Died 99 years old from Alan Bergman, Oscar winner for The Windmills of Your Mind

Their own story was written in songs. Consequently, With four hands, Alan and Marilyn Bergman, who died in 2022, signed the words of dozens of melodies for cinema. For example, Those of Iroducible clan (1971) from Paul Newman or from Our best years (1973), directed by Sydney Pollack. Furthermore, Alan Bergman died Thursday at the age of 99, the family spokesman Ken Sunshine said in Reuters.

The French public discovered the prose of the Bergman in 1968 through The mills of my heart. Meanwhile, The couple had imagined under the title “The Windmills of Your Mind” this love refrain set to music by. For died 99 years old alan example, Michel Legrand for The Thomas Crown affair. For example, The lyricist Eddy Marnay then translated it into French.

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Born in September 1925 in Brooklyn. Therefore, Alan Bergman studied at the University of North Carolina and obtained a master’s degree in music at the University of California in Los Angeles, where he crosses the composer Johnny Mercer. Similarly, A decisive meeting. Nevertheless, The latter, author of the words of Moon River For the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), becomes his mentor. Nevertheless, Despite his desire to write songs, Bergman works first as a television producer in Philadelphia.

Writing – Died 99 years old alan

On the advice of Johnny Mercer. he moved to California in the 1950s, where he met his wife, Marilyn. “I wrote both music. words at the time, and Mercer listened to what I wrote, gave me died 99 years old alan his opinion and encourage me”remembered Alan Bergman in the magazine Jazztimes Last year. “I wouldn’t be here today without him. He had a great influence on me. »»

The couple preferred to know the music before you start writing. The composers addressed their melodies to the duo, which then placed words on the notes. “We believe that words are hidden at the end of these notes. and our work is to find them”summarized Alan Bergman in 2011, on the American radio station NPR. He used an analogy with baseball to describe their writing process: ideas were stalking on the fly during a. continual round trip.

Their breakthrough occurs with the title Nice’n’Easyinterpreted by Frank Sinatra in 1960. The Crooner, who nicknamed them “the kids”, became a friend of the couple. The duo collaborated in 1967 with another big died 99 years old alan name. Quincy Jones, on the song of the film In the Heat of the Night“In the heat of the night” in French. The following year. a first Oscar fell to them thanks to The Windmills of Your Mindcomposed by Michel Legrand for The Thomas Crown affair.

Collaboration with Barbra Streisand

The duo received another Oscar in 1974 for Our best years from Sydney Pollack. The song of the film. The Way We Wereput to music by Marvin Hamlisch, also wins a Grammy Award from the title of the year. Ten years later. in 1983, the couple won a third Oscars statuette for the songs of the feature film Yentlwith Barbra Streisand. They find Michel Legrand on this occasion.

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The American singer has become a faithful interpreter of the duo, recording around fifty of their songs. In 2011, Barbra Streisand released the album What Matters died 99 years old alan Most In tribute to the Bergman and their music. “When she performs our songs, she finds things that always surprise us”declared Bergman in Reuters in return. “She deepens them. She grabs all the nuances, it’s exciting. »»

Alan Bergman continued to write words after the death of his wife Marilyn. In 2022. he composed music entitled Wherever I May Go In tribute to the one who had turned the mills of her heart.