneau studied music at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris in the same class as
Maurice Baquet Maurice Louis Baquet (26 May 1911 – 8 July 2005) was a French actor and cellist. He was born in Villefranche-sur-Saône and died in Noisy-le-Grand.Henri Betti Henri Betti, born Ange Betti (24 July 1917 – 7 July 2005), was a French composer and a pianist. Pianist and composer of Maurice Chevalier from 1940 to 1945, Henri Betti is best known for composing the music of the songs '' C'est si bon'' (lyr ...
,
Henri Dutilleux Henri Paul Julien Dutilleux (; 22 January 1916 – 22 May 2013) was a French composer of late 20th-century classical music. Among the leading French composers of his time, his work was rooted in the Impressionistic style of Debussy and R ...
and
Louiguy Louis Guglielmi (3 April 1916 – 4 April 1991), known by his pen name Louiguy (), was a Spanish-born French people, French musician of Italian descent. He wrote the melody for Édith Piaf's lyrics of "La Vie en Rose" and the Latin jazz com ...
. He won the ''premier prix d'harmonie'' (1937) in the class of
Jean Gallon Jean Charles Claude Gallon (25 June 1878 – 23 June 1959) was a French composer, choir conductor, and music educator. His compositional output consists of six antiphons for strings and organ, one mass, one ballet, and several art songs. Biograph ...
, the ''premier prix de fugue'' (1942) in the class of Noël Gallon and the ''premier prix de composition'' (1945) in the class of Henri Büsser. In 1939, he was Army deputy chief of music and in 1945 was made director of music for the Republican Guard. He then became conductor of light orchestral music on national radio, a position he held for thirty years. His first radio broadcast was on 27 November 1944. Bonneau wrote the score for
Roland Petit Roland Petit (13 January 192410 July 2011) was a French ballet company director, choreographer and dancer. He trained at the Paris Opera Ballet school, and became well known for his creative ballets. Life and work The son of shoe designer Ro ...
's ballet ''Guernica'', premiered in 1945.Roland Petit va danser “Guernica”. ''Regards.'' 15 February 1945, p15. Over 30 years Paul Bonneau led 638 light music recording sessions, corresponding to more than 1,500 concerts broadcast on the national radio stations. In 1960, with the agreement of the RTF, he founded the vocal group '' Les Djinns'' who played and recorded 88 songs. Bonneau worked as a composer or as co-composer to 51 French films, and many short films too. His other compositions include: a Suite pour orchestre, ''Concerto pour saxophone et orchestre'', Suite pour saxophone et piano, ''Les Saisons'' for baritone and orchestra, ''Carillon de Westminster'', symphonic poem, Tantum Ergo for tenor, choir and organ,Dictionnaire des compositeurs contemporains. In: ''Almanach de la musique 1950'', ed Sarnette E. Editions de Flore & La Gazette des Lettres, Paris, 1950, p195. ''Ouverture pour un Drame'', ''Un Français à New York'' and a Rhapsody for piano and orchestra. He was also the composer of light orchestral music suites, many pieces for orchestra; he set to music ten fables of
Jean de La Fontaine Jean de La Fontaine (, ; ; 8 July 162113 April 1695) was a French Fable, fabulist and one of the most widely read French poets of the 17th century. He is known above all for his ''La Fontaine's Fables, Fables'', which provided a model for subs ...
, and composed of many light melodies and songs. He also wrote a large number of orchestral arrangements and vocal accompaniments for varieties. In operetta, he was the musical arranger and composer of ballets at the
Théâtre du Châtelet The Théâtre du Châtelet () is a theatre and opera house, located in the place du Châtelet in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France. One of two theatres (the other being the Théâtre de la Ville) built on the site of a ''châtelet'', a ...
. He also adapted the songs of
Jacques Offenbach Jacques Offenbach (; 20 June 18195 October 1880) was a German-born French composer, cellist and impresario. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s to the 1870s, and his uncompleted opera ''The Tales of Hoffmann''. He was a p ...
for the operetta ''Offenbach's Folies Parisiennes'' (1976). In collaboration with Jack Ledru, he was the composer of ''La Parisienne'' created in
Tours Tours ( ; ) is the largest city in the region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Indre-et-Loire. The Communes of France, commune of Tours had 136,463 inhabita ...
February 19, 1982. Bonneau made arrangements of many operettas, including ''Le Chanteur de Mexico'' (1951), ''La Toison d'Or'' and ''A la Jamaïque'' (1954), ''Méditerranée'' (1955), ''Rose de Noël'' and ''Le Secret de Marco-Polo'' (1959), ''Le Prince de Madrid'' (1967), '' L'Auberge du Cheval-Blanc'' (1968), ''
Gipsy {{Infobox ethnic group , group = Romani people , image = , image_caption = , flag = Roma flag.svg , flag_caption = Romani flag created in 1933 and accepted at the 1971 World Romani Congress , po ...
'' (1971), ''Les Trois Mousquetaires'' (1974) and ''Volga'' (1976).


