Jean-Claude Petit
Encyclopedia
Jean-Claude Petit is a French composer and arranger, born in Vaires-sur-Marne
. After accompanying jazzmen in his childhood, Petit went to the Conservatoire de Paris
, where he studied harmony and counterpoint. He did the string arrangements for Mink DeVille
's Le Chat Bleu
album, as well as orchestrating the backing parts to some French pop singles in the mid- to late 1960s, including those of Erick Saint-Laurent and yé-yé
girls Christine Pilzer and Monique Thubert.
In 1973 he composed La leçon de Michette, a delicious, short song: it was so famous in Italy
, because it had been used for a soundtrack of a well-known Carosello (the Italian TV spot broadcast) from 1973 to 1976.
1979 saw his first major film soundtrack commission (Alexandro Jodorowsky's Tusk
), but he had been releasing solo records at least a decade earlier, including at least four for the Chappell Music Library, as well as his album Chez Jean-Claude Petit, released in the early 1970s. In addition, he was a frequent collaborator with French film music composer Jack Arel: the pair's most well-known production, "Psychedelic Portrait", was featured in an episode of the cult TV series The Prisoner
. His highly acclaimed score for Cyrano de Bergerac
remains perhaps his best known work internationally. In 1995 he was nominated for a Victoires de la Musique
award in soundtrack of the year for L'Etudiante Etranger.
Vaires-sur-Marne
Vaires-sur-Marne is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-External links:* * *...
. After accompanying jazzmen in his childhood, Petit went to the Conservatoire de Paris
Conservatoire de Paris
The Conservatoire de Paris is a college of music and dance founded in 1795, now situated in the avenue Jean Jaurès in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, France...
, where he studied harmony and counterpoint. He did the string arrangements for Mink DeVille
Mink DeVille
Mink DeVille was a rock band known for its association with early punk rock bands at New York’s CBGB nightclub and for being a showcase for the music of Willy DeVille. The band recorded six albums in the years 1977 to 1985. Except for frontman Willy DeVille, the original members of the band played...
's Le Chat Bleu
Le Chat Bleu
Le Chat Bleu, released in 1980, is the third album by the rock band Mink DeVille. The album received critical acclaim and elevated lead singer and composer Willy DeVille to star status. The Rolling Stone Critic’s Poll ranked Le Chat Bleu the fifth best album of 1980, andmusic historian Glenn A...
album, as well as orchestrating the backing parts to some French pop singles in the mid- to late 1960s, including those of Erick Saint-Laurent and yé-yé
Yé-yé
Yé-yé was a style of pop music that emerged from France, Québec and Spain in the early 1960s. The term "yé-yé" derived from "yeah! yeah!" The style expanded worldwide, due to the success of figures such as the French singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg....
girls Christine Pilzer and Monique Thubert.
In 1973 he composed La leçon de Michette, a delicious, short song: it was so famous in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, because it had been used for a soundtrack of a well-known Carosello (the Italian TV spot broadcast) from 1973 to 1976.
1979 saw his first major film soundtrack commission (Alexandro Jodorowsky's Tusk
Tusk (film)
Tusk is a 1980 film directed by cult film-maker Alejandro Jodorowsky and written by Nicholas Niciphor about a young English girl and an Indian elephant who share a common destiny...
), but he had been releasing solo records at least a decade earlier, including at least four for the Chappell Music Library, as well as his album Chez Jean-Claude Petit, released in the early 1970s. In addition, he was a frequent collaborator with French film music composer Jack Arel: the pair's most well-known production, "Psychedelic Portrait", was featured in an episode of the cult TV series The Prisoner
The Prisoner
The Prisoner is a 17-episode British television series first broadcast in the UK from 29 September 1967 to 1 February 1968. Starring and co-created by Patrick McGoohan, it combined spy fiction with elements of science fiction, allegory and psychological drama.The series follows a British former...
. His highly acclaimed score for Cyrano de Bergerac
Cyrano de Bergerac
Hercule-Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac was a French dramatist and duelist. He is now best remembered for the works of fiction which have been woven, often very loosely, around his life story, most notably the 1897 play by Edmond Rostand...
remains perhaps his best known work internationally. In 1995 he was nominated for a Victoires de la Musique
Victoires de la Musique
Victoires de la musique , is an annual French award ceremony that recognizes the best musical artists of the year.- Male artist of the year :*1985 : Michel Jonasz*1986 : Jean-Jacques Goldman*1987 : Johnny Hallyday...
award in soundtrack of the year for L'Etudiante Etranger.
Filmography
- 1979: TuskTusk (film)Tusk is a 1980 film directed by cult film-maker Alejandro Jodorowsky and written by Nicholas Niciphor about a young English girl and an Indian elephant who share a common destiny...
- 1982: Lively Social Life
- 1985: Billy-Ze One-Kick
- 1986: Jean de FloretteJean de FloretteJean de Florette is a 1986 French historical drama film directed by Claude Berri, based on a novel by Marcel Pagnol. It is part of a duology, and is followed by Manon des Sources. The film takes place in rural Provence, where two local farmers scheme to trick a newcomer out of his newly inherited...
- 1986: Manon des SourcesManon des Sources (film)Manon des Sources is a critically acclaimed and commercially successful 1986 French language film. Based upon the 1966 two-part novel by Marcel Pagnol, itself an adaptation of an earlier film of the same title by Pagnol, it is the sequel to Jean de Florette.-Plot:Following the events of Jean de...
(US title: Manon of the Spring) - 1987: Fucking Fernand
- 1988: Savannah
- 1990: Cyrano de BergeracCyrano de Bergerac (1990 film)Cyrano de Bergerac is a 1990 French-language film based on the 1897 play of the same name by Edmond Rostand. It was directed by Jean-Paul Rappeneau and adapted by Jean-Claude Carrière and Jean-Paul Rappeneau. The English subtitles use Anthony Burgess's translation of the text, which preserves the...
- 1990: UranusUranus (1990 film)Uranus is a 1990 French comedy-drama film with Gérard Depardieu about post-World War II recovery in a small French village, as the controlling French Communist Party tries to dispose of Pétain loyalists....
- 1991: Always Alone
- 1991: MayrigMayrigMayrig is a 1991 semi-autobiographical film written and directed by French-Armenian filmmaker Henri Verneuil. The film's principal cast includes Claudia Cardinale and Omar Sharif...
- 1992: 588, Street Paradises
- 1992: The Zebra
- 1992: The Playboys
- 1994: In Antonin Company Artaud
- 1995: The Horseman on the RoofThe Horseman on the RoofThe Horseman on the Roof is a 1995 French film directed by Jean-Paul Rappeneau, and starring Juliette Binoche and Olivier Martinez...
- 1996: Beaumarchais The Insolent One
- 1997: Sirs, The Rock Children
- 1998: Paddy
- 2000: Lumumba
- 2002: Like Your Father
- 2004: Podium
- 2007: Dance With Him