{{short description|French film score composer (1932–2019)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Michel Legrand | image = Michel Legrand Cabourg 2015.jpg | caption = Legrand at the 2015 Cabourg Film Festival | birth_name = Michel Jean Legrand | birth_date = {{Birth date|1932|02|24|df=yes}} | birth_place = Paris, France | death_date = {{Death date and age|2019|01|26|1932|02|24|df=yes}} | death_place = Neuilly-sur-Seine, France | years_active = 1946–2019 | occupation = {{hlist|Film score composer|jazz pianist}} }}
'''Michel Jean Legrand''' ({{IPA|fr|miʃɛl ləɡʁɑ̃}}; 24 February 1932 – 26 January 2019) was a French musical composer, arranger, conductor, jazz pianist,<ref name="hindu">{{cite news |date=26 January 2019 |title=Oscar-crowned French composer Michel Legrand dies at 86 |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/oscar-crowned-french-composer-michel-legrand-dies-at-86/article26098965.ece |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230509141155/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/oscar-crowned-french-composer-michel-legrand-dies-at-86/article26098965.ece |archive-date=2023-05-09 |access-date=26 January 2019 |newspaper=The Hindu |location=Chennai |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X |agency=Reuters}}</ref> and singer. Legrand was a prolific composer, having written more than 200 film and television scores, in addition to many songs.<ref name="nyt">{{cite news |last=Chinen |first=Nate |title=Music in Review; Michel Legrand|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F00E7D91331F933A25750C0A9619C8B63&ref=michellegrand |access-date=9 December 2011 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=10 March 2007 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> His scores for two of 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),<ref name=hallfame>{{cite web |title=Michel Legrand |url=http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/exhibits/C143 |website=Songwriters Hall of Fame |access-date=9 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120613013704/http://songwritershalloffame.org/exhibits/C143 |archive-date=13 June 2012 |url-status=usurped}}</ref> and additional Oscars for ''Summer of '42'' (1971) and Barbra Streisand's ''Yentl'' (1983).
==Life and career== Legrand was born in Paris, France,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-47013214 |title=Windmills of Your Mind writer Legrand dies |date=26 January 2019 |website=BBC News}}</ref> to his father, Raymond Legrand, who was himself a conductor and composer,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-legrand-idUSKCN1PK0C1 |title=Oscar-crowned French composer Michel Legrand dies at 86 |date=26 January 2019 |website=Reuters}}</ref> and his mother, Marcelle Der-Mikaëlian, who was the sister of conductor Jacques Hélian.<ref name="rte">{{cite news |url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2019/0126/1025729-tributes-to-michel-legrand-mark-the-composers-passing/ |title=Tributes to Michel Legrand mark the composer's passing |date=26 January 2019 |website=RTÉ}}</ref> Raymond and Marcelle were married in 1929.<ref name="rte" /> His maternal grandfather was Armenian.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/entertainment/oscar-winning-umbrellas-of-cherbourg-composer-legrand-dies-1.4270292 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190126204916/https://www.ctvnews.ca/entertainment/oscar-winning-umbrellas-of-cherbourg-composer-legrand-dies-1.4270292 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=26 January 2019 |title=Oscar-winning 'Umbrellas of Cherbourg' composer Legrand dies |website=CTV News |date=26 January 2019}}</ref>
Legrand composed more than two hundred film and television scores.<ref name="dw">{{cite web |url=https://www.dw.com/en/oscar-winning-composer-michel-legrand-dies-aged-86/a-47244724 |title=Oscar-winning composer Michel Legrand dies aged 86 |date=26 January 2019 |website=Deutsche Welle |access-date=20 April 2026}}</ref> He won three Oscars<ref name=guard>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/jan/26/michel-legrand-oscar-winning-composer-dies-aged-86 |title=Michel Legrand, Oscar-winning composer, dies aged 86 |agency=Agence France-Presse |date=26 January 2019 |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London}}</ref> and five Grammys.<ref name="auto">{{cite news |url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/michel-legrand-dies-dead-oscar-winning-composer-1203119247/ |title=Michel Legrand, Oscar-Winning Composer, Dies at 86 |first=Jon |last=Burlingame |magazine=Variety |date=26 January 2019}}</ref> He studied music at the Conservatoire de Paris from the age of 11, working with, among others, Nadia Boulanger<ref name="auto" /> and graduated with top honors as both a composer and a pianist.<ref name="dw" /> He burst upon the international music scene at 22 when his 1954 album ''I Love Paris'' became a surprise hit. He established his name in the United States by working with such jazz stars as Miles Davis and Stan Getz.<ref name=hindu /> 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/action/article/6618/feature/music/band_of_the_week_beach_house |title=Band of the Week: Beach House |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080607224636/http://www.pastemagazine.com/action/article/6618/feature/music/band_of_the_week_beach_house |archive-date=7 June 2008 |first=Kasia |last=Galazka |magazine=Paste |access-date=20 April 2026}}</ref>
Legrand composed music for Jacques Demy's films ''The Umbrellas of Cherbourg'' (1964) (from which "Recit de Cassard" came and in turn, in English became the standard "Watch What Happens") and ''The Young Girls of Rochefort'' (1967), from which the relyricized "You Must Believe in Spring" is considered a jazz standard. Legrand 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), TriStar Pictures 1998 family film ''Madeline'', 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.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/26/obituaries/michel-legrand-dead.html |title=Michel Legrand, Pianist and Film Composer, Dies at 86 |first=John |last=Anderson |date=26 January 2019 |newspaper=The New York Times |url-access=subscription}}</ref> thumb|upright=0.85|Legrand in 2008 Legrand died of sepsis,<ref>{{cite web |language=fr |title=Mort de Michel Legrand: Le compositeur était hospitalisé, son état s'est « subitement dégradé |url=http://lavdn.lavoixdunord.fr/528633/article/2019-01-28/le-compositeur-etait-hospitalise-son-etat-s-est-subitement-degrade |trans-title=Death of Michel Legrand: The composer had been hospitalized, and his condition "suddenly deteriorated." |website=La Voix du Nord |date=28 January 2019 |access-date=8 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.programme-tv.net/news/musique/224624-michel-legrand-macha-meril-raconte-en-larmes-les-derniers-instants-de-son-mari-video/ |title=Michel Legrand: Macha Méril raconte en larmes les derniers instants de son mari (VIDEO) |trans-title=Michel Legrand: Macha Méril recounts her husband's final moments in tears |website=Télé Loisirs |date=30 January 2019 |access-date=20 April 2026}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1149428/funerailles-michel-legrand-mort-obseques |title=Les funérailles de Michel Legrand seront célébrées vendredi à Paris |trans-title=Michel Legrand's funeral will be held on Friday in Paris |website=Ici Radio-Canada Première |date=28 January 2019 |access-date=20 April 2026}}</ref> He was interred at the Père Lachaise Cemetery.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2019/02/02/stars-flock-to-funeral-of-legendary-film-composer-legrand.html |title=Stars flock to funeral of legendary film composer Legrand |newspaper=The Jakarta Post |date=2 February 2019}}</ref> He remained active until his death and had concerts scheduled to take place in the spring.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/jan/26/michel-legrand-oscar-winning-composer-dies-aged-86 |title=Michel Legrand, Oscar-winning composer, dies aged 86 |newspaper=The Guardian| location=London |date=26 January 2019| agency=Agence France-Presse}}</ref>
==Musical theatre== 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.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/21/theater/theater-review-a-french-milquetoast-s-talent-lights-the-fuse-of-mischief.html |title=THEATER REVIEW; A French Milquetoast's Talent Lights the Fuse of Mischief |newspaper=The New York Times |date=21 October 2002}}</ref> This musical was his Broadway debut<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.broadway.com/photos/opening-night-of-legrands-amour/ |title=Opening Night of Legrand's Amour |website=Broadway.com}}</ref> and he was nominated for a Tony Award in 2003 for Best Score.<ref name="playbill">{{cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/amour-and-the-umbrellas-of-cherbourg-composer-michel-legrand-dead-at-86|title=Amour and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg Composer Michel Legrand Dead at 86 |first=Mark |last=Peikert |date=26 January 2019 |website=Playbill}}</ref> Later he recorded ''Legrand Affair'' with Melissa Errico,<ref name="playbill" /> a 100-piece symphony orchestra that included songs with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gans |first=Andrew |url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/155522-Its-a-Legrand-Affair-for-Melissa-Errico-New-CD-Due-in-Stores-Oct-18-Plus-EXCLUSIVE-VIDEO |title=It's a 'Legrand Affair' for Melissa Errico: New CD Due in Stores Oct. 18; Plus EXCLUSIVE Video |website=Playbill |date=18 October 2011 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130819173043/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/155522-Its-a-Legrand-Affair-for-Melissa-Errico-New-CD-Due-in-Stores-Oct-18-Plus-EXCLUSIVE-VIDEO |archive-date=19 August 2013}}</ref>
