Michel Legrand

French film score composer (1932–2019)

Michel Legrand (24 February 1932 – 26 January 2019) was a French musical composer, arranger, conductor, and pianist. He was born Courbevoie, in present-day France.

Michel Legrand
Legrand in 2015 at the Cabourg Film Festival.
Born
Michel Jean Legrand

(1932-02-24)24 February 1932
Paris, France
Died26 January 2019(2019-01-26) (aged 86)
Paris, France
Occupation(s)Film score composer
Jazz pianist
Years active1954–2019
AwardsAcademy Awards
1968 The Thomas Crown Affair
1971 Summer of '42
1983 Yentl

Australian Film Institute Awards

  • Best Original Score
1991 Dingo

BAFTA Awards

1971 Summer of '42

Golden Globe Awards

1968 The Thomas Crown Affair

Legrand was a well-known composer. He has written over 200 movie and television scores, as well as many memorable songs.[1]

He was best known for his movie music, such as The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) and The Thomas Crown Affair (1968). The Thomas Crown Affair featured the song "The Windmills of Your Mind". Legrand won his first Academy Award for this song.[2] He would win another Academy Award in 1971 for Summer of '42.

Legrand died suddenly from sepsis after suffering from a lung infection in Paris on 26 January 2019 at the age of 86.[3][4]

Influences change

Legrand stated composers like Stan Kenton, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Gil Evans, Django Reinhardt, Nat King Cole, Art Tatum, Dizzy Gillespie, Erroll Garner, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Dave Brubeck, Earl Hines and Teddy Wilson as influences.

References change

  1. Chinen, Nate (10 March 2007). "Music in Review; Michel Legrand". New York Times. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
  2. "Michel Legrand". Songwriters Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 4 June 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
  3. "Oscar-winning French composer Michel Legrand dies at 86". france24.com. 2019-01-26. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  4. France-Presse, Agence (2019-01-26). "Michel Legrand, Oscar-winning composer, dies aged 86". The Guardian.

Other websites change

  Media related to Michel Legrand at Wikimedia Commons