Michel Legrand

1.1. Birth and Family

Michel Jean Legrand was born on 24 February 1932, in the 20th arrondissement of Paris, in the Ménilmontant district. His father, Raymond Legrand, was a notable conductor and composer, while his mother, Marcelle Der-Mikaëlian, managed a music publishing company and was the sister of conductor Jacques Hélian. Raymond and Marcelle were married in 1929. Legrand's maternal grandfather was of Armenian descent. His elder sister, Christiane Legrand, achieved fame as the lead soprano of The Swingle Singers, and his niece, Victoria Legrand, later became a member of the dream pop band Beach House. Michel Legrand was married to actress Macha Méril, and his son, Benjamin Legrand, is a singer.

1.2. Education and Early Musical Development

Legrand began his piano studies at the tender age of four. At 11, he enrolled at the Conservatoire de Paris, one of France's premier music academies. There, he distinguished himself, ranking first in advanced solfège the following year and securing the top position in harmony studies in 1949. He trained under renowned musicians, including Nadia Boulanger, and graduated with top honors as both a composer and a pianist in 1952, at the age of 21, three years ahead of the average student.

His professional career quickly began. Fascinated by the musical film The Beautiful Mill Girl, he started composing film music in his mid-teens, with Beau fixe (1953) marking his formal entry into the field. Concurrently, he led his own jazz group, performing actively in Paris clubs and garnering attention for his precocious talent. His exceptional abilities in composition, arrangement, and occasional singing soon attracted the attention of record labels, leading to a series of albums released under his own name, both with a piano trio and an orchestra. His international breakthrough came at 22 with the unexpected success of his album I Love Paris (album).

2.1. Jazz Career and Collaborations

Legrand made significant contributions to the world of jazz as both a pianist and composer. He cemented his reputation in the United States through collaborations with iconic jazz figures. His 1958 album, Legrand Jazz, notably featured legendary musicians such as Miles Davis, Bill Evans, and Stan Getz, which significantly raised his profile across America. He also worked with other major artists, including John Coltrane, Jack Jones, Johnny Mathis, Lena Horne, and Sarah Vaughan. Later in his career, Legrand underwent voice training and began to perform his own compositions as a singer, further showcasing his diverse musicality.

2.2. Film and Television Scores

Legrand was an exceptionally prolific composer for film and television, creating over 200 scores that left an indelible mark on cinematic history. His early and most acclaimed work in cinema came through his collaborations with French New Wave director Jacques Demy. Their first film, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964), an entirely sung-through musical, earned Legrand his initial Academy Award nominations. This success was followed by The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967), another Demy musical, which featured the re-lyricized "You Must Believe in Spring" that subsequently became a jazz standard.

Legrand's extensive filmography includes scores for diverse films such as Cléo from 5 to 7 (1961), Eva (1962), and the critically acclaimed The Thomas Crown Affair (1968), which featured his Oscar-winning song "The Windmills of Your Mind". Other notable scores include 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) (for which he won another Academy Award), Clint Eastwood's Breezy (1973), The Three Musketeers (1973), Orson Welles's last completed film F for Fake (1974), Atlantic City (1980), Never Say Never Again (1983), and Barbra Streisand's Yentl (1983), which earned him his third Academy Award. He also composed for the 1998 family film Madeline and the posthumously released Welles film The Other Side of the Wind (2018). An instrumental version of his theme from Brian's Song reached 56th on the Billboard pop chart in 1972.

Legrand was also known for his affinity for Japan, making frequent performance visits since 1972. He composed music for Japanese films such as the live-action adaptation of Firebird (1978), where he composed the theme song, and The Rose of Versailles (1979). He also collaborated with Japanese singer Ryoko Moriyama. His song "Di-Gue-Ding-Ding" found popularity in Japan, being used in commercials for Suntory beers (Molts, Diet Draft, Magnum Dry) in 2005, Shiseido UNO commercials in 2009, and as background music for the variety show "HAMASHO" from 1997 to 1999. Although initially slated to compose the music for Jean-Pierre Melville's 1970 film noir Le Cercle Rouge starring Alain Delon, his score was ultimately rejected by Melville. Three pieces from Legrand's rejected music, titled Black Circle, can be heard on the soundtrack CD for Melville's music.