The world premiere of the new musical ''Marguerite'' from Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, the creators of ''Les Misérables'' and ''Miss Saigon'', included music by Michel Legrand and lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer. ''Marguerite'' is set during World War II in occupied Paris, and was inspired by the romantic novel ''La Dame aux Camélias'' by Alexandre Dumas fils. It premiered in May 2008 at the Haymarket Theatre, London and was directed by Jonathan Kent.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/10/theater/10arts-NEWMUSICALFR_BRF.html |title=New Musical From 'Les Miz' Team |newspaper=The New York Times |date=10 July 2007}}</ref>
==Discography== {{Main|Michel Legrand discography}}
==Awards== {{more citations needed|section|date=January 2019}} Legrand won three Oscars (from 13 nominations), five Grammys, and was nominated for an Emmy. 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.<ref name=guard/>
Following are a selection of the awards and nominations with which Legrand's works have been honored:
===Academy Award awards and nominations=== Source: AllMovie<ref name=allmovie>[https://www.allmovie.com/artist/michel-legrand-p99035/awards "Legrand Awards"], AllMovie.com, retrieved 30 January 2019</ref>
* Best Original Score, Substantially Original Score: ''The Umbrellas of Cherbourg'' (1965) – '''nominated'''<ref name=oscar65>[https://www.infoplease.com/arts-entertainment/academy-awards/1965-academy-awards "1965 Academy Awards"]. ''Infoplease.com''. Retrieved 29 January 2019.</ref> * Best Original Score for a Motion Picture (not a Musical): ''The Thomas Crown Affair'' (1968) – '''nominated'''<ref name=oscar68>[https://www.infoplease.com/arts-entertainment/academy-awards/1968-academy-awards "1968 Academy Awards"]. ''Infoplease.com''. Retrieved 29 January 2019.</ref> * Best Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Best Adaptation Score: ''The Young Girls of Rochefort'' (1968) – '''nominated'''<ref name=oscar68/> * Best Original Dramatic Score: ''Summer of '42'' (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'''<ref name=oscar65/> ** "The Windmills of Your Mind" from ''The Thomas Crown Affair'' (1968) – '''won'''<ref name=oscar68/> ** "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" from ''The Happy Ending'' (1969) – '''nominated''' ** "Pieces of Dreams" from ''Pieces of Dreams'' (1970) – '''nominated'''<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110920020716/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/17269/Pieces-of-Dreams/#awards "'Pieces of Dreams' Awards"]. ''Turner Classic Movies''. Retrieved 30 January 2019.</ref> ** "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" from ''Best Friends'' (1982) – '''nominated''' ** "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" from ''Yentl'' (1983) – '''nominated''' **"The Way He Makes Me Feel" from ''Yentl'' (1983) – '''nominated'''
===Golden Globe awards and nominations=== Source: All Movie<ref name=allmovie/>
* Original Score: ** ''The Thomas Crown Affair'' (1968)<ref name=thomas>[https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/thomas-crown-affair " 'The Thomas Crown Affair' Golden Globe Winners and Nominees"]. ''Golden Globes''. Retrieved 30 January 2019.</ref> ** ''The Happy Ending'' (1969) ** ''Wuthering Heights'' (1970) ** ''Le Mans'' (1971) ** ''Summer of '42'' (1971) ** ''Lady Sings the Blues'' (1972) ** ''Breezy'' (1973) ** ''Yentl'' (1983)<ref name=yent>[https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/yentl " 'Yentl' Golden Globe Winners and Nominees"]. ''Golden Globes.'' Retrieved 30 January 2019.</ref> * Original Song: ** "The Windmills of Your Mind" from ''The Thomas Crown Affair'' (1968) '''(won)'''<ref name=thomas/> ** "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)<ref name=yent/>
===Grammy Award awards and nominations=== Source: Grammy.com<ref>[https://www.grammy.com/artists/michel-legrand/14822 "Michel Legrand Grammy wards"]. ''Grammy Awards''. Retrieved 29 January 2019.</ref>
*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: ''What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?'' (Sarah Vaughan) (1972) – '''win'''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/with-michel-legrand-mw0000271518/awards |title=With Michel Legrand – Sarah Vaughan – Awards |website=AllMusic |access-date=26 January 2019}}</ref> * 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" [TV] (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'' (Barbra Streisand) (1984) – nomination *Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocals: "Nature Boy" (track from "Unforgettable") (1991) – nomination<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-01-10-ca-1616-story.html "Other Grammy Nominees"]. ''Los Angeles Times''. 10 January 1991.</ref> *Best Instrumental Arrangement: "Where Or When" (Track from: "Happy Radio Days", Erato Records) (1998) – nomination<ref>[https://variety.com/1999/music/news/grammy-nominations-list-page-3-1117489944/ "Grammy Nominations List, page 3"]. ''Variety''. 5 January 1999.</ref>
