Overview

Michel Legrand (24 February 1932 – 26 January 2019) was a French composer, arranger, conductor and pianist whose work bridged classical training, jazz sensibilities and popular song. Over a career that spanned more than half a century he wrote music for stage, radio, television and more than 200 films. He became known for lyrical melodies, lush orchestration and an ability to move between intimate chamber textures and full symphonic writing.

Musical style and roles

Legrand combined formal compositional technique with an ear for jazz rhythms and popular song construction. He worked repeatedly as a composer, orchestrator and conductor, and toured as a pianist. His scores often feature recurring motifs, sophisticated harmonies and memorable tunes that can stand alone as songs. In addition to film music he arranged and recorded with jazz ensembles and collaborated with singers and instrumentalists from Europe and the United States.

Career highlights and notable works

Legrand achieved international recognition through several landmark film scores. His work for the French musical film The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) is celebrated for its entirely sung-through structure and unabashed romanticism. The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) brought him notice in the English-speaking world, featuring the song "The Windmills of Your Mind," for which he received an Academy Award. He also won an Academy Award for his score to Summer of '42 (1971). Throughout his career he composed for a wide range of directors and genres, and his music has been used, adapted and recorded many times.

Selected filmography and songs

  • The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) — sung-through musical score
  • The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) — includes "The Windmills of Your Mind"
  • Summer of '42 (1971) — award-winning score
  • Various other film and television projects spanning more than 200 credits

Awards, collaborations and influence

Legrand received multiple awards and nominations for his film work, including Academy recognition for both song and score. His songs and instrumental pieces have been recorded by jazz artists and pop singers, and his orchestral colors influenced later film composers who sought to combine jazz-inflected harmony with cinematic breadth. For details on his life and career see an overview biography here, and for background on his birthplace see Courbevoie.

Later life and passing

Legrand remained active into his later years, continuing to compose, arrange and conduct. He died in Paris on 26 January 2019 after developing a lung infection that led to sepsis. Contemporary press accounts and tributes to his work can be found via major cultural outlets; for information about his Academy Awards see award records, and for reports from the time of his death consult published obituaries.

Legrand's legacy endures in the continuing popularity of his melodies, the frequent re-recording of his film themes, and the influence his melding of jazz and orchestral techniques has had on both film scoring and popular music arrangements.