Paul Bonneau

Paul Bonneau (born September 14, 1918 in Moret-sur-Loing, Seine-et-Marne, France - died May 1995) was a French composer of classical music.

Career

He studied music at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris and received the "premier prix d'harmonie" (1937) in the class of Jean Gallon; the "premier prix de fugue" (1942) in the class of Noël Gallon; and the "premier prix de composition" (1945) in the class of Henri Busser.

In 1939, he became assistant manager of music of the French Army, and in 1945, band master of the French Republican Guard. He eventually resigned from the Army to become a conductor of light symphonic music with French radio (RDF, which became RTF, then ORTF).

His first radio broadcast was 27 November 1944, and he went on to conduct 638 broadcasts of light classical music over the next 30 years. In 1960, he was involved with the vocal group “the Djinns” who interpreted and recorded 88 titles.

Compositions

Bonneau was a prolific composer and arranger. He collaborated on 51 French films and a number of "courts-métrages". He composed serious works such as "Ouverture pour un Drame", Concerto for saxophone and orchestra, and "Un Français à New York" (for orchestra, dedicated to the memory of George Gershwin). He arranged many light symphonic pieces for orchestra; set to music 10 fables of La Fontaine; and composed many light melodies and songs.

In the field of operetta, he adapted and composed 11 ballets for the theater of Châtelet:
*"Le Chanteur de Mexico
*La Toison d'Or
*Méditerranée
*Maria-Flora
*Rose de Noël
*Le Secret de Marco-Polo
*Le Prince de Madrid
*Gipsy
*Les Trois Mousquetaires
*Volga"
*the 1968 version of "de L'Auberge du Cheval Blanc"

He adapted Offenbach for the Paris Folies operetta in 1976. He composed the music for "La Parisienne" in collaboration with Jack Ledru (premiered in Tours on 19 February 1982).

He also wrote several lyric operettas and other works which were never performed, including "Caruso".

List of Compositions

*"Ouverture pour un Drame"
*Concerto for saxophone and orchestra
*"Un Français à New York" (a piece for orchestra dedicated to the memory of George Gershwin).
*Suite, pour cornet ou bugle et piano
*Caprice en forme de Valse, unaccompanied saxophone solo
*Suite, for alto saxophone and piano
*"La Parisienne" (1982)
*Ballet "Le Chanteur de Mexico"
*Ballet "La Toison d'Or"
*Ballet "Méditerranée"
*Ballet "Maria-Flora"
*Ballet "Rose de Noël"
*Ballet "Le Secret de Marco-Polo"
*Ballet "Le Prince de Madrid"
*Ballet "Gipsy"
*Ballet "Les Trois Mousquetaires"
*Ballet "Volga"
*the 1968 version of "de L'Auberge du Cheval Blanc"
*10 fables of La Fontaine
*Caruso

References

[http://perso.orange.fr/anao/composit/bonneau.html Bonneau biography page (in French)]