Vladimir Cosma is a Romanian composer, conductor and violinist, who has made his career in France and the United States.

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Vladimir Cosma (born 13 April 1940) is a Romanian composer, conductor and violinist, who has made his career in France and the United States.\n

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Personal life

He was born into a family of musicians. His father Teodor Cosma was a pianist and conductor, and his mother Carola Pimper a writer-composer. His uncle Edgar Cosma was a composer and conductor.\n

One of Vladimir's grandmothers, a pianist, was a student of Ferruccio Busoni.\n

Career

After receiving first prizes for violin and composition at the Bucharest Conservatory, Vladimir Cosma arrived in Paris in 1963 and continued his studies at the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique de Paris, working with Nadia Boulanger. As well as for classical music, he discovered early on a passion for jazz, film music and all forms of popular music.\n

From 1964 he made a number of international tours as a concert violinist and began to devote himself more and more to composing. He wrote various compositions including: Trois mouvements d'été for symphony orchestra, Oblique for violoncello and string orchestra, music for theatre and ballet (Volpone for the Comédie Française, the opera Fantômas...).\n

In 1968, Yves Robert entrusted him with his first film music for Alexandre le Bienheureux.\n

Cosma has since composed more than three hundred scores for feature films and TV series. His numerous successes in the cinema have notably been in collaboration with Yves Robert, Gérard Oury, Francis Veber, Claude Pinoteau, Jean-Jacques Beineix, Claude Zidi, Ettore Scola, Pascal Thomas, Pierre Richard, Yves Boisset, André Cayatte, Jean-Pierre Mocky, Edouard Molinaro, Jean-Marie Poiré, etc. Films he composed the score for include: Le Grand Blond avec une chaussure noire, Diva, Les Aventures de Rabbi Jacob, La Boum, Le Bal, L'As des as, La Chèvre, Les Fugitifs, Les Zozos, Pleure pas la bouche pleine, Dupont Lajoie, Un éléphant ça trompe énormément, La Dérobade, Le Père Noël est une ordure, L'Étudiante, La Gloire de mon père, Le Château de ma mère, Le dîner de cons, etc.\n

Cosma has also been featured in major French and American television productions:\nMichel Strogoff, Kidnapped, Mistral's Daughter, Châteauvallon, Les Mystères de Paris, Les Coeurs brûlés, etc.\n

Film music allowed him to approach and develop many different musical styles: jazz (with music written for soloists such as Chet Baker, Toots Thielemans, Don Byas, Stéphane Grappelli, Jean-Luc Ponty, Philip Catherine, Tony Coe, Pepper Adams; chanson (for Nana Mouskouri, Marie Laforêt, Richard Sanderson, Diane Dufresne, Herbert Léonard, Mireille Mathieu, Nicole Croisille, Lara Fabian, Guy Marchand); and original compositions inspired by folk music (for Gheorghe Zamfir, Stanciu Simion \"Syrinx\", pan-flute, Liam O'Flynn, pipes/Romane-guitar), as well as classical music (Berlin Concerto for violin and orchestra, Concerto for Euphonium and orchestra, Concerto Ibérique for trumpet and orchestra, Courts Métrages for brass quintet, etc.)\n

In 2006 Cosma himself conducted the world premiere of his composition Eh bien ! Dansez maintenant, a divertissement for narrator and symphony orchestra, adapting eleven of La Fontaine's Fables. The work's title refers to the ant's rejoinder to the grasshopper when it comes begging for food in the first of the fables: \"You sang all summer? Now go and dance!\" In Cosma's interpretation, the recitation of the story is unaccompanied, but each of the fables is illustrated in a different dance measure – from polka to pasodoble, from gavotte to foxtrot. The first performance of many that followed took place at the Victoria Hall in Geneva, with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande and Lambert Wilson as narrator. Conducting the Orchestre National de France, he gave a first performance in Paris of this work in December 2010 at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, featuring Éric Génovèse of the Comédie Française.\n

Vladimir Cosma went on to write the opera Marius et Fanny, adapted from Marcel Pagnol, for which the first production took place in September 2007 at the Opéra de Marseille with Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu in the title roles, as well as Jean-Philippe Lafont in the role of César. The performances were repeated several times on television on the channels Arte and France 3.\n

