MAURICE JARRE'S UNPUBLISHED FRENCH FILM MUSIC performed by Robert Lafond

Our program reconstructs the core of four of the first scores that Maurice Jarre (1924-2009) wrote for features films in his native France. The movies are directed by Georges Franju (Spotlight on the Murderer, Judex), Serge Bourguignon (Sundays & Cybele) and Frederic Rossif (The Animals).


When listening to this music, one realizes that Jarre already knew the tricks of the trade and that he mastered a wide variety of genres, an essential asset for his future international career. What is perhaps the most striking appears to be the melodic richness of numerous themes. Just like Georges Delerue, who was one year younger than him, Maurice Jarre could create memorable tunes with an enviable facility.


Already recognized for his reconstruction of Delerue’s works, Robert Lafond again puts his great talent in the service of this other giant of film music. Produced with the most advanced sampling technology available, his versions faithfully reproduce Maurice Jarre’s melodies and original orchestrations, whether they consist of a few soloists or large symphonic ensembles, purely acoustic sounds or electronic ventures typical of the period.


Packed with illustrations, the bilingual 20-page booklet features track by track liner notes by producer Clement Fontaine and an introduction by Jacques Hiver, the great European Maurice Jarre specialist in Europe and himself producer of an important part of Jarre's early works in France. ---From the label.

01 Pleins feux sur l’assassin - Generique 1:47
02 Pleins feux sur l’assassin - L'agonie du comte 3:15
03 Pleins feux sur l’assassin - Meurtres au chateau 2:57
04 Pleins feux sur l’assassin - Theme de Jeanne 1:58
05 Pleins feux sur l’assassin - Son et lumiere 3:50
06 Les Dimanches de Ville d’Avray - Suite 4:03
07 Les Dimanches de Ville d’Avray - La Fete foraine 4:04
08 Judex - Generique 1:50
09 Judex - Le bal masque 1:48
10 Judex - Jacqueline Favraux 2:03
11 Judex - Accordeon bistro 1:23
12 Judex - Poursuite et final 3:37
13 Les Animaux - Les premiers vertebres 2:57
14 Les Animaux - Les insectes 4:30
15 Les Animaux - Les chevaux 2:41
16 Les Animaux - Les cigognes / Le paradis terrestre 4:24
Total 47:25