Hughes de Courson

Hughes de Courson is a French musician and arranger.

Hughes de Courson is best known for being on all of the albums by Malicorne. He played electric guitar, bass, crumhorn, percussion, recorder, positive organ, piano, elka, synthesiser, glockenspiel and Hammond organ. He was producer on some of the albums. His most original track was probably "Vive La Lune" on Balançoire En Feu (1981), which is largely instrumental. It typifies the colourful, bizarre sounds that he later made as a soloist.He also wrote some songs with his school mate, famous writer Patrick Modiano.

Hughes' albums are all large-scale works. He is an arranger rather than a soloist. On many he combines electronic effects with medieval or baroque instruments. Mozart in Egypt takes works by Mozart and emphasises the oriental elements in them. The 25th symphony is played with a much-enlarged orchestra. O'Stravaganza - Vivaldi in Ireland combines traditional Irish music with re-arranged Vivaldi works. "Lambarena, Bach to Africa" mixes African traditional music from Gabon to Johann Sebastian Bach music. Songs of Innocence combines songs by children of the world with clever classical arrangements. Unfortunately his recordings are rarely available in the English-speaking world.