Paul de Senneville

Career

He began his career as a journalist working for French newspapers such as France Soir. Later, he became a TV program producer as well.

Music career

As a director of a record company, Disc AZ, he started a new career on the basis of his passion in life: music.

After writing his first song in 1962, he contributed music for songs in many movie soundtracks produced by French companies such as Universe Galaxie and Daber Films. In 1968, while managing Michel Polnareff's career, he met Olivier Toussaint, forming a successful songwriting partnership. Their songs were recorded by major French artists such as: Mireille Mathieu, Michèle Torr, Christophe, Hervé Vilard, Dalida, Petula Clark and Claude François. This partnership accounts for over 100 million records sold internationally. Partnering with lyricist Jean-Loup Dabadie, he wrote Tous les bateaux, tous les oiseaux, a French hit recorded by Michel Polnareff.

Very soon, the pair got involved in Production. They started the group Pop Concerto Orchestra, on which Toussaint sang lead. Soon after, they launched their second group Anarchic System that produced Rock & roll. Over a period of 5 years, the two groups sold millions of records.

His music

Compositions for Movies

Dolannes Melody

The success of Dolannes Melody launched the career of trumpet player Jean-Claude Borelly. The song reached #1 on the charts of France, Switzerland, Belgium and then in Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands. It reached first place in South America and later in Japan.

In 1978, Paul was represented in both France and Monaco in the Eurovision Song Contest 1978 by his composition, Les jardins de Monaco as a duet. He won prestigious awards such as César Award (the French equivalent of the Oscar) for his movie scores. He was bestowed Comte title—a title of French nobility.

Delphine Productions

In 1976, Paul and Olivier set up their own record company, Delphine Productions named after Paul's first daughter, Delphine Deschodt. Delphine Productions is a leading French music exporter and is the only specialist in instrumental music.

Besides Jean-Claude Borelly, they discovered French instrumentalists such as Richard Clayderman (1976), Nicolas de Angelis (1981) and Diego Modena (1991).

De Senneville and Toussaint collaborated with famous French arrangers such as: Gérard Salesses, Hervé Roy, Bruno Ribera, and Marc Minier. Their main music productions was devoted to Clayderman's music.

Ballade pour Adeline, A Comme Amour and Letter to my Mother are the biggest hits in Clayderman's recordings. These melodies were originally composed by de Senneville. He has composed around 400 melodies for Clayderman. Toussaint and Jean Baudlot are his composition partners.

Delphine group represents 15 companies as an advertising film and clip production company, an agency for advertising and casting actors and a casting agency as well as two modelling agencies. They have 4 recording studios in their "hotel particulier".

Personal life

Paul de Senneville enjoys classical music. Giuseppe Verdi is one of his favorites. He collects modern paintings and antique objects. He owns a horse statue made by Salvador Dalí.

He was the owner of racehorse L'Amiral Mauzun working with Jean-Philippe Ducher. The horse won the Elitloppet in 2007 among other races.

Paul de Senneville can allegedly neither read, write, nor play music. He sings into a small tape recorder at home or in his studio. Then he calls a pianist (or an arranger) to help him make an arrangement, before recording it with a larger ensemble.