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Leo Arnaud

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Leo Arnaud

Leo Arnaud or Léo Arnaud (July 24, 1904 – April 26, 1991) (IPA: [ˈleɪ.oʊ ɑɹ.ˈnoʊ]) was a French-American composer of film scores, best known for scoring Bugler's Dream, which is used as the theme for the Olympic Games.

The composer studied composition at conservatories in Lyon and Paris with Maurice Ravel and Vincent d'Indy.[2] After playing as a jazz trombonist in France using the name Leo Vauchant and arranging for the Jack Hylton band in England from 1928 to 1930, he immigrated to the United States in 1931. He worked in Hollywood as an arranger for Fred Waring before joining MGM as an arranger, composer, and orchestrator from 1936 to 1966.

In 1980, Arnaud left Hollywood and retired to Yadkin County, North Carolina. His wife, Faye Brooks Arnaud, was a native of the area. He is buried at Asbury United Methodist Church in Hamptonville, North Carolina.[3]

Bugler's Dream

"Bugler's Dream" is very well-known, especially by Americans, as theme music for the Olympic Games from its use in ABC's and NBC's television coverage of the games. It is considered to be a symbol of the Olympics. Arnaud's piece is very stately, beginning with a timpani cadence that is soon joined by a distinctive theme in brass.

Arnaud was commissioned by conductor Felix Slatkin to create a piece for his album Charge! in 1958. For this, he wrote "The Charge Suite", published by Shawnee Press, which included "Bugler's Dream". ABC began using the composition as the theme to their coverage of the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble and in future Olympics. It was also used as the title piece for the series ABC's Wide World of Sports. NBC went with an alternate theme in 1988 when it obtained the rights to the Summer Olympics in Seoul, but brought "Bugler's Dream" back in 1992 for their broadcast of the Barcelona Olympics.

For the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, composer John Williams wrote "Olympic Fanfare and Theme," which is played in a medley with "Bugler's Dream." It consists of Williams's arrangement of "Bugler's Dream" which is similar to Arnaud's original but with a repeat of the theme with a full orchestra, followed by Williams's composition.[4] Williams's arrangement of Arnaud's "Bugler's Dream" as well as "Olympic Fanfare and Theme" are both commonly used in recent Olympic coverage by NBC.

Filmography

Awards

Arnaud was nominated for one Oscar. It was for the The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964) at the 37th Academy Awards, presented in 1965. It was a co-nomination with six other men who also wrote the film's music, with Arnaud doing orchestration.[5]

References

  1. ^ De Jong, Diederik C.D. (1996). "Arnaud: Symphonie Francaise, Latin American Scenario, Midinette, In Memoriam, Well Tempered Oboist, Bugler's Dream". American Record Guide: 71. Retrieved 2007-11-14. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  2. ^ Leo Arnaud at Answers.com
  3. ^ "Hamptonville News," by Frieda Hall, The Tribune (Elkin, North Carolina), August 24, 2004
  4. ^ Harrell, Jeff (2004-08-18). "The Shape of Days - The Olympic theme". Retrieved 2008-08-18.
  5. ^ Stepanich, Greg (2008-08-16). "Leo Arnaud's Olympics brand". Retrieved 2008-08-18.


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