Perusing the secondary marketplace, one can locate quite a surfeit of soundtracks by Georges Garvarentz (at CDandLP.com, for example) on 7" EPs, 45 r.p.m.s, and LPs.
Like Georges Delerue or Maurice Jarre or Michel Legrand, Georges Garvarentz began to score European films by 1961 and, for a time during the 1960s, some English language pictures. Unlike Delerue, Jarre, & Legrand, however, Garvarentz scored mostly French films from the 1970s onwards and his albums (and unreleased sound recordings, too) have suffered neglect from current CD producers. Sure there's plenty of CD compilations on Garvarentz music, but basically only the Harkit label has tapped into his LP programs and re-issued THAT MAN IN ISTANBUL and THEY CAME TO ROB LAS VEGAS!
Why are none of our specialty labels advocating any Garvarentz soundtracks? The few vinyl LPs that I own demonstrate Garvarentz's remarkable range. He could write a busy-sounding orchestral score for one type of film as well as catchy pop tunes for another. Garvarentz was even fluent with electronic instruments - using the Ondes Martenot in THE CORRUPT ONES, for instance.
Here's a list of 20 LPs (down to 18 as of April 2013) I've gathered for pondering, hoping for some sort of Garvarentz revival:
• DANIELLA BY NIGHT • LES PARISIENNES • LE RAT D'AMERIQUE • PANIC BUTTON • MARCO THE MAGNIFICENT • TRIPLE CROSS • PEKING MEDALLION (aka THE CORRUPT ONES) released by Music Box, May 2013 • CAROLINE CHERIE • THE SOUTHERN STAR • UN BEAU MONSTRE • SAPHO • LES GALETS D'ETRETAT • KILLER FORCE released by Music Box, May 2013 • MARCHE PAS SUR MES LACETS! • THE GOLDEN LADY • LA LUMIERE DES JUSTES • TEHERAN 43 • HAMBONE AND HILLIE • LE PARIA • YIDDISH CONNECTION
These aren't meant to be comprehensive. If other members have some EPs (or even some never-before released film scores by Garvarentz) that they cherish, here's a thread in which we can discuss all things Garvarentz!
Yes a good underrated film composer, some of my favorites of his are Marco the magnificent-65- had the LP for years, Triple cross-67, The corrupt ones-66, Southern star-69 and Killer force-75- His Killer force love theme is beautiful and one of my favorites.oh yes. let's not forget the third in the series Triumph of a man called horse-84- fine score.
Not many of Garvarentz’s scores appeared on U.S. LPs, and perhaps all of them were recorded outside of the U.S., which may be reasons why no domestic specialty label has issued any of his work. “They Came To Rob Las Vegas” never had a U.S. LP release. Looking at the scores that DID appear on U.S LPs:
Panic Button (1964) – This score to one of Jane Mansfield’s later films was on the Musicor label, which is now owned by Gusto Records of Nashville.
That Man In Istanbul (1965) – This was a Mainstream LP release, now owned by Sony. It wasn’t included in the flurry of Mainstream releases in the early 1990s, which is probably one reason why Harkit decided to release it.
Marco the Magnificent – This was a Columbia LP (now Sony). Given all the Columbia soundtrack LPs that remain unissued, this is probably a low priority. Tickertape (of Luxembourg) released a gray market CD in 1998.
Triple Cross (1967) – United Artists released this on LP. With all the labels that are delving into the MGM/UA archives, it’s surprising that this hasn’t been issued on CD yet. Perhaps there is some issue with finding the tapes.
The Corrupt Ones (1967) – Released on United Artists in the U.S. and on Philips outside of the U.S. Same story as “Triple Cross.”
The Southern Star (1968) – Released on the Colgems label in the U.S. and RCA elsewhere. Both of these labels are now controlled by Sony. The only Colgems LP that I believe has been issued on CD was “The Night of the Generals,” by Intrada way back in 1990. Even though the Sony vaults are starting to be cracked, the RCA connection here may be particularly troublesome. As a side note, the film itself, which has been rarely seen for many years, was recently issued as a Sony MOD DVD.
Killer Force (1976) – This was on the Audio Fidelity label in the U.S. and on the Pye and Decca labels elsewhere. Audio Fidelity is currently owned by Margate Entertainment LLC of Henderson, NV. But control of the album may lie with one of the other labels.
Not many of Garvarentz’s scores appeared on U.S. LPs, and perhaps all of them were recorded outside of the U.S., which may be reasons why no domestic specialty label has issued any of his work.
Yes, that the recordings were done outside of the Hollywood studio system is likely the largest factor affecting their absence on CD - no master tapes of the original sound recordings.
Yet, if we consider Dusan Radic's GENGHIS KHAN for example, Kritzerland was able to access the album master tapes vaulted by its current holding company. So there is hope that album masters may still exist for something like THE CORRUPT ONES, which could have been recorded in England (where it was entitled PEKING MEDALLION) but in all likelihood was recorded in France (the film was a French co-production and Garvarentz's utilization of the Ondes Martenot make me think this is so).
Even if the album masters do exist in the U.S., this is not any indication that it will surface onto CD because owners of soundtrack specialty labels are apparently motivated most of all to release titles that they personally want on disc. Reading Bruce Kimmel's blog, one learns that he simply does not release anything on his label unless the project appeals to him. In one way, this makes sense. However, in another way, if none of the current CD producers have any interest (or even awareness) of soundtracks by Garvarentz, then this implies that the back catalogue of vintage Garvarentz albums may never be re-mastered and re-issued onto digital media. Personal tastes, then, could be inhibiting factors just as easily as missing master tapes.
All the more reason, I hope, that more recent labels with a focus on European soundtracks (such as Quartet records) and specifically French content (like MusicBox records) might champion some Garvarentz material.
If music by Francois De Roubaix or Michel Magne is witnessing a minor revival, how much longer will it be before it's Garvarentz's turn?
Here's some rare French vinyl (which I've never acquired) of Garvarentz soundtracks on the Barclay label. This SAPHO shown above is described briefly as psychedelic sitar funk, according to a few sellers. The price range in the secondary market seems to fluctuate between 150 and 250 Euros. The same range of price also applies to another hard-to-get title: LE RAT D'AMERIQUE.
This is most interesting to me, as it's not often an orchestra and its conductor receive credit on the front cover of a French soundtrack from the early 1960s.
There's more Garvarentz albums on Barclay, too. A number of these titles have multiple copies for sale and some can be had for about $20 apiece, such as CAROLINE CHERIE or LA LUMIERE DES JUSTES or LES GALETS D'ETRETAT.
I'm also a fan of Garvarentz's music. I have the usual CDs (Pétain, compilations, Harkit boots) as well as some LPs mentioned here and some EPs not mentioned, Les Lions sont Lachés, Signé Alouette, Le Tonnerre de Dieu and I think some others.
Also I have two fine sounding CDR transfers made of Panic Button and Caroline Chérie.
Wherever possible, I supplied the information to the Soundtrackcollector database.
I'm also a fan of Garvarentz's music. I have the usual CDs (Pétain, compilations, Harkit boots) as well as some LPs mentioned here and some EPs not mentioned, Les Lions sont Lachés, Signé Alouette, Le Tonnerre de Dieu and I think some others.
Also I have two fine sounding CDR transfers made of Panic Button and Caroