Paul Tourenne, the last survivor of the famous vocal quartet “Les freres Jacques” died in the night from Saturday to Sunday in Montreal, where he had resided for the past ten years, announced on Sunday his son to the AFP.
“My father is dead. He was 93 years old,” said his son, Robin, reached by telephone.
Paul Tourenne, also a photographer, lived in Montreal Quebec for the past ten years. “He died of old age, his heart dropped,” said his son, who has commended “the career beautiful” of his father.
The quartet was formed at the end of the Second world War. It had two real brothers (André and Georges Bellec) and two fake (François Soubeyran and Paul Tourenne). The name “Frères Jacques” was born of the expression “Do the James” (do the fool).
“One page closes on one of our greatest string quartets, the voice of the post-war period”, regretted the minister of Culture Audrey Azoulay in a press release. “They are our heritage, a source of inspiration for many artists and will remain alive for future generations through their recordings,” she greeted.
The “Frères Jacques” combine song and comedy. Their stage appearance, black tights, leotards of different colors (green for André Bellec, yellow, Georges, red for François Soubeyran, blue for Paul Tourenne), hats and gloves are top-of-form, has contributed greatly to their reputation.
They had won the Grand Prix du disque in 1950, with the song “The Inventory”. Has their repertoire, it was Boris Vian, but also drunken songs or parodies of classical music (“The Trout”, Franz Schubert).
In 1976, they give them the 7,000 th recital. Three years later, they start a farewell tour that will end in 1983.
François Soubeyran died 21 October 2002, André Bellec died on October 3, 2008 and his brother George died on December 13, 2012.
20/11/2016 17:18:20 – Paris (AFP) – © 2016 AFP
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