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Legrand Affair [Ghostlight 8-3336]
French composer Michel Legrand created a niche of his own in world cinema, circa 1965-80. He first became prominent in the late 1950s as a jazz pianist, but it was the 1964 film "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" that launched him to international prominence. "I Will Wait for You" — an English-language lyric for the film's love theme — was a major hit, as a result of which Hollywood quickly called. Legrand has something like 200 film and television scores to his credit, including those for the films "The Thomas Crown Affair" (featuring his Oscar-winner "The Windmills of Your Mind"), "Summer of '42," and "Yentl."

He has remained active for more than 50 years, although never equaling his early years of success. As movie opportunities dwindled, he moved over to television. He has also has tried his hand at theatre, with the 1997 Paris hit Le Passe Muraille — which transferred poorly to Broadway in 2002, as Amour — and the 2008 London failure, Marguerite.

Errico does a great job on these songs, and I admit to very much enjoying Legrand's music and style. Which nevertheless leaves me with a bit of a problem, or maybe a 100-piece problem. I won't say that "Legrand Affair" is over-orchestrated; Legrand has (obviously) music in his fingertips, and his orchestrations are a prime element in his work. But he is in a rhapsodic and contemplative mood, here, with all those strings. If you're in the mood for lounging in a sea of symphonic-flavored ballads, you'll be fine.

Legrand has every right to say "these are my songs and this is how I want them done." I'll go along with that. But this CD reminds me of Leonard Bernstein's late-in-life recordings of West Side Story and Candide. Authentic, because the composer himself was in full control; but lifeless and mighty slow. Yes, Bernstein conducted these mid-to-late-1980s recordings and did not conduct the mid-to-late-1950s original cast albums. My feeling, though, is that the recordings without Bernstein are far closer to what Bernstein intended.

But we are talking of Legrand, here, not Lenny. Yes, this big orchestra sounds glorious; and yes, the Errico-Legrand marriage works wonderfully well. Singer and songs make for an impressive "Legrand Affair."