In 2008 he composed the music for the musical comedy Les Aventures de Rabbi Jacob performed at the Palais des Congrès in Paris, with Éric Métayer, Marianne James, Spike, Julie Victor, among others.\n

In June 2009, Vladimir Cosma conducted the world premiere, in the Eglise Sainte-Madeleine de Béziers, of his cantata 1209, for soprano, narrator, children's choir and orchestra, written especially for the 8th centenary of the Sac de Béziers.\n

He is dedicated to re-writing his film music with the intention of conducting performances in symphonic concerts, thus approaching a wider audience than at the cinema . Among others, he gave a concert in Geneva in 2003 with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, a series of concerts in 2003 with the Orchestre National de Lyon, three concerts in 2005 in Paris at the Grand Rex, and a concert in 2010 with the Orchestre national d'Île-de-France in the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.\n

He has also appeared in many countries with major symphony orchestras and such prestigious soloists as Ivry Gitlis, Vadim Repin, Wilhelmenia Fernandez, Patrice Fontanarosa, Jean-Luc Ponty, Didier Lockwood, Stanciu Simion, Philip Catherine and others. A book of interviews with Vincent Perrot entitled Vladimir Cosma comme au cinéma was published in 2009 in the Editions Hors Collection and an anthology of his film music regrouping 91 complete original soundtracks in two volumes has just come out. Two evenings were devoted to him by the French TV channel, France 3 in 2010, airing his concert at the Théâtre du Châtelet and a documentary Vladimir Cosma intime.\n

Cosma received two Césars for the best movie score, for Diva (1981) and Le Bal (1984), two Golden Sevens for the best music for television, as well as a number of prizes and awards in France and other countries. He has also obtained numerous gold and platinum records all over the world (France, Germany, Japan, England, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Scandinavia). Cosma is Chevalier de l'ordre National la Légion d'Honneur, as well as Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres. He has also been awarded the Romanian Ordinul \"Meritul cultural\" în grad de Cavaler.\n

Works

Film and television

\n1960s\n\n1970s\n\n1980s\n\n1990s\n\n2000s\n\n

Operas and stage works

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Other genres

\n\nSymphonic works based on film soundtracks\n

L'As des As – Ouverture (2001–2002)
La Boum – suite d'orchestre (1991)
La Gloire de mon Père, Le Château de ma mère – suite d'orchestre (1991–2006) Habanera, Les Vacances, Isabelle, Le Parc Borelli, Massalia Rag, Valse d'Augustine
Le Grand Blond avec une chaussure noire – Danse Roumaine (1991)
Michel Strogoff – suite d'orchestre (1995) – Thème de Nadia, Danse Tartare
Les Aventures de Rabbi Jacob – Danses Hassidiques (1996)
Le Bal, pour trompette et orchestre (1994)
La Course à l'échalote – suite d'orchestre (1995)
La Dérobade (Solitude) (1995)
Le Jaguar (Thème de l'Aventure) (1999)
Les Aventures de David Balfour (La Légende de David) (2006)
Le Placard (2001)
La Chèvre (La Cabra) pour kena ou naï et orchestre (2002)
Les Compères (1991)
Les Fugitifs – suite d'orchestre (1991)
La Boum 2 – suite d'orchestre (1998)
Diva (Promenade sentimentale ) version orchestrale (2002)
Un Eléphant, ça trompe énormément (Hello Marilyn) (1991)
L'Eté 36 – suite d'orchestre (1995)
L'Amour en héritage – version orchestrale (1996)
Châteauvallon – version orchestrale (1999)
Les Cœurs brûlés – version orchestrale (1996)
Le Bal des casse-pieds (Les Casse-pieds) – pour solistes de jazz et orchestre (1999)
Le Bal des casse-pieds (Les Casse-pieds) – version orchestrale (1999)
Salut l'Artiste (Yves et Danièle) pour solistes de jazz et orchestre (1999)
L'Aile ou la Cuisse (Concerto gastronomique) pour solistes de jazz et orchestre (2003)
Le Père Noël au Paradis – suite basée sur les musiques des films: Le Père Noël est une ordure, Nous irons tous au Paradis, pour solistes de jazz et orchestre (1996–1999)
Le Dîner de cons, pour solistes de jazz et orchestre (2002)

