Léo Ferré facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Léo Ferré
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Ferré in 1973
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| Background information | |
| Born | 24 August 1916 Monaco |
| Died | 14 July 1993 (aged 76) Castellina in Chianti, Italy |
| Genres | Chanson, expressionist, classical, spoken word, pop |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer-songwriter, composer, conductor |
| Instruments | Piano, vocals |
| Years active | 1946–1991 |
| Labels | Le Chant du Monde, Odeon, Barclay, CBS, RCA, EPM, La Mémoire et la Mer |
Léo Ferré (born August 24, 1916 – died July 14, 1993) was a famous Monégasque poet, composer, and singer. He was born in France but had roots in Monaco. His music career in France was very important from after World War II until he passed away.
Ferré released about 40 albums during his career. He wrote the music and most of the lyrics for his songs. Many of his songs became popular hits, especially between 1960 and the mid-1970s. Some of his most famous songs, like "Avec le temps" and "C'est extra," are now considered classics of French chanson (a style of French song).
Contents
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Léo Ferré was the son of Joseph Ferré, who worked at the Monte-Carlo Casino, and Marie Scotto, a dressmaker from Monaco. He had an older sister named Lucienne.
Léo loved music from a young age. When he was seven, he joined the choir at the Monaco Cathedral. There, he learned about polyphony, which is a type of music with many independent melodies played at the same time. He sang pieces by famous composers like Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina.
His uncle, who used to be a violinist, often took him to performances at the Monte Carlo Opera. Léo heard amazing musicians like the bass singer Feodor Chaliapin. He also discovered the music of Beethoven and was especially moved by Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. A special memory for him was meeting the composer Maurice Ravel during rehearsals for his opera L'Enfant et les Sortilèges.
At age nine, Ferré went to Saint-Charles College in Italy. He stayed there for eight years, which he described as a time of strict rules and boredom. He wrote about this lonely childhood in a book called Benoît Misère. After finishing high school in Monaco, he wanted to study music at the Conservatory, but his father did not allow it.
Starting His Music Career
In 1945, Léo Ferré was working at Radio Monte-Carlo. He met the famous singer Edith Piaf, who told him he should try his luck in Paris.
In 1947, Ferré went on a tour in Martinique, but it did not go well. Later that year, he started hosting radio shows in Paris about classical music. In his show Musique Byzantine, he shared his ideas about music, like why certain melodies are important.
In 1952, Ferré wrote an opera called La Vie d'artiste. He used his own experiences from past years to create a dark comedy. However, he didn't seem to like it much and moved on to other projects. He began to sing in bigger venues, like the famous l'Olympia theater. In 1954, he even opened for the legendary performer Josephine Baker.
In 1956, Ferré wrote a ballet with songs called La Nuit (The Night). It was created for the choreographer Roland Petit. Unfortunately, the ballet was not successful.
Working with Orchestras and New Sounds
From 1960 to 1970, Ferré worked closely with an arranger named Jean-Michel Defaye. Defaye's classical music skills matched Ferré's musical style very well. They created almost one album every year. Ferré's way of writing for symphonic orchestras later on influenced other singer-songwriters in English-speaking countries, like Scott Walker.
In 1969, Ferré moved to Tuscany, Italy. This new environment gave him fresh energy. He started to break away from traditional song structures. He began to explore spoken word and long monologues in his music. He worked carefully on his voice, focusing on rhythm and speech. He used a style of writing inspired by the poet Arthur Rimbaud, making his spoken parts sound like powerful, dramatic chants.
In 1975, Ferré took on a challenging role: he conducted several orchestras, including the Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège. He would conduct the orchestra and sing at the same time. He mixed his own songs with pieces by Ravel and Beethoven. He even changed where the orchestra members sat on stage. There were 140 musicians and choir singers performing. This was a unique show that blended different music styles. The concerts were sold out for five weeks, but some classical music critics did not like this new type of performance.
From 1976 to 1979, he toured less often. He tried to change his style of expressing rebellion in his songs so he wouldn't be known for just one thing.
In 1976, Ferré signed with CBS Records International. From then on, most of his recordings were made with the Milan-based RAI National Symphony Orchestra, with Ferré himself conducting. However, CBS soon stopped working with Ferré. They thought his new symphonic style was not popular enough for radio and wouldn't sell many records.
Ferré was disappointed by this and felt that artists were treated like products. Because of this, he refused to accept French music awards. He also turned down an offer to join the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (a high honor for artists). He even refused to support the President of France, François Mitterrand, in his reelection campaign. Ferré believed that "The only honor for an artist is not getting any."
Léo Ferré passed away at his home in July 1993 when he was 76 years old. He was buried in the Monaco Cemetery.
Discography
Studio albums
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Live albums
- 1955: Récital Léo Ferré à l'Olympia
- 1958: Léo Ferré à Bobino
- 1961: Récital Léo Ferré à l'Alhambra
- 1963: Flash ! Alhambra – A.B.C.
- 1969: Récital 1969 en public à Bobino (2×LP)
- 1973: Seul en scène (Olympia 1972) (2×LP)
- 1984: Léo Ferré au Théâtre des Champs-Élysées (3×LP)
- 1988: Léo Ferré en public au TLP Déjazet
Posthumous releases
- 1993: Alors, Léo... (live at the TLP Déjazet 1990, 2xCD)
- 2000: Métamec (unreleased album demo tapes)
- 2000: Le Temps des roses rouges (78s songs from 1950)
- 2001: Sur la scène... (live at Lausanne 1973, 2×CD)
- 2001: Un chien à Montreux (live at Montreux 1973, EP)
- 2003: Les Chansons interdites… et autres (songs from 1961)
- 2004: De sac et de cordes (radio drama from 1951)
- 2004: Maudits soient-ils ! (Verlaine et Rimbaud album demo tapes, 2×CD)
- 2006: La Mauvaise Graine (radio sessions & interviews from 1959)
- 2008: Les Fleurs du mal (suite et fin) (unreleased album demo tapes, 1976–77)
- 2018: Je parle à n'importe qui (unreleased album demo tape, 1977)
Boxed sets, compilations, and rarities
- 2013: L'Indigné (20xCD)
- 2018: La Vie moderne: intégrale 1944-1959 (14CD covering the 15 first artist's years)
- 2020: L'Âge d'or: intégrale 1960-1967 (16CD covering the next eight artist's years)
- 2021: La Solitude: intégrale 1968-1974 (18CD covering the next seven artist's years)
See also
- "L'Affiche Rouge" (poem)