===Theatre nominations=== * Tony Award for Best Original Score: ''Amour'' (2002)<ref name=amour>[http://www.playbill.com/production/amour-music-box-theatre-vault-0000002571# ''Amour'']. ''Playbill'' (vault). Retrieved 29 January 2019</ref> * Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music and Outstanding Orchestrations: ''Amour'' (2002)<ref name=amour/>
===Emmy Award nominations=== * Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Limited Series or a Special (Dramatic Underscore): ''A Woman Called Golda'' [TV] (1982)<ref>[https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1982/outstanding-music-composition-for-a-miniseries-movie-or-a-special-original-dramatic-score "34th Emmy Awards-Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Limited Series or Special (Dramatic Underscore) – 1982"]. ''Emmy Awards''. Retrieved 29 January 2019.</ref>
===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 Award=== * Best Original Music Score: ''Dingo'' (1991) '''win'''<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20210923040752/https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/73128/dingo#notes " 'Dingo' Miscellaneous Notes"]. ''Turner Classic Movies''. Retrieved 30 January 2019.</ref>
===Prix Moliere Award=== * Best musical (1997): ''Le Passe-Muraille<ref>:fr:Le Passe-muraille</ref>{{Circular reference|date=March 2019}}'' (French stage version of ''Amour'')<ref>Sommer, Elyse. [http://www.curtainup.com/amour.html "Review, 'Amour'"]. ''CurtainUp''. 24 October 2002.</ref>
===ASCAP=== * Henry Mancini Award, awarded by ASCAP, for ''Le Passe-Muraille'' (1998)<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20170707003301/http://michellegrandofficial.com/full-awards-list "Awards List"]}}, Legrandofficial.com</ref><ref>[https://www.ascap.com/news-events/awards/henry-mancini-award "ASCAP Henry Mancini Award"]. ''ASCAP''. Retrieved 30 January 2019.</ref>
===Golden Eagle Award=== * Golden Eagle Award: Outstanding contribution to world cinema (2002)
=== Others === * In 2018, asteroid 31201 Michellegrand was named in his honour.<ref>{{M+J|31201}} The International Astronomical Union Minor Planet Center (31201) Michellegrand = 1998 AT5 = 1999 KZ20 – Discovered at Caussols on 1998-01-08 by ODAS.</ref>
=== Documentary === "Michel Legrand, let the music play", directed by Gregory Monro in 2018
"Once upon a time Michel Legrand", directed by David Hertzog Dessites in 2024
==References== {{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Michel Legrand}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20160209104629/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba17d3447 Michel Legrand] at the British Film Institute *{{IMDb name|0006166|Michel Legrand}} *{{IBDB name}} * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1H7DeW4tTw Interview with Michel Legrand at the Press Launch for Margeruite in London UK]
{{Navboxes | title = Awards for Michel Legrand | list = {{Academy Award Best Original Score}} {{Academy Award Best Original Song}} {{AACTA Award Best Music Score}} {{BAFTA Award for Best Original Music}} {{Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song}} }}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Legrand, Michel}} Category:Michel Legrand Category:1932 births Category:2019 deaths Category:20th-century French conductors (music) Category:20th-century French male musicians Category:21st-century French conductors (music) Category:21st-century French male musicians Category:Best Original Music Score Academy Award winners Category:Best Original Music BAFTA Award winners Category:Best Original Song Academy Award–winning songwriters Category:Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery Category:Broadway composers and lyricists Category:Columbia Records artists Category:Composers from Paris Category:Conservatoire de Paris alumni Category:Deaths from sepsis in France Category:Easy listening musicians Category:French expatriates in the United States Category:French film score composers Category:French jazz composers Category:French jazz pianists Category:French male conductors (music) Category:French male film score composers Category:French male jazz composers Category:French male jazz pianists Category:French music arrangers Category:French musical theatre composers Category:French people of Armenian descent Category:Golden Globe Award–winning musicians Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Jazz arrangers Category:Male musical theatre composers Category:Philips Records artists Category:Prix Benois de la Danse winners Category:RCA Victor artists Category:Best Original Music Score AACTA Award winners