Michel Legrand
Michel Jean Legrand (24 February 1932 – 26 January 2019) was a French musical composer, arranger, conductor, and jazz pianist. Legrand was a prolific composer, having written over 200 film and television scores, in addition to many songs. His scores for the films of French New Wave director Jacques Demy, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) and The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967), earned Legrand his first Academy Award nominations. Legrand won his first Oscar for the song "The Windmills of Your Mind" from The Thomas Crown Affair (1968). Legrand was born in Paris to his father, Raymond Legrand, 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 and five Grammys. He studied music at the Conservatoire de Paris from age 11, working with, among others, Nadia Boulanger 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 (album) became a surprise hit. He established his name in the United States by working with such jazz stars as Miles Davis and Stan Getz. His sister Christiane Legrand was a member of The Swingle Singers and his niece Victoria Legrand is a member of the dream pop band Beach House. Legrand composed music for Jacques Demy's films The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) and The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967), and appeared and performed in Agnès Varda's Cléo from 5 to 7 (1961). He also composed music for Joseph Losey'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), Summer of '42 (1971), Clint Eastwood's Breezy (1973), The Three Musketeers (1973), Orson Welles'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 (2018). He also composed the score for Yentl (1983), as well as the film score for Louis Malle's film Atlantic City (1980). His instrumental version of the theme from Brian's Song charted 56th in 1972 on the Billboard's pop chart. Legrand died of sepsis, during the night of 25–26 January 2019, at the American Hospital of Paris in Neuilly-sur-Seine, where he had been hospitalized for two weeks for a pulmonary infection. His funeral was held in Paris at the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral on 1 February 2019. He was interred at the Père Lachaise Cemetery. He remained active until his death and had concerts scheduled to take place in the spring. In 1997, Legrand composed the score for the musical Le Passe-muraille, with a book by Didier Van Cauwelaert. It premiered on Broadway in 2002 as Amour and was translated into English by Jeremy Sams and was directed by James Lapine. This musical was his Broadway debut and he was nominated for a Tony Award in 2003 for Best Score. Later he recorded Legrand Affair with Melissa Errico, a 100-piece symphony orchestra that included songs with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman. ... Source: Article "Michel Legrand" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
Known for
SoundBirthday
February 24, 1932Deathday
January 26, 2019Gender
MaleKnown Movie Credits
180Place of birth
Bécon-les-Bruyères, Paris, FranceAlso known as
Michel Jean LegrandCast credits
The World of Jacques Demy
SelfThe Young Girls Turn 25
SelfCléo from 5 to 7
Bob, the PianistA Time for Loving
GrondinLove Lasts Three Years
Michel LegrandCallas Assoluta
Self (archive footage)Michel Legrand, sans demi-mesure
SelfLa La La
Self - Music ComposerThe Umbrellas of Cherbourg
Jean (singing voice) (uncredited)Once Upon a Time... The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
SelfFrançoise Dorléac, une promesse
SelfHommage à Michel Legrand et Jacques Demy au festival Sœurs Jumelles
Self (archive footage)Her Last Christmas
Le chef d'orchestre (uncredited)Dans les pas de Jean-Paul Rappeneau
SelfA Final Cut for Orson: 40 Years in the Making
Self - ComposerL’or et le plomb
Le musicienOnce Upon a Time Michel Legrand
Crew credits
The Thomas Crown Affair
Original Music Composer, ConductorVivre Sa Vie
Original Music ComposerA Love in Germany
Original Music ComposerYentl
Original Music Composer, SongsHearth Fires
Original Music ComposerThe Three Musketeers
Original Music ComposerPrêt-à-Porter
Original Music ComposerA Matter of Resistance
Original Music ComposerThe Married Couple of the Year Two
Original Music ComposerThe Door Slams
Original Music ComposerThe Swimming Pool
Original Music ComposerDonkey Skin
Original Music Composer, SongsLe Mans
Original Music ComposerThe Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun
Original Music ComposerFive Days in June
Writer, DirectorLady Oscar
Original Music ComposerBand of Outsiders
Original Music ComposerBreezy
Original Music ComposerDisco
Original Music ComposerDingo
Original Music ComposerWho Are You, Polly Maggoo?
Original Music Composer