français english english

About Jean Goujon

JG portrait couleur

Jean Goujon : Poet, composer and musician did a lot of jobs and travelled round the world before deciding to focus on « The Paths to Freedom » starting in september 1998. Being greatly interested in this intense period of history, from1939 to 1945 Jean has, according to Gilles Perrault, "a real human approach in understanding and expressing it". He is a dedicated classical music fan : Chopin, Ravel, Brahms and other powerful and major artists such as Brel or Ferré, Jean’s life is dedicated to his work. He also composed a few songs for Emilio Corfa : "My Valentine", "Where does it hurt" and "A Hello from Emilio". He is passionately fond of Sri Aurobindo and Gandhi, these enlightened human beings, always willing to raise human consciousness. Loving freedom, he has always managed to remain independent, a guarantee that his work is true and stays close to the audience.

 

 

Jean Goujon being interviewed : september 2007

Sainte Mère Eglise, the American cemetery at Colleville sur Mer, the German battery at Longues sur Mer,

and Jean’s «retreat», where he creates most of his works

 

 

Anecdotes

The first song he wrote was : "The Paths to Freedom"which was translated into six languages : English, Dutch, German, Italian, Spanish and Polish. Many texts were written at night, by candelight : «A para’s Letter», «Juno», « Sainte Mère Eglise» the musical score of « Pegasus» was mainly created with a spoon and glasses. "Remember Omaha" is thought to be the most moving one. «Leclerc» was composed in the dressing-room, at the Bayeux theatre, before a show. Depicting «The Camps» on a sheet of paper was painful. And the musical score of «The Exodus» was composed during a Christmas evening, feeling lonesome. The author thanks God for inspiring him, and Virginie for being so patient during the long nights he spends creating. «Oradour» was written while being connected to the victim’s souls, having visited the site, which was upsetting. Walking on the Arnhem bridge, a song came to him and was completed later on whilst the visiting the cemetery, it was snowing. There were two magic moments in the north of France with my friend Djonny : the first one at the Canadian cemetery near Calais, I could almost hear a soldier «Known only to God» calling me, and another time at Mimoyecques where the underground tunnels appear to have «dwellers».( to be still occupied) The tune «Oh Paris, How I love thee» was composed using an accordion lent by a friend living in my village. Inspiration came all of a sudden for the « Berlin» text. The song « From the Ardennes to Bastogne» was composed on a piano at the Periers village hall, just before a show.

 

Other works of art

silence


Jean also wrote an intimate compilation : « Silence »,
texts about life, death, love, time.

 

Footer

Artwork : web com média ®