\nWorks for soloists and orchestra\n

Oblique, pour violoncelle et orchestre à cordes (1969)
Concerto pour Euphonium et orchestre (commande du Festival et Concours international de Tuba de Guebwiller, 1997)
Concerto Ibérique, pour trompette et orchestre (création lors du Concours international de cuivres de la ville de Narbonne, 1998)
Concerto de Berlin, pour violon et orchestre\n
- version du film La 7ème Cible (1984) – env. 9'
- version intégrale (2001) – env.29'

\nVocal, choral and symphonic\n

Eh bien ! Dansez maintenant, divertissement d'après Les Fables de Jean de La Fontaine pour Récitant et orchestre symphonique (2006)
Cantate 1209, pour Récitant, Soprano, Chœurs d'enfants et orchestre (2009)
Reality du film La Boum, pour voix de ténor et orchestre (2001)
L'Amour en héritage (Only Love), pour soprano et orchestre (1996)
Your Eyes du film La Boum 2, pour soprano et orchestre (1998)
Les Cœurs brûlés, pour soprano et orchestre (1996)
Divine du film Diva pour soprano et orchestre (1996)
Air de la Wally du film Diva (A.Catalani, argt.V.Cosma), pour soprano et orchestre (1980)
You call it Love du film L'Etudiante pour soprano et orchestre (2002)
Eternity du film La Vouivre pour soprano et orchestre (2002)

\nMilitary and concert band music\n

Concerto pour Euphonium et orchestre d'harmonie (commande du Festival et Concours international de Tuba de Guebwiller, 1997)
Concerto Ibérique, pour trompette et orchestre d'harmonie (création lors du Concours international de cuivres de la ville de Narbonne, 1998)
La Boum – suite pour orchestre d'harmonie (2010)
La Gloire de mon Père, Le Château de ma Mère – suite pour orchestre d'harmonie (2009) – Habanera, Les Vacances, Isabelle, Valse d'Augustine
Le Grand Blond avec une chaussure noire – Danse Roumaine (2010)
Michel Strogoff – suite pour orchestre d'harmonie (2008) – Thème de Nadia, Danse Tartare
Les Aventures de Rabbi Jacob – Danses Hassidiques (2007)
L'Aile ou la Cuisse – Concerto gastronomique (2007)
Les Saxs Brothers du film Nous irons tous au Paradis pour Quintette de saxophones, Piano, Contrebasse et Batterie (2008)

\nChamber music, pianoforte reductions\n

Courts métrages Quintette de cuivres (commande du Festival et Concours international de Narbonne, 1996)
9 Recueils de Musiques de Films, pour instruments solistes et accompagnement de piano – Flûte, Clarinette, Hautbois, Saxophone alto, Cor, Euphonium, Trompette, Trombone, Violon (2011)
Concerto pour Euphonium et orchestre, réduction pour Euphonium et Piano (1997)
9 Recueils de Musiques de Films, pour instruments solistes et accompagnement de piano – Flûte, Clarinet, Hautbois, Saxophone alto, Cor, Euphonium, Trompette, Trombone, Violon (2011)
Concerto Ibérique, réduction pour Trompette et Piano (1998)
Concerto de Berlin, réduction pour Violon et Piano\n
- version du film La 7ème Cible – env. 9' (1984 – rev.1999)
- version intégrale – env.29' (2002)
Eh bien ! Dansez maintenant – divertissement d'après des Fables de Jean de La Fontaine – partition pour Récitant et Piano (2006)
Marius et Fanny, réduction pour Piano et Chant (2007)
Cantate 1209, réduction pour Piano, Récitant, Soprano, Chœurs d'enfants (2009)

\nPiano music\n

Les Musiques de Films de Vladimir Cosma, Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4 (1982–1990)
La Gloire de mon père – Le Château de ma mère, recueil pour piano (1990)

\nVocal music and songs\n

2 Recueils pour voix et piano\n
- Vladimir Cosma – Les plus belles chansons Cinéma & Télévision – volume 1 (1996)
- Vladimir Cosma – Les plus belles chansons Cinéma & Télévision – volume 2 (1996)

