André Gagnon (2 August 1936 – 3 December 2020)
was a Canadian pianist, composer, conductor, arranger, and actor, known for his fusion of classical and pop styles,
Jean-Pierre Thiollet
Jean-Pierre Thiollet (; born 9 December 1956) is a French writer and journalist.
Primarily living in Paris, he is the author of numerous books and one of the national leaders of the European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions (CEDI), a ...
, ''88 notes pour piano solo'', Neva Editions, 2015, p.162. including compositions ''Neiges'', ''Smash'', ''Chevauchée'', ''Surprise'', ''Donna'', and ''Mouvements'' in the disco and pop fields.
Gagnon also composed for television, including ''La Souris Verte'', ''Vivre en ce Pays'', ''Format 60'', ''Format 30'',''Techno-Flash'', and ''Les Forges de Saint-Maurice''
as well as for theatre with such productions as ''La Poudre aux Yeux'', ''Doña Rosita'', ''Terre d'Aube'', ''La Dame de Chez Maxim's'', and ''Wouf-Wouf''.
Some of his most notable songs are "Pour les Amants", "Turluteries", and "Mes Quatre Saisons".
Early life
Gagnon was born in
Saint-Pacôme
Saint-Pacôme () is a municipality in the Canadian province of Quebec, located in the Kamouraska Regional County Municipality. Saint-Pacome Catholic Church is located in the town.
Local government
Saint-Pacôme forms part of the federal ele ...
,
Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
, Canada.
[Bush, John.]
André Gagnon: Biography
, Allmusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
. Retrieved 23 June 2013.["André Gagnon." The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica-Dominion, n.d. Web. 6 January 2013.] The youngest of nineteen children, Gagnon began composing at the age of six and according to the Canadian Encyclopedia, "He took theory lessons with Léon Destroismaisons in Ste. Anne-de-la-Pocatière from 1952-53 and studied at the Conservatoire de musique à Montréal with
Germaine Malépart
Germaine Malépart (July 7, 1898 – April 19, 1963) was a Canadian pianist and music educator.
She was born in Saint-Vincent-de-Paul (now Laval, Quebec) and began taking piano lessons with at the age of 7. When she was 13, she performed for ...
(piano), Clermont Pépin (composition), and Gilberte Martin (solfège) from 1957 to 1961."
Career
According to Gagnon's official website, "In 1974, André Gagnon released ''Saga'', his first album, composed solely of original instrumental pieces".
["André Gagnon – Biographie." André Gagnon Dans De Silence De La Nuit. Les Disques Audiogramme Inc., n.d. Web. 6 January 2013.] In 1975, the album ''Neiges'' stayed on the American Billboard's Top 10 for twenty-four weeks and sold 700,000 copies worldwide.
In May 1976, Gagnon did four concerts in Mexico and in September of the same year, ''Neiges'' was released in New York under the title ''Driven Snow''.
In 1977, ''Neiges'' won a Juno award for the most purchased album in Canada
while Gagnon's album ''Le Saint-Laurent'' rapidly reached 100,000 sold copies. In 1978, André Gagnon was made an officer of the Order of Canada.
In the fall of 1979, Gagnon received his first Félix, an award created by the Quebecois music industry in the instrumental category for the album ''Le Saint-Laurent''. He also began to add film scores to his repertoire, among them the soundtracks to ''
Running
Running is a method of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. Running is a type of gait characterized by an aerial phase in which all feet are above the ground (though there are exceptions). This is ...
'' (1979), the
John Huston
John Marcellus Huston ( ; August 5, 1906 – August 28, 1987) was an American film director, screenwriter, actor and visual artist. He wrote the screenplays for most of the 37 feature films he directed, many of which are today considered ...
film ''
Phobia
A phobia is an anxiety disorder defined by a persistent and excessive fear of an object or situation. Phobias typically result in a rapid onset of fear and are usually present for more than six months. Those affected go to great lengths to avo ...
'' (1980), and ''
The Hot Touch
''The Hot Touch'' (also credited as ''Hot Touch'') is a 1981 Canadian crime comedy film directed by Roger Vadim.
This caper film is set in the world of art forgery. An accomplished art forger and a businessman have for many years been successful ...
'' (1981), directed by
Roger Vadim
Roger Vadim Plemiannikov (; 26 January 1928 – 11 February 2000) was a French screenwriter, film director and producer, as well as an author, artist and occasional actor. His best-known works are visually lavish films with erotic qualities, su ...
. Gagnon went on world tour in 1981 to the United States, Venezuela, Mexico, Greece, and Romania. During this year, he also composed original music for the film ''Tell Me That You Love Me'', a production of Astral Films.
In October, he recorded ''Impressions'' in the famous Abbey Road studio.
In February 1990, the opera ''Nelligan'' was released, for which Gagnon wrote the music. The opera was presented first at the Grand Theatre of Quebec and then the Place of the Arts of Montreal and finally at the National Centre of the Arts of Ottawa. Following the opera's Canadian release was the release of the studio-recorded double album, ''Nelligan''.
[André Gagnon – Biographie." André Gagnon Dans De Silence De La Nuit. Les Disques Audiogramme Inc., n.d. Web. 6 January 2013.]
In January 1992, Gagnon composed the music for the film ''
The Pianist''. In 1999, the album ''Juliette Pomerleau'' was released. In 2011, the album ''Les chemins ombragés'' was certified a gold album having sold 40,000 copies.
Gagnon also composed music for many artists, such as
Diane Dufresne
Diane Dufresne, (born 30 September 1944) is a French Canadian singer and painter, and is known for singing a large repertoire of popular Quebec songs.
Dufresne was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She lived in Paris from 1965 to 1967 where s ...
(''Le 304''),
Renée Claude
Renée Claude (born Renée Bélanger; July 3, 1939 – May 12, 2020) was a Canadian actress and singer Denise Ménard, Suzanne Thomas and Benoît L'Herbier"Renée Claude" ''The Canadian Encyclopedia'', January 20, 2010. who was known as an inter ...
(''Je suis une femme d'aujourd'hui'', ''Ballade pour mes vieux jours'') and
Nicole Martin (''Mannequin'').
Gagnon died on 3 December 2020, at age 84. He had suffered from Lewy body disease.
Awards and recognition
Juno awards
* 1978:
Instrumental Artist of the Year
* 1995:
Instrumental Artist of the Year
He has received Juno nominations in several other years.
Government honours
Gagnon was appointed an Officer of the
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit.
To coincide with the ...
in 1978 and an Officer of the
National Order of Quebec
The National Order of Quebec, termed officially in French as ''l'Ordre national du Québec'', and in English abbreviation as the Order of Quebec, is an order of merit in the Canadian province of Quebec. Instituted in 1984 when Lieutenant Gove ...
in 2018.
Discography
Albums
Singles
References
External links
*
*
The Canadian Encyclopedia: André Gagnon
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gagnon, Andre
1936 births
2020 deaths
French Quebecers
Officers of the Order of Canada
Canadian composers
Canadian male composers
London Records artists
Columbia Records artists
New-age pianists
Musicians from Quebec
Juno Award for Album of the Year winners
Juno Award for Instrumental Album of the Year winners
Juno Award for Classical Album of the Year – Vocal or Choral Performance winners
Canadian male pianists
21st-century Canadian pianists
21st-century Canadian male musicians
Félix Award winners
Deaths from dementia in Canada
Deaths from Lewy body dementia