The exciting sports tune that will support the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2024 Olympic Games has come to Victor le Masne in about three seconds. “I don't know how,” says the French pianist and composer, a longtime producer who was with the electro-pop duo of the early 2010s. Housse de Racket. “But what is important is the implementation of this idea. It took me three seconds to find it, but maybe 18 months to complete it.”
Paris 2024 organizers chose Le Masne to compose the new theme, titled 'Parade', after he had rearranged the French National Anthem, 'La Marseillaise', for the end of the Tokyo Games. An orchestra performed the new track first on May 8, when the Olympic flame arrived in Paris by yacht — with Le Masne on piano and synthesizer. “I decided just a few days ago: 'I think I want to be in the orchestra playing my piece with the flame reaching France,'” he recalled, via Zoom from Paris. “It was so much, but I said, 'Let's be even more very much.'”
In the interview, conducted about two weeks before the games start on July 26, le Masne, 42, discussed the creative challenges and deadline pressure of composing a new piece for the Olympic ceremonies — as well as his work on “La Marseillaise” and his love for the American “Dream Team” that won basketball gold in the 1992 Olympics.
What goes through your mind as you are in the orchestra, playing your own composition, watching the flame enter a yacht?
It was a hint of the amazing excitement and tension I had in mind. When the woman running the show said, “3, 2, 1,” I was like, “Wow, that's really crazy.” But I liked it, obviously.
How long did it take you to come up with the tune 'Parade'?
I just sat at my piano like I always do. I was in a group of musicians, a committee with the artistic director of the Olympics, some historians, some athletes, and we would see each other every week and talk, with friends, about art, sports and obviously the Olympics. Maybe twice a week. This tune came very easily. … For the first time in the modern Olympic Games, it is not in a stadium for the opening ceremony, but in the heart of the city. The idea is, we'll be in boats, country to country, reaching the Seine River. I was imagining this moment. I wanted my tune, my theme, to be loud and happy and speak for everyone. Hope.
Did you exercise? Are you a fan of a particular sport?
I was a big basketball fan, for Barcelona in 1992 — I was 10 years old and I saw the Dream Team, with Michael Jordan and the gang. Also, I'm from Andre Agassi's generation, with tennis. Being a musician, my teacher was very hard on me, like, “You have to play music, you have to practice and practice,” [so] I didn't have time to do as much sports as I wanted.
You've been composing music for the Olympics as a full-time job for the past 18 months. How did it change your life?
For me, there is before and after the Olympics. The task is so huge. I am the composer of a huge score, almost 12 hours of music. You will have some songs in the ceremony – some French songs – but I had to produce it, arrange it, work with different artists. It's very difficult to make everyone happy. Every country will march to this music, so you can't go wrong. Everyone should be happy with what they hear. But you also have to be bold and unusual.
How demanding were the people at Paris 2024, in terms of accepting your music?
They trust me and chose me for my ability to translate what we want into music. I'm not just the composer, I'm like a storyteller. When I introduce them to the music, it's not like, “Oh, I don't like that bass or drum feel.” It's more like, “Do you like the story we're telling together?” And if not, fine, I can try something else. This has been an ongoing discussion with the committee. But I enjoyed a lot of freedom.
How did you get this job in the first place? Did you have to apply? Do you have a sense of the competition that existed?
In 2021, in the spring, they called me and asked me to try to do a new version of 'La Marseillaise', the French national anthem, for Tokyo 2021. It's when Tokyo stopped and they say, 'Okay, next city it's Paris.” I didn't know then, but I know now, there was a contest. There were different composers. I sat down at my piano and began to play the tune: dah, dah, dah. I thought, “This is really cool.” In France, we have this feeling with the anthem, a little bit with violence, it's a military feeling. And thinking about the Olympics, it was also during Covid, so people were going through a tough time. I changed all the chord progressions and made a full realization of the whole thing, like a jazz guy would. I'm a big Stevie Wonder fan and I was like, 'What would Stevie do?'
Two or three years later, I was working on a musical called Starmania, as music director and arranger. The director of the musical had been asked to be the artistic director of the Olympics. He said, “You already did it with the Olympics, do you want to continue with me?” If you are faced with your destiny, some crazy things can happen.
Will you participate in the performance of your work, in any of the ceremonies, as you did with the Olympic flame ceremony?
It's in 15 days, but I still don't know. I have many options. I think I will not perform as a musician myself. If something goes wrong, I just have to check everything. Also, me and the artistic director aren't allowed in those rooms because we created this show and they don't want us if we're too emotional. I think I'll be in a quiet room with lots of screens and I'll be, “Oh, my God!”
What will you do after it's all over?
I think I'll go to bed for a while. I can't commit to anything. Obviously, I'll be back to work as soon as possible. I really want to fully experience it and not say, “In two weeks, I'll be back at it.”
Do you have a prediction on who will take the gold in basketball?
I would say… France. [Laughs] France!
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/pro/paris-olympics-2024-theme-composer-victor-le-masne-interview/
