Michel Legrand- Rendezvous In Paris

I may not like this one as much as "I Love Paris," or a lot of his movie scores (esp. Nouvelle Vague stuff) but it's still really enjoyable. The arrangements are still better than most easy listening/jazz band leaders. His arrangement style is pretty romantic and cinematic, which definitely helps an instrumental album of Parisian tunes.
I like the cut and paste nature of the delightfully cheesy, "Boum," plus it also features a version of the tune from Truffaut's, "Stolen Kisses," that was always getting stuck in my head ("I Wish You Love," see below). At least now I have an instrumental version of the song.
If you're familiar with any of Legrand's 60's output or possibly a fan of French New Wave music meets more stereotypical "French" music, this is definitely worth a listen. Easy going...

http://www.mediafire.com/?2s9ls9a6la6uwed



Original version by Charles Trenet:

Michel Legrand- Le Cinema de Michel Legrand (Nouvelle Vague)

I am a total dork for French New Wave films, and Michel Legrand is probably my favorite of the regular New Wave composers ("Band of Outsiders" is still left off, dammit...if you have it, please share it). I love his other albums from this time period, but even those records have the same kind of cinematic energy and seem to be crying out to be used in films.
The tracks from Godard's, "A Woman Is A Woman," each begin with commentary from Godard make me wish I knew French...
The only other movie on here I've seen is Agnes Varda's "Cleo from 5 to 7," (great music, great great movie) but all of the other music still has the Legrand charm, even without having seen the movies. Need to find the ones in print in the US on Netflix? Probably, yes. Please re-release "Lola," dammit.

http://www.mediafire.com/?tqitntlwzmg

Une Femme Est Une Femme- Soundtrack

This is the most literal "soundtrack" album I may have ever heard. It is almost all of the music (and there's a lot in this movie) as you heard it in the film, with dialogue and everything. Each track is very short (I love the fractured energy of early Godard) and because of this and the dialogue, this soundtrack would probably just annoy anyone who has never seen the movie. This is probably Godard's most accessible and upbeat movie, naturally a good place for apprehensive beginners. Michel Legrand's swelling, oozing, romantic score only adds to its appeal. And if you're like me, you've seen this movie enough times to know all the dialogue, even though I don't speak French, this is a special treat. You can experience the movie even if you can't sit down and watch it. It's like a fractured, jumbled audio book, and seeing as it's a Godard film, what else would you expect?
A fun fact: Godard and Legrand wanted to make a realist musical. Somehow they had an advance private screening for themselves and Gene Kelly. Kelly was confused and frustrated since there was only one sung song and no choreography. He thought Godard and Legrand had lost their minds.

http://www.mediafire.com/?fgyfotmzfmj

Historie(s) de Musique (Music from the films of Jean Luc Godard)

I am a total spazz for Godard's films like I am for Ben Wallers' music. I really can't get enough of his (earlier mostly) films, most of which have great music to boot. With a roster featuring Michel Legrand, Georges Delerue, and Antoine Duhamel it's tough to go wrong.
But why is there no music out there for 'Band of Outsiders' (Bande a Part)? It seems strange seeing as it was advertised as Michel Legrand's last film score (?) and just happens to get stuck in my head quite often. IF YOU HAVE IT PLEASE SHARE.
This is a good compilation though, except for the last three songs...yeesh. And the re-recordings of Anna Karina's songs lack some of the spark of those in the films, but really are nothing to complain about.
A good place to start but leaves you wanting more (I will post more later).
If you haven't seen the movies, watch them all before you listen to this. Godard is a genius.

from 'Breathless' (A Bout de Souffle)- Martial Solal
1) La mort
2) New York Herald Tribune
3) Duo
from 'A Woman is a Woman" (Un Femme est une Femme)- Michel Legrand
4) Angela, Strasbourg Saint-Denis
5) Chanson d'Angela, par Anna Karina
from 'My Life to Live' (Vivre sa Vie)- Michel Legrand
6) Vivre sa Vie
from 'Contempt' (Le Mepris)- Georges Delerue
7) Overture
8) Camile
9) Generique
from 'Les Plus Belles Escroqueries du Monde'- Michel Legrand
10) Ballade pour un Escroc
from 'Alphaville'- Paul Misraki
11) Valse triste
12) Theme d'amour
from 'Pierrot le Fou'- Antoine Duhamel
13) Mic et Mac, par Anna Karina
14) Ferdinand
15) Pierrot
16) Ma ligne de chance, par Anna Karina
from 'Le Plus Vieux Metier du Monde'- Michel Legrand
17) Anticipation
from 'Week-End'- Antoine Duhamel
18) Elle et lui
from 'La Chinoise' - Claude Channes
19) Mao Mao
from 'Sauve qui peut (la Vie)'- Gabriel Yared
20) Le commerce
21) L'imaginaire
Bonus Track (BAD)
22) Ferdinand, par Sporto Kantes

http://www.mediafire.com/?zfidrmwcojm