After the previous CD releases of the television works of Georges Delerue (Les Visiteurs / L'Homme qui revient de loin and Le Mythomane / L'Éducation sentimentale), Music Box Records is very pleased to explore once more the television scope of Georges Delerue's music and presents two complete scores for the significant work of French Award-winning writer/director/editor Henri Colpi: Thibaud ou les Croisades (Thibaud The Crusader) (1968) and Fortune (1969). For the cinema, Georges Delerue worked with Henri Colpi on three films (Une aussi longue absence, Mona, l'étoile sans nom and Heureux qui comme Ulysse).
Thibaud ou les Croisades tells the story of Thibaud, a half-French, half-Arab crusader knight, fulfilling various missions, ranging from escorting pilgrims through treacherous areas to the capture of enemy Turks. Georges Delerue, already renowned for his talent for scoring period pieces, was the natural choice to score the epic adventures of the White Knight Thibaud. The composer chose an instrumental foundation bringing together horns, strings and percussion through which to express the vigour and nobility of the Templars. He added to this an oboe, for appearances by the Turkish army. An English horn serves to evoke Thibaud's nostalgic moments or, in another register, his joy. A flute and a clarinet join in for the flavorful period dances and festivity scenes. Georges Delerue creates gorgeous musical portrait in finest historical idiom and colorful music for full orchestra with exotic touches.
The origin of Fortune comes from Blaise Cendrars' novel L'Or. It is based from the true story of Johann Sutter, a Swiss merchant who sets out for America in pursuit of new beginnings. He crosses the country, setting up a number of businesses, then makes the acquisition of an immense piece of land in the west, which he christens ''New Helvetia'' (present day California). Bernard Dabry and Henri Colpi adapted the novel and took a number of liberties with Sutter's actual story. The action takes place in the 19th century, and takes the form of a saga played out through the great spaces of America. For the score, Georges Delerue symbolized the American Dream with a melancholic harmonica. The score is based on sweeping themes with strings and nostalgic themes to accompany Sutter's travels across America.
In collaboration with Telfrance, Music Box Records is very pleased to present these two expanded scores newly remastered from the original session stereo (Thibaud) and mono (Fortune) master tapes.
Track listing
THIBAUD OU LES CROISADES (52:47)
1. Générique début (1:56)
2. Le désert (1:31)
3. L'armée turque (2:44)
4. Thème de Sybille (2:02)
5. Le scorpion (2:19)
6. Thème de Thibaud (2:52)
7. La marche des Croisés (1:53)
8. Chaleur et poussière (2:17)
9. La danse de la fertilité (1:19)
10. La tristesse des Croisés (2:36)
11. Nostalgie (3:34)
12. L'armée turque en marche (4:07)
13. Le marché arabe (2:27)
14. Nocturne (2:36)
15. Thibaud, le chevalier blanc (1:03)
16. Les traîtres (3:38)
17. Le mariage de Blanchot (2:28)
18. Le pillage du village (2:47)
19. Les festivités (1:45)
20. La forteresse de Zengi (2:41)
21. La joie de Thibaud (1:11)
22. Générique de fin (2:03)
FORTUNE (14:25)
23. Fortune (1:49)
24. Mappemonde (2:08)
25. La nuit (1:24)
26. Saloon (2:25)
27. Thème de Jenny (1:30)
28. Californie (1:38)
29. Tristesse de Johann Sutter (1:43)
30. Générique de fin (1:30)
Total Time • 67:14 |
