[78-L] Hans Christian Andersen, was Re: Song from 1933 film Viktor und Viktoria by Franz Doelle

[David Lennick]

Petit made at least one 78 that I know of, Le Chanson du Gangster, on French 
Decca. (Had it, sold it to Jack Raymond.) I'd studiously avoided watching HCA 
for years (can't remember why, since I'd seen it in the theater and maybe at 
that time once was enough) but aside from the songs being over-familiar, the 
ballet scenes were quite fresh. IMDB lists a few of the Liszt sources but not 
Valse Oubliee or Mephisto Waltz. I wonder if Tiomkin did the arrangement?

Real arcane trivia question here. When Hans and his little friend arrive in 
Copenhagen, one of the peddlers sings in a deep voice about FISH--FRESH FISH. 
Sounds like Murvyn Vye. Anyone know? (Vye not?)

dl

On 1/21/2013 6:35 AM, David Lewis wrote:
>
> At the risk of a "me-too" post, I too was watching "Hans Christian Anderson" and
> caught the "Little Mermaid Ballet" and had precisely the same response; the music
> was fantastic and completely avoided the feel of pastiche, even though the Lizst music
> from which it was drawn was instantly familiar. The sets and choreography were truly
> eye-popping in a way that recalls Powell and Pressburger's "The Tales of Hoffmann"
> but was perhaps not quite so extreme as that. The imdb may state that the film is
> "inaccurate and very outdated" but that is only because we live in a time where
> entertainment and critical valulation is dominated by idiots.
>
> This time I also appreciated that Zizi Jeanmaire and Roland Petit both appear in
> "Hans Christian Andersen;" when I was a kid I had no idea who they were. To
> bring this screechingly close to topic, I'd like to mention that they made at least
> one album, "Paris 1925," released over here as Adventures in Sound (CBS) WL 128 (1957).
> Backed by André Popp, it is a terrific album, I feel, which attempts to capture
> the Roaring 20s from the Parisian perspective, though as reconstruction it may have
> no more value than the Grand Award LPs that Enoch Light in the 1950s on a similar
> theme. But that doesn't mean that it isn't great on its own.
>
> I assume that "Paris 1925" originated with Philips in France. Does anyone know if
> they made other recordings? This is the only one I've ever seen. We lost Petit in
> 2011, but Zizi Jeanmaire is still around; she'll be 88 this April.
>
> Uncle Dave Lewis uncledavelewis at hotmail.com
>
>   Mr. Lennick wrote:
>
> Speaking of soundtracks, we were just watching Hans Christian Andersen (part of
> TCM's 100th Birthday Danny Kaye blitz, which they turn out to be doing on the
> wrong day and the wrong year). Haven't seen this one in over 50 years and my
> over-familiarity with the Decca album and Gordon Jenkins' arrangements had kept
> me away from it on purpose. Two things (aside from far more interesting
> scoring) jump out.
>
> (1) The Little Mermaid Ballet..no credit for the arranger, but this is one of
> the best pastiches I've ever heard of music from one composer, in this case
> Franz Liszt. Far better than what usually passes for ballet in film, the worst
> example being the mutilated American In Paris (which is even worse on the album
> because it was further chopped to fit 4 78RPM sides).
>
> (2) Frank Loesser got his reprise! (Read the stories about Guys And Dolls to
> understand that one.)
>
> dl 		 	   		
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