Danielle Licari

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Danielle Licari
Danielle Licari.jpg
Danielle Licari
Background information
Born30 November 1936
OriginFrance
OccupationSinger
Years active1960s and 1970s
Website daniellelicari.com

Danielle Licari (born Danielle Cuvillier on 30 November 1936, in Boulogne-sur-Mer) is a French singer who was active in the 1960s and 1970s. She's now remembered primarily as the vocalist in Concerto pour une Voix.

Contents

Career

In 1964, she dubbed the singing in the movie The Umbrellas of Cherbourg for the role of Geneviève Émery, played by Catherine Deneuve.

From 1965 to 1967 she sang in the vocal trio Les Fizz with Jackie Castan and Nadine Doukhan, two other ex-Djinns Singers. Backed by Jacques Denjean's orchestra, the band released three EPs.

In 1968, she recorded "Treize jours en France", composed by Francis Lai; she also recorded a second version of "Love Story" dedicated to her by the same composer.

In 1969, she recorded her greatest hit, "Concerto pour une Voix". The album has sold over 15 million copies.

In 1972, she submitted her song "Au cœur d'une chanson" to compete in the Eurovision contest representing France. The French committee selected Betty Mars and her song "Come-Comedie" instead.

In 1972, she represented France in the "World Popular Song Festival" held in Tokyo, Japan. Her song "Une Vie" was a finalist.

In 1973, she participated as a vocalist to an album considered as a masterpiece of French chanson: the symphonic, dark and epic Il n'y a plus rien (There is nothing anymore) by singer-songwriter Léo Ferré.

In July 1978, she sang with the Quebec Symphony Orchestra and the choir of St-Dominique Church. The piece chosen was a musical drama called Concerto pour Helene, in honour of Helene Boule, the wife of the founder of Quebec City, as part of the city's 370th anniversary celebrations. The work was composed by Claude Léveillée.

In 1982, she voiced Princess Aurora in the French dub of Sleeping Beauty.

Wyclef Jean sampled "Concerto Pour Une Voix" in his 1997 song "Apocalypse."

She has sold over 20 million copies of her albums during her career. Her songs are found in easy listening CD compilations worldwide.

Singing style

Her characteristic singing style lacked lyrics, communicating emotions through sounds, the way a violin would. This may have fueled her popularity in non-French speaking countries like Germany, Spain, Mexico, Brazil, Japan and Korea. She used her voice like a musical instrument giving a soft, unique dream-like tone. She has been called la voz de la sirena ("the voice of a Siren"). Most of her recordings are arrangements of classical themes composed originally for instruments rather than voice, while the arrangements consist generally of large orchestral ensembles mixed with a pop-rock band instrumentation. She incorporated pop-rock elements that made her music appealing. Her singing style influenced Japanese Anime soundtracks of the 1980s such as Seiji Yokoyama ( Saint Seiya ).

Discography

Studio albums

YearTitleLabelRelease country
1965La Geographie en ChansonsBarclayFrance & Canada
1965Lecon de Choses en ChansonsBarclayFrance & Canada
1966Vivre la NuitPhillipsFrance and Japan
1967Jesus: La Vie de Jesus en 12 Chansons
with the Francois Rauber Orchestra
PhillipsFrance
1969Sanctus: Musique Sacree Pour Piano, Orgue et VoixPhillipsFrance, Canada, Mexico
1969Concerto Pour Une VoixBarclayWorldwide release
1970On Est Bien La-LaBarclayFrance
1973Screen Themes Golden PrizeBarclayFrance, Canada and Japan
1974Danielle Licari Live in Japan (with Obi)BarclayJapan
1974–75Danielle LicariBarclayFrance, Canada, Japan, Mexico
1975Le Marche PersanBarclayFrance, Canada, Japan, Mexico
1976Rhapsodie Pour Deux VoixBarclayFrance, Canada, Japan, Mexico
1977SaggitariusBarclayFrance, Canada, Mexico
1978RappelBarclayFrance, Canada, Mexico
1979Concerto Pour ElleHeloiseFrance and Canada
1980Elisabeth SerenadeAmo RecordsFrance, Japan
1980Danielle Licari Chante Ennio Morricone:
Mal de Toi
Le Petit MenestralFrance
1981HeidiAdesFrance
1982Concerto Pour Deux VoixVictorBrazil, France, Canada
1984Lonely ShepherdDisques StarFrance and Canada
1984RomanceStarFrance and Canada
1993Sanctus: Musique Sacree Pour Piano,
Orgue et Voix
(re-release)
PolyGram ProjectsFrance and Canada
1995Danielle Licari chante les plus grandsDisques QualityCanada
Pinocchio, Joli PantinAdes

Backing vocals

Danièle Licari also sang for other artists, such as French singer-songwriter Léo Ferré.

YearTitleArtistLabelRelease country
1970 Amour Anarchie Léo FerréBarclayFrance, Canada
1971L'Albatros (excerpts from Jean-Pierre Mocky's movie soundtrack)Léo FerréBarclayFrance
1973 Il n'y a plus rien Léo FerréBarclayFrance, Canada

Singles

YearTitleLabelRelease country
1969"Concerto pour une voix"BarclayWorldwide
1970"Adagio Romantique"BarclayFrance, Japan, Mexico
1971"Prelude Pour Un Amour: Melodie Pour un Autoumne"BarclayFrance
1972"Une Vie"BarclayFrance, Japan
1975"Histoire D'O (Geschichte der O)"BarclayCanada, France and Germany
1975La Canzone di OrlandoBarclayItaly, Canada, France
"Concerto Pour Une Voix"Multiple labelsJapan, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Israel
"Les Parapluies de Cherbourg"Multiple labelsFrance, Canada, Japan
"Rhapsodie Pour Deux Voix"BarclayFrance
1977"Adagio de Albinoni / Concerto No 1
En Si Bemol De Tchaikowski"
BarclayFrance and Canada
1979"Concerto pour Elle"
(Re-release)
BarclayFrance
1981"Les Chansons de Pierrot"France
1981"Prelude Pour Un Amour: Melodie Pour un Autoumne"
(Re-release)
BarclayCanada
1983"Le Chant des étoiles"BarclayFrance

Collections

Soundtracks

References

daniellelicari.com