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Alhambra Records is proud to present on this CD the world premiere release of Angelo Francesco Lavagnino’s complete original score for the historical comedy MADAME SANS-GÊNE from 1961 which gives further proof of the enormous versatility of this Italian composer.
The lavish French-Italian-Spanish co-production which was directed by veteran French filmmaker Christian-Jaque works mainly as a vehicle for its beautiful star Sophia Loren who in 1961 was at the peak of her career and who dominates almost every minute of the film with her sex appeal and her ebullient temperament. It is a rather free adaptation of the eponymous popular French stage-play which had been written in 1893 by Victorien Sardou and Emile Moreau and which was based on the life of Catherine Hübscher, an Alsacian-born laundress who used to wash Napoleon’s clothes when he was still a common corporal during the time of the French Revolution. She married Francois Lefébvre (in the film version played by Robert Hossein), an army sergeant who was later elevated by Napoleon to the rank of Duke of Danzig, and because of her behaviour, free speech and lack of manners at court got the nickname “Madame Sans-Gêne” (“Woman Without Embarrassment”).
1961 was certainly one of the busiest years in Lavagnino’s career and he scored more than a dozen pictures throughout this year, MADAME SANS-GÊNE being one of them. His melodic facility is as striking as ever and the score offers a cornucopia of tuneful courtly dances and military marches as well as a sumptuous romantic love theme for Catherine and Francois. However, from the beginning with its boisterous comic opera-like overture the mood here is more light-hearted and festive than dramatic, with Lavagnino trying to capture the spirit of the era and often with a humorous twinkle in his eye. One of the highlights of the score is the music for the gala dinner at court. A glamorous regal march with a middle part for soft woodwinds accompanies the Duke and the Duchess’ entry into the Tuileries which is then followed by a charming waltz theme which in the further course functions not only as source music, but also delineates the romance of the couple and their emotional feelings for each other. We hope that many fans of the composer and of classic Italian film music will enjoy this delightful, lively and varied symphonic score.
This exciting CD project – the eighth CD in our Lavagnino series - has only been possible thanks to the generous support of the three daughters of the composer - Bianca, Iudica and Alessandra Lavagnino -, who still had open reel tape copies of the original master tapes in their personal archive which we were allowed to use.
Our CD edition which contains a 12-page booklet with extensive liner notes and numerous colour stills from the movie will be limited to 300 copies and can now be pre-ordered at SAE. Sound samples are also available there:
http://www4.screenarchives.com/title_detail.cfm/ID/32055/MADAME-SANS-GENE-300-EDITION/
The CD will be released here in Germany in about 10 days.
Track listing:
01. Main Title 2:00
02. The Royal Swiss Guard / Catherine Asks Napoleon for Help 1:30
03. Catherine And Francois (Love Scene at Night) 5:11
04. Francois‘ Departure 0:53
05. Napoleon`s Troops in Italy 1:24
06. Catherine And the ‘Girls‘ 1:29
07. Catherine Meets Francois Again / Captured by the Austrian Army 3:39
08. Dance in the French Camp 1:04
09. The Gunpowder / The Explosion 1:56
10. Napoleon`s Troops Attack 1:56
11. The Rise of Napoleon 0:33
12. Napoleon And Fouché 2:06
13. Catherine Learns Courtly Manners 3:10
14. Catherine And Francois Enter the Court 3:06
15. Catherine And the Noblewomen 3:33
16. The Emperor / Catherine And Francois 2:15
17. Scandal at the Court 1:21
18. The Parade 3:15
19. Francois` Disappointment 1:20
20. Waiting for Napoleon 1:32
21. Catherine Goes to Napoleon 1:15
22. Finale / End Cast 1:14
Bonus Tracks:
23. Harpsichord Lessons 4:42
24. Trumpet Calls (Storming of the Tuileries) 1:25
25. Finale / End Cast (Film Version) 1:14
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I don't know the film or score.So I will just say 'Nice' for now 
Just tried samples.A bit different ,track 14 is a nice one.
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Do we know who conducted the score?
No, there is no credit for the conductor in the film's main title sequence. Also not on the tape boxes.
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Our CD edition which contains a 12-page booklet with extensive liner notes and numerous colour stills from the movie will be limited to 300 copies and can now be pre-ordered at SAE.
Hi, Stefan.
Will Alhambra be limiting all forthcoming album releases containing Golden Age film music to only 300 copies?
Or is Alhambra alternating the number of copies between 500 and 300 depending upon the content?
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Will Alhambra be limiting all forthcoming album releases containing Golden Age film music to only 300 copies?
Experience shows that 300 copies will really be sufficient for all those CDs in the future.
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Stefan, many thanks for continuing this series. The work you and the team at Alhambra have done to release these great Lavagnino scores from long forgotten movies cannot be praised enough. I have just listened to some of the samples for MADAME on Screen Archives and the love theme particularly sounds superb. Cannot wait to pick up this one up and I look forward to your future offerings. Dave
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What a magnificent series of CD's Stefan and the team at Alhambra have produced for all those who love symphonic film music, Italian film music and the music of Angelo Francesco Lavagnino.
Well I finally picked up this cd and to anyone that was worried that this score might ere on the side of a comedy film scoring fear not. Although lighter in style that other Lavagnino epics the music is as rich, varied and colourful as one would expect from an historical movie from this period. There is such a plethora of melodic music on this score that it is a delight to listen to from beginning to end. From the opening march like theme to the gorgeous love theme which appears in a number of variations including one in Lavagnino's typical style for superb viola solo, to the various waltzes, period music (for harpsichord etc) and lively marches, listening pleasure is at a maximum. Lavagnino slows the main march theme down in a delightful solo flute rendition that presumably acts as a siren song for the 2 main characters love for each other, it's hauntingly beautiful.
The packaging, liner notes and artwork are as stunning as usual. It's so great that beautiful music like this from forgotten movies is being preserved and rescued by the likes of Alhambra and other labels and presented to a new generation.
I think this score will appeal to all who like period symphonic historical scores, and also Delerue admirers, as this reminds me of some of his historical scores.
Give it a try, you will not be disappointed!
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