# Paul Mauriat

> French orchestra leader (1925–2006)

**Wikidata**: [Q50788](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q50788)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Mauriat)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/paul-mauriat

## Summary
Paul Mauriat was a French orchestra leader, conductor, composer, and pianist who lived from 1925 to 2006. He is best known for leading his own orchestra and contributing significantly to the easy listening genre, with a career spanning over six decades.

## Biography
- **Born**: March 4, 1925
- **Died**: November 3, 2006
- **Nationality**: France
- **Full Name**: Paul Julien André Mauriat
- **Occupations**: Orchestra leader, conductor, composer, songwriter, pianist, bandleader
- **Field of Work**: Music, specifically easy listening genre
- **Record Label**: Universal Music Group
- **Work Period**: Started in 1943

## Contributions
Paul Mauriat built a prolific career in the music industry, primarily recognized for his role as an orchestra leader. His contributions include:
- **Orchestral Leadership**: He directed the Paul Mauriat Orchestra, becoming a prominent figure in the easy listening genre.
- **Compositions**: As a composer and songwriter, he created original musical works, contributing to the catalog of composed musical works defined as original pieces of music, either vocal or instrumental.
- **Recordings**: He produced a vast body of recordings under the label Universal Music Group, the world's largest music corporation.
- **Genre Development**: He worked within the easy listening genre, a popular music form that emerged in 1948, helping to define and popularize the style globally.

## FAQs
**What was Paul Mauriat's role in music?**
Paul Mauriat was a multi-talented musician who served as an orchestra leader, conductor, composer, songwriter, and pianist. He directed musical performances through visible gestures and created original musical works.

**When was Paul Mauriat active in his career?**
His professional work period began in 1943. He was active throughout the mid-to-late 20th century until his passing in 2006.

**What genre of music is Paul Mauriat associated with?**
He is associated with the easy listening genre, a popular music category that inceptioned in 1948.

**Who represented Paul Mauriat's music?**
His recordings were associated with Universal Music Group, a major Dutch–American music corporation and the world's largest music company.

**What is conducting and how did Paul Mauriat practice it?**
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. Paul Mauriat practiced this as a bandleader, guiding his orchestra through performances, a discipline recognized as both an activity and an academic field.

## Why They Matter
Paul Mauriat matters as a pivotal figure in the easy listening genre, bringing orchestral music to a broad global audience. His work as a conductor and bandleader exemplified the art of conducting—directing musical performances through visible gestures—bridging the gap between classical orchestration and popular music accessibility. By creating a vast catalog of composed musical works under a major label like Universal Music Group, he left a lasting legacy in the phonographic industry. His influence persists through his recordings, which continue to define the sound of mid-20th century orchestral pop and easy listening.

## Notable For
- Being a French orchestra leader recognized globally.
- A career spanning over 60 years, starting in 1943.
- Contributions to the easy listening genre.
- Holding multiple roles: conductor, composer, songwriter, pianist, and bandleader.
- Association with Universal Music Group, the world's largest music company.
- Being listed as a notable practitioner in the field of conducting alongside figures like Hector Berlioz and Michel Legrand.

## Body

### Early Life and Identity
Paul Julien André Mauriat was born on March 4, 1925. He was a French national (citizen of France) and a human being, identified in knowledge bases as an instance of a person. His full name, Paul Julien André Mauriat, distinguishes him in bibliographic records, though he is universally known as Paul Mauriat.

### Career and Professional Roles
Mauriat's professional life was defined by a diverse set of occupations within the music industry. He functioned as a **conductor**, a person who directs a musical group during a performance. This role involves the art of conducting—directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures—which is classified as both an activity and an academic discipline.

In addition to conducting, he was a:
- **Composer**: An author of music in any form.
- **Songwriter**: A person who writes the words or music to songs.
- **Pianist**: A musician who plays the piano.
- **Bandleader**: The leader of a group of musicians.

His work period officially began in 1943, marking the start of a long and influential career.

### Musical Contributions and Genre
Mauriat operated primarily in the field of music, defined as art using sound. Specifically, he was a significant figure in the **easy listening** genre. This genre, which inceptioned on January 1, 1948, represents a form of popular music designed to be unobtrusive and commercially appealing. Mauriat's work involved the creation of **composed musical works**, defined as original pieces or works of music, either vocal or instrumental. His compositions and arrangements contributed to the vast library of music that falls under this classification.

### Industry Affiliations
Throughout his career, Mauriat was associated with major entities in the music industry. His record label was **Universal Music Group**. Universal Music Group (UMG) is a Dutch–American music corporation recognized as the world's largest music company. Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, UMG encompasses numerous subsidiaries and maintains a vast catalog of artists and recordings. Mauriat's association with such a dominant label underscores the commercial reach and significance of his orchestral works.

### Legacy and Death
Paul Mauriat passed away on November 3, 2006. His legacy is preserved through his extensive discography and his status as a notable practitioner of conducting. He is listed among historical and contemporary figures in the field, recognized for his role in directing musical performances and leading orchestras. His work remains a reference point in the easy listening genre and the broader history of orchestral music.

## References

1. Fichier des personnes décédées mirror
2. Virtual International Authority File
3. BnF authorities
4. Czech National Authority Database
5. [Source](https://www.siv.archives-nationales.culture.gouv.fr/siv/rechercheconsultation/consultation/ir/pdfIR.action?irId=FRAN_IR_026438)
6. International Standard Name Identifier
7. MusicBrainz
8. IMDb
9. [Source](http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/07/obituaries/07mauriat.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=all)
10. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
11. Integrated Authority File
12. IdRef
13. Carnegie Hall linked open data