1932–2019 · French Composer, Conductor & Pianist
Legrand brought a distinctly French sensibility to the American song form — a gift for melody that spirals and soars, harmonies rich with color and nostalgia, and lyrics (by Alan and Marilyn Bergman) that capture the bittersweet passage of time with uncanny precision. His film scores created some of the most indelible songs of the 20th century.
Michel Legrand was born in Paris in 1932 into a musical family — his father was a film composer, his uncle a pianist — and he absorbed music the way others absorb language. After studying at the Paris Conservatoire, he came to the attention of Quincy Jones and Miles Davis, recording jazz albums that showcased his brilliant harmonic imagination. His film work for directors like Jacques Demy (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, The Young Girls of Rochefort) and Norman Jewison (The Thomas Crown Affair) produced songs of enduring beauty, often with English lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman.
This workshop brings together ten of Legrand's most singer-friendly works. Windmills of Your Mind spins with circular, hypnotic intensity; The Summer Knows unspools with aching autumnal warmth; How Do You Keep the Music Playing asks a profound question with ravishing musical grace. Singers will need to navigate sophisticated harmonic movement and extended melodic lines — this is material that rewards patience and rewards the effort richly.
Legrand won three Academy Awards, five Grammy Awards, and a Golden Globe. He remained a supremely active musician until his death in 2019, touring, conducting, and composing. His is music built to last.
Each song includes lead sheet and lyric sheet in both a men's and women's key, plus a practice backing track. In addition, there are YouTube links to a variety of artist renditions to inspire you.