Personal life

Paul Bonneau married the French pianist Jacqueline Robin on 22 January 1940 in
Évreux Évreux () is a commune in and the capital of the department of Eure, in the French region of Normandy. History Antiquity In late Antiquity, the town, attested in the fourth century AD, was named '' Mediolanum Aulercorum'', "the central town ...
. The couple had one child, and divorced in 1959.


Discography

*Audran - ''
La mascotte ''La mascotte'' (''The Mascot'') is a three-act opéra comique with music by Edmond Audran and words by Alfred Duru and Henri Chivot. The story concerns a farm girl who is a "mascotte": someone with the mystic power to bring good luck to all arou ...
'' (potpurri), with the Grand Orchestre de la Radio-Télé-Luxembourg (Anacrouse) *Chabrier - España, '' Joyeuse Marche'' - ''
Bourrée fantasque "Bourrée fantasque" is a piece of music for solo piano by Emmanuel Chabrier (1841–1894), being one of his last major completed works. Background "Bourrée fantasque" is dedicated to the pianist Édouard Risler (1873–1929), who in fact ...
'' - ''Suite Pastorale'', with the Orchestra of the
Théâtre des Champs-Élysées The Théâtre des Champs-Élysées () is an entertainment venue standing at 15 avenue Montaigne in Paris. It is situated near Avenue des Champs-Élysées, from which it takes its name. Its eponymous main hall may seat up to 1,905 people, while th ...
(World Record Club) *Dutilleux – '' Le Loup'' (ballet music), with the Orchestra of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées (Ducretet-Thomson) *Hahn - '' Ciboulette'' (abridged – 16 numbers), with Andrée Grandjean, Willy Clément, Michel Hamel, Françoise Ogéas, Choeurs and Orchestra of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées (1955, Ducretet-Thomson) *Ketèlbey - ''
In a Persian Market IN, In or in may refer to: Dans * India (country code IN) * Indiana, United States (postal code IN) * Ingolstadt, Germany (license plate code IN) * In, Russia, a town in the Jewish Autonomous Oblast Businesses and organizations * Independen ...
'' & '' In a Monastery Garden'', with Choeurs and orchestra of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées (1958, Ducretet-Thomson - Telefunken) *Messager - '' Isoline'' (ballet) and '' Les Deux Pigeons'' (suite from the ballet), with the orchestra of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées (1954, Ducretet-Thomson) *Offenbach – fantasies on ''
La Périchole ''La Périchole'' () is an opéra bouffe in three acts with music by Jacques Offenbach and words by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. The opera depicts the mutual love of two impoverished Peruvian street singers – too poor to afford a marriage ...
'' and '' La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein'', with the orchestra of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées (1957, EMI) * Van Parys & Parès - ''Le Moulin Sans-Souci'', with Janine Micheau, Liliane Berton, Colette Herent,
Michel Dens Michel Dens (22 June 1911 in Roubaix – 19 December 2000 in Paris) was a French baritone, particularly associated with the French repertory, both opera and operetta. Born Maurice Marcel, the son of a journalist, he studied at the Academy of ...
, the Choeur René Duclos and
Colonne Orchestra The Colonne Orchestra is a French symphony orchestra, founded in 1873 by the violinist and conductor Édouard Colonne. History While leader of the Opéra de Paris orchestra, Édouard Colonne was engaged by the publisher Georges Hartmann to lead ...
(1958, EMI) *He conducted the New Symphony Orchestra of London, with Gérard Souzay, in a recital of excerpts from operas by Rameau (''
Les Indes galantes is a ''ballet héroïque'', a type of Baroque music#Late baroque music (1680–1750), French Baroque opera-ballet, by Jean-Philippe Rameau with a libretto by Louis Fuzelier. In its final form it comprised an allegory, allegorical prologue and fou ...
''), Berlioz (''
La Damnation de Faust ''La Damnation de Faust'' (English: ''The Damnation of Faust''), Op. 24 is a French musical composition for four solo voices, full seven-part chorus, large children's chorus and orchestra by the French composer Hector Berlioz. He called it a ' ...
''), Gounod (''
Faust Faust ( , ) is the protagonist of a classic German folklore, German legend based on the historical Johann Georg Faust (). The erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a deal with the Devil at a ...
'', '' Philémon et Baucis'' and ''
Roméo et Juliette ''Roméo et Juliette'' (, ''Romeo and Juliet'') is an opera in five acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré, based on ''Romeo and Juliet'' by William Shakespeare. It was first performed at the Théâtre Ly ...
''), Bizet (''
La Jolie fille de Perth ''La jolie fille de Perth'' (''The Fair Maid of Perth'') is an opera in four acts by Georges Bizet (1838–1875), from a libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Jules Adenis, after the 1828 novel ''The Fair Maid of Perth'' by Sir W ...
'' and ''
Les Pêcheurs de perles ' (, ''The Pearl Fishers'') is an opera in three acts by the French composer Georges Bizet, to a libretto by Eugène Cormon and Michel Carré. It was premiered on 30 September 1863 at the Théâtre Lyrique in Paris, and was given 18 performan ...
''), Chabrier (''
Le Roi malgré lui ''Le roi malgré lui'' (''The King in Spite of Himself'' or ''The Reluctant King'') is an opéra-comique in three acts by Emmanuel Chabrier of 1887 with an original libretto by Emile de Najac and Paul Burani. The opera is revived occasionally, b ...
''), Massenet ('' Le Jongleur de Notre-Dame'') and Offenbach ('' Les Contes d’Hoffmann'') - Decca, 1956
Kingsway Hall The Kingsway Hall in Holborn, London, was the base of the West London Mission (WLM) of the Methodist Church, and eventually became one of the most important recording venues for classical music and film music. It was built in 1912 and demolish ...
London