2.3. Musical Theatre and Other Works

Beyond film and jazz, Legrand ventured into musical theatre. In 1996, he created his first full-fledged musical, Le Passe-muraille, based on the short story by Marcel Aymé. With a book by Didier Van Cauwelaert, the musical premiered on Broadway in 2002 as Amour, translated into English by Jeremy Sams and directed by James Lapine. This marked his Broadway debut, for which he received a Tony Award nomination for Best Score in 2003. He later recorded Legrand Affair with singer Melissa Errico, featuring a 100-piece symphony orchestra and songs with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman.

Legrand also composed the music for the new musical Marguerite, with a book by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg (creators of Les Misérables and Miss Saigon) and lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer. Inspired by Alexandre Dumas fils's romantic novel The Lady of the Camellias, Marguerite is set during World War II in occupied Paris. It premiered in May 2008 at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London, directed by Jonathan Kent. Throughout his career, Legrand also frequently performed as a conductor and arranger for various musical projects, including large-scale concert tours around the world, remaining active until his death.

5.1. Academy Awards

Legrand was nominated for 13 Academy Awards, winning three for his compositions.

• Best Original Score, Substantially Original Score: The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1965) - nominated
• Best Original Song: "I Will Wait for You" from The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1965) - nominated
• Best Original Score for a Motion Picture (not a Musical): The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) - nominated
• Best Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Best Adaptation Score: The Young Girls of Rochefort (1968) - nominated
• Best Original Song: "The Windmills of Your Mind" from The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) - won
• Best Original Song: "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" from The Happy Ending (1969) - nominated
• Best Original Song: "Pieces of Dreams" from Pieces of Dreams (1970) - nominated
• Best Original Dramatic Score: Summer of '42 (1971) - won
• Best Original Song: "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" from Best Friends (1982) - nominated
• Best Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Best Adaptation Score: Yentl (1983) - won
• Best Original Song: "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" from Yentl (1983) - nominated
• Best Original Song: "The Way He Makes Me Feel" from Yentl (1983) - nominated

5.2. Grammy Awards

Legrand won five Grammy Awards and received several nominations across various categories.

• Best Instrumental Composition: "Theme from Summer of '42 (The Summer Knows)" (1971) - won
• 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) - won
• 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) - won
• Album of Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special: The Three Musketeers (1974) - nomination
• Best Instrumental Composition: "Images" (1975) - won
• Best Jazz Performance by a Big Band: "Images" (1975) - won
• 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
• Best Instrumental Arrangement: "Where Or When" (track from "Happy Radio Days", Erato Records) (1998) - nomination

5.3. Golden Globe Awards

Legrand was nominated multiple times for Golden Globe Awards, with one win for Best Original Song.

• Original Score nominations:
  • The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)
  • The Happy Ending (1969)
  • Wuthering Heights (1970)
  • Le Mans (1971)
  • Summer of '42 (1971)
  • Lady Sings the Blues (1972)
  • Breezy (1973)
  • Yentl (1983)
• 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)

5.4. Tony Awards and Other Theatre Awards

Legrand received nominations for his work in musical theatre.

• Tony Award for Best Original Score: Amour (2002) - nomination
• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music and Outstanding Orchestrations: Amour (2002) - nomination

5.5. Other Notable Awards and Honors

Legrand garnered numerous other accolades throughout his distinguished career.

• Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Limited Series or a Special (Dramatic Underscore): A Woman Called Golda [TV] (1982) - nomination
• Australian Film Institute Award for Best Original Music Score: Dingo (1991) - won
• Prix Molière for Best Musical: Le Passe-Muraille (French stage version of Amour) (1997)
• ASCAP Henry Mancini Award, for Le Passe-Muraille (1998)
• Golden Eagle Award: Outstanding contribution to world cinema (2002)
• In 2018, asteroid 31201 Michellegrand was named in his honor by the International Astronomical Union Minor Planet Center.
• The documentary "Michel Legrand, let the music play," directed by Gregory Monro, was released in 2018, celebrating his life and work.

5.6. Fennecus nominations

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

5.7. 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)