R.I.P. Michel Legrand (1932-2019)

Michel Legrand

On January 26, 2019, composer Michael Legrand passed away at the age of 86 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. Over the course of his career he has worked with several French New Wave luminaries and even a few Orson Welles films (including his posthumous release The Other Side of the Wind). In such a prolific career, he has composed music for over 200 films and theater productions. In total, he has received 13 Oscar nominations and won for three starting with The Thomas Crown Affair song "The Windmills of Your Mind." With such an incredible career, he remains one of cinema's most influential composers who never stopped working and brought his heart to every production. His prolific nature means that you'll know at least one of his works, and that is an achievement few others could possibly achieve.

Legrand was born on February 24, 1932 in Paris, France. His family was full of composers, including his father Raymond and aunt Jacques Helian. It makes sense then that his career would lead to music, as he was constantly surrounded by it. Among his earliest work was collaborations with French New Wave luminary Jacques Demy. Demy's The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and The Young Girls of Rochefort, which also coincided with his first two Oscar nominations. He also worked with Agnes Varda on Cleo from 5 to 7. His first Oscar win came for Best Original Song with The Thomas Crown Affair number "The Windmills of Your Mind." He would go on to have two more wins throughout the rest of his career.

When making his name in America, he collaborated with such artists as jazz musicians Miles Davis and Stan Getz. He would also work with Orson Welles on his last completed film F for Fake. He would also compose the music for his posthumous release The Other Side of the Wind. Other works that he did included Yentl, Atlantic City, and Brian's Song. The instrumental version of Brian's Song charted at 56th place on 1972's Billboard's pop chart. His work would continue to stage, earning him Tony nominations for the 2002 musical Amour. He also recorded Legrand Affair with Melissa Errico, which featured 100 piece orchestra and music and lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman. 

With over 200 credits or composing music, Legrand leaves behind an inimitable legacy.Along with several Oscar wins and nominations, his career featured Grammy wins and a few Tony nominations. His genius knew no bounds and he continued to push boundaries until the very end. He even had shows scheduled for the upcoming spring. With all of that said, few composers captured melody and heart with such efficiency and helped to shape an entire country's film industry in the process. His passion clearly showed in all of his work and it helped to make the industry far more interesting. His incredible work will live on for as long as people care about cinema. He will be missed.