"I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky. And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by". John MASEFIELD. This 2-CD set presents a maritime anthology of French songs. The sea has inspired some of the sweetest melodies as well as virile verses of sailors. The anthology featured on this set covers the 1923-1946 period. Includes a 32 page booklet with both French and English notes.
Sailors, as soldiers, are often ready to come out
with a song - for some it accompanies them in their efforts, for others
it gives them the courage necessary to slay the enemy. During the
seventeenth century, music was said to help preserve the well-being and
health of the passengers on board a boat. In the early part of the
twentieth century in France, certain songs were reputed to help the
spirits, if not the health of the people during the industrial crisis.
The workers discovered the café-concert repertory and felt at one with
their fellow sailors and conscripts. In the Marines, a shanty was
called for if everyone was to warp together. If they became weary, a
seaman would burst into a cheerful tune and his companions would benefit
from renewed energy. To go about the daily grind, the mason, errand
boy and greengrocer were assisted by song. When a street urchin chirped
a simple romantic air, the day seemed brighter.To simplify the
comprehension of certain sea shanties, well-known tunes were often
borrowed. We can thus find the lyrics of Vaillant Dundee sung to the
music of Frou-frou. In the same way, Théodore Botrel’s La Paimpolaise is
often used.Variety singers celebrated the sea in their own way.
Seafaring songs came in vogue in the thirties and this period contains
the biggest number of the genre. They were not the traditional sea
shanties, but the ambience and rhythm are present, punctuated by the
occasional ‘oh hisse et ho!’ (yo-heave-ho) as in Partance, interpreted
by the author Raymond Asso and Edith Piaf, then known as ‘la Môme’.The
writers of such songs were often influenced by more troubled waters.
There are true master-pieces, well-written,
well-constructed and which are subtly accompanied. We find great
tragedians such as Fréhel, Damia, Berthe Sylva, Edith Piaf, Suzy Solidor
and Nitta-Jo and inspired male interpreters including Georgel,
Perchicot, Gilles and Julien.The imagery conjures up ports appearing
through the mist, and enables us to visit the engine rooms as well as
catch the odd glimpse of a wreck or a schooner going into harbour.
Shades of grey or green are the predominant tones, those of the Atlantic
and cold storm-tossed seas.Apart from four titles which follow the same
lines, the second disc is on a more jovial note. Romance and voyages
are in store. Tino Rossi, Alibert, Joséphine Baker, Réda Caire invite
us to the Mediterranean and exotic parts of the world where the sun
shimmers on the ever-blue waters.The album closes with the warmth of the
fantasists. Dranem’s comical Les Bains de Mer was unusual in this
period when sunny holidays by the seaside were rarely evoked in
song.During the early years of the century, the sea was still part of
the mythology related to travelling and love.
CD1
1. Orchestre Marcel Cariven :
Du Vent dans les Voiles
Nitta-Jo (Recagno-Mimi Recagno) Columbia DF 1974 (1936) 3’18
2. Acc. d’orchestre dir. Pierre Chagnon :
La Chanson du vieux Marin
Fréhel (Andrieu-Daniderff) Columbia DF 589 (1931) 2’57
3. Acc. d’orchestre dir. André Valsien :
Le Maître à bord
Berthe Sylva (Rodor-Roger Dumas) Odéon 281.166 (1937) 3’09
4. Acc. par les choeurs russes Afonsky, dir. Wal-Berg :
La Nuit en Mer
Damia (Roland - Wal-Berg) Columbia DF 1911 (1936) 2’53
5. Orchestre Pierre Chagnon :
La mauvaise Prière
Damia (Chalupt-Aubert) Columbia DFX 204 (1935) 3’39
6. Orchestre dir. Marcel Cariven :
Un Chant sur la Mer
Jean Lumière (Paul Brousse et A. Daviel-Gabriel Chaumette) Gramophone K 8344 (1939) 3’12
7. Orchestre dir. Georges Aubanel :
Les Naufragés