Plus over a hundred songs including:\n

\"Reality\", du film La Boum, interprétée par Richard Sanderson (1980)
\"L'Amour en héritage\" (Only Love), interprétée par Nana Mouskouri (1984)
\"Destinée\", des films Le Père Noël est une ordure et Les Sous-doués en vacances, interprétée par Guy Marchand (1982)
\"Puissance et Gloire\", de la série TV Châteauvallon, interprétée par Herbert Léonard (1985)
\"Your Eyes\", du film La Boum 2, interprétée par Cook Da Books (1982)
\"Le Ciel, La Terre et l'eau\", du film Alexandre Le Bienheureux, interprétée par Isabelle Aubret (1968)
\"Un Souvenir heureux\" de la série TV Le tiroir secret, interprétée par Diane Dufresne (1986)
\"You call it Love\", du film L'Etudiante, interprétée par Karoline Krüger (1988)
\"My Life\", de la série TV Till we meet again, interprétée par Mireille Mathieu (1989)
\"Je n'ai pas dit mon dernier mot d'amour\", du film La Dérobade, interprétée par Nicole Croisille (1979)
\"L'Année prochaine si tout va bien\", interprétée par Sofie Kremen (1981)
\"Ballade de Clérambard\", du film Clérambard, interprétée par Marie Laforêt (1969)
\"Pour l'Amour\", de la série TV La Chambre des Dames, interprétée par Annick Thoumazeau (1983)
\"Les Cœurs brûlés\", interprétée par Nicole Croisille (1992)
\"Laisse-moi rêver\", du film La Neige et le feu, interprétée par Lara Fabian (1991)
\"Les Mondes Engloutis\", interprétée par les Mini Star (1985)
\"Maybe you're wrong\", du film La Boum 2, interprétée par Freddie Meyer (1982)
\"Go on for ever\", du film La Boum, interprétée par Richard Sanderson et Chantal Curtis (1980)
\"Get it together\", du film Inspecteur La Bavure, interprétée par Chantal Curtis (1980)

Awards

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References

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Alain Lacombe et Claude Rocle, La Musique du Film – Vladimir Cosma (Editions Francis van de Velde, Paris, 1979)
Who is Who in Europe – Dictionnaire Biographique – Vladimir Cosma (Ed.Servi-Tech, 5ème éd., Belgique, 1983)
Steve Harris, Film and Television Composers : An International Discography – Vladimir Cosma (Mc Farland & Company Inc., Publishers, USA, 1992)
Théodore Baker, Nicolas Slonimsky, Dictionnaire Biographique des Musiciens – Vladimir Cosma (Ed.Robert Laffont, Paris, 1995)
Stéphane Lerouge, Cent ans de cinéma – Vladimir Cosma. Du Grand Blond à Diva, l'autre Cosma paru dans NOTES N° 14 (Ed.SACEM / SDRM, Paris, 1995)
Enciclopedia Români in stiinta si cultura occidentala – Vladimir Cosma (Los Angeles, CA90027 USA, 1992; 2ème éd., 1996)
Viorel Cosma, Muzicieni din România – Vladimir Cosma (Editura Muzicala, Bucuresti, 1999)
The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians – Vladimir Cosma (Macmillan Publishers Limited, 2nd éd., 2001)
Vincent Perrot, B.O.F. Musiques et compositeurs du cinéma français – Vladimir Cosma (Dreamland éditeur, Paris, 2002)
Lionel Pons, Le style de Vladimir Cosma, des studios à la scène, dans Marius et Fanny (Ed. Actes Sud, 2007)
Vladimir Cosma comme au cinéma, Entretiens avec Vincent Perrot (Ed.Hors Collection, Paris, 2009) ISBN 2-84855-101-1
Lionel Pons, Vladimir Cosma l'imagier avec des analyses musicologiques incluses dans le coffret discographique Vladimir Cosma – 40 Bandes Originales pour 40 Films (Ed.Larghetto Music, Pays Bas, 2009)
Who is Who in France – Dictionnaire biographique – Vladimir Cosma (Ed.Laffitte-Hébrard, 41ème éd., Paris, 2010)
Lionel Pons, Vladimir Cosma, prima la musica, avec des analyses musicologiques incluses dans le coffret discographique Vladimir Cosma, vol.2, 51 Bandes Originales pour 51 Films (Ed.Larghetto Music, Pays Bas, 2010)

External links

Vladimir Cosma at IMDb
Vladimir Cosma at AllMusic
Interview with SCORE magazine Archived 2008-05-06 at the Wayback Machine
Interview with Vladimir Cosma (in French)
Thème de Nadia (from Michel Strogoff) — original recording on YouTube
Thème de Nadia — concert performance on YouTube

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Vladimir Cosma

Broadcast History