Filmography

* 1949 : '' Le Silence de la mer'' (conductor of the Colonne orchestra) * 1950 : '' Les Enfants Terribles'' (conductor) * 1951 : ''
The Prettiest Sin in the World ''The Prettiest Sin in the World'' (French: ''Le plus joli péché du monde'') is a 1951 French romantic comedy film directed by Gilles Grangier and starring Georges Marchal, Dany Robin and Marthe Mercadier.Rège p.462 The film's sets were design ...
'' (composer) * 1953 : '' La Loterie du bonheur'' (composer) * 1953 : '' Moineaux de Paris'' (composer) * 1956 : ''
Pity for the Vamps ''Pity for the Vamps'' (French: ''Pitié pour les vamps'') is a 1956 French drama film directed by Jean Josipovici and starring Viviane Romance, Geneviève Kervine and Yves Vincent.Rège p.541 Cast * Viviane Romance as Flora Davis * Genevi ...
'' (composer) * 1957 : ''L'Auberge en folie'' (co-composer) * 1957 : ''Adorables Démons'' (composer) * 1958 : ''En légitime défense'' (composer) * 1958 : ''La Fille de feu'' (composer) * 1959 : '' Deux hommes dans Manhattan'' (conductor) * 1959 : ''Visa pour l'enfer'' (composer) * 1961 : ''
Napoléon II, l'aiglon ''Napoleon II, the Eaglet'' (French: ''Napoléon II, l'Aiglon)'' is a 1961 French language, French historical film, historical drama film directed by Claude Boissol and starring Bernard Verley, Jean Marais and Danièle Gaubert. The scenario was w ...
'' (co-composer)


References


External links


Paul Bonneau
at the '' BnF''
Paul Bonneau
at the ''
Discogs Discogs ( ; short for " discographies") is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. Database contents are user-generated, and described in ''T ...
''
France musique (radio listing) - Etonnez-moi Benoît: Paul Bonneau, chef d’orchestre, raconté par son fils Christian Bonneau compositeur-arrangeur

Paul Bonneau
at the ''
Unifrance Unifrance is an organization for promoting French films in France and abroad. It is managed by the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée. It has several hundred members who include filmmakers, directors, screenwriters and agents. Fou ...
''
Paul Bonneau
at the ''Les Archives du Spectacle''
Paul Bonneau
on ''
Ciné-Ressources ''Ciné-Ressources'' is a union catalogue of the libraries and archives of French cinema, created on 22 August 2007 and managed by the Cinémathèque française. Initiated by the in collaboration with the , it provides access to more than 200,0 ...
'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Bonneau, Paul 1918 births 1995 deaths 20th-century French conductors (music) 20th-century French composers French male conductors (music) French film score composers French operetta composers French male film score composers Musicians from Seine-et-Marne 20th-century French male musicians