André Pasdoc (Davson-Chagrin) Polydor Jap 512540 (1935) 2’54
8. Acc. Wal-Berg et son orchestre :
La Marie-Jeanne
Damia (Sauvat-Siniavine) Columbia DF 2048 (1936) 2’58
9. La cruelle Berceuse
Théodore Botrel (Botrel) Gramophone K 2167 (1923) 3’08
10. Acc. d’orchestre dir. Pierre Chagnon :
Ohé ! les petits Bateaux
Georgel (René-Paul Groffe-Jean Eblinger)Columbia DF 197 (1930) 3’21
11. Acc. d’orchestre dir. André Valsien :
Sa Mémé
Perchicot
(L. Boyer-Ackermans) Odéon 166.495 (1931) 2’26
12. Acc. Michel Warlop et son orch. :
La Chanson du large
Germaine Sablon
(J. Tranchant)Gramophone K 7256 (1934) 3’19
13. Orchestre dir. André Valsien :
Le vieux Voilier
André Pasdoc
(de Pierlas-J. Bretière)Odéon 281.373 (1939) 3’12
14. Acc. piano Pleyel :
La Marie-Jésus
Gilles et Julien
(C. François-J. Villard)Columbia DF 1851 (1935) 3’14
15. Orchestre dir. Pierre Chagnon :
Je crois aux Navires
Lucienne Delyle
(Larue-Marguerite Monnot)Columbia DF 2772 (1940) 3’21
16. Acc. piano Pleyel Léo Laurent :
La belle d’Ouessant
Suzy Solidor
(Valandré-Reisfeld et Marbot)Odéon 166.943 (1935) 2’48
17. Acc. par l’orchestre J. Météhen :
Partance
La môme Piaf et Raymond Asso
(R. Asso-Léo Poll)Polydor 524.392 (1937) 2’39
18. Acc. Wal-Berg et son orchestre :
C’est dans un Caboulot
Damia
(Hémon-Lanjean)Columbia DF 2375 (1938) 2’36
CD2
1. Orchestre Albert Lasry
La Mer
Charles Trénet(C. Trénet-A-Lasry-C.Trénet)Columbia RF 103 CL8101-2 (1946) 3’21
2. Orchestre dir. Wal-Berg :
La belle Escale
Lys Gauty(Du film "La belle escale")(Batell-Valray)Polydor 524044 (1935) 3’12
3. Orchestre John Ellsworth :
Partir sur un Bateau tout blanc
Joséphine
Baker (De la revue des Folies Bergère "En super folies")(M.
Hermite-Peter de Rose)Columbia DF 2027 (1936) 3’02
4. Acc. Jazz marseillais G. Sellers :
Sur mon petit Voilier
Alibert(Raymond Vincy-Ch. Borel-Clerc)Pathé PA 1699 (1939) 3’25
5. Trio vocal et orchestre dir. Raymond Legrand :
Bateau d’Amour
Réda Caire(Charles Trénet)Pathé PA 1185 (1937) 3’23
6. Orchestre dir. Jacques Météhen :
La chanson du Voilier
Tino Rossi
(Du film "Le soleil a toujours raison")(Jean Féline-Lama)Columbia DF 2825 (1941) 3’28
7. Acc. Jazz marseillais :
J’aime la Mer comme une Femme
Alibert
(De l’opérette "Un de la Canebière")(H. Alibert-Sarvil-Vincent Scotto)Pathé PA 691 (1935) 3’09
8. Acc. d’orchestre dir. André Valsien :
Les Gars de la Marine
Perchicot
(Du film "Le capitaine Craddock")(J. Boyer-Werner R. Heymann)Odéon 166.494 (1931) 2’26
9. Acc. d’orchestre :
La Plongée
Bérard
(Ch. L. Pothier-Ch. Borel-Clerc)Pathé X 3722 (1929) 3’23
10. Acc. par l’orchestre J. Météhen :
J’entends la Sirène
La môme Piaf
(R. Asso-M. Monnot)Polydor 524.393 (1937) 3’08
11. Wal-Berg et son orchestre :
Escale
Nadia Dauty
(Jean Marèze-Marguerite Monnot)Columbia DF 2451 (1938) 3’26
12. Acc. d’orchestre dir. Georges Briez :
La Chanson de la belle Pirate
Suzy Solidor
(Villemarqué-Sundy)Pathé PA 1065 (1936) 3’12
13. Acc. quatuor Laurent-Rualten :
Les Filles de Saint-Malo
Suzy Solidor
(Valandré-Batell)Odéon 166.841 (1934) 2’24
14. Acc. d’orchestre dir. Jacques Météhen :
Coco le Corsaire
Johnny Hess
(Géo Bonnet-Johnny Hess)Pathé PA 2011 (1941) 3’07
15. Acc. d’orchestre dir. Pierre Chagnon :
J’lui ai prêté mon Stylo
Georgius
(Georgius-F.Warms)Pathé PA 1963 (1940) 3’11
16. Orchestre dir. André Valsien :
C’est dans la Mama...
Fernandel et les Choeurs
(Du film "Les bleus de la marine")(J. Manse et M. Cammage-R. Dumas)Odéon 166.818 (1934) 2’36
17. Acc. d’orchestre :
Les Marins
Dranem, des Bouffes-Parisiens
(De l’opérette "Un soir de réveillon")(J. Boyer-Raoul Moretti)Pathé X 94.305 (1932) 2’32
18. Orchestre Pierre Chagnon :
Y a du Tangage
Gilles et Julien
(Géo Koger et A. Audiffred-V. Scotto et A. Huard)Columbia DF 1661 (1935) 2’36
19. Acc. d’orchestre :
Les Bains de Mer
Dranem, de l’Eldorado
(De l’opérette "La dame en décolleté")(Yves Mirande et L. Boyer-Maurice Yvain)Pathé 2076 (1923) 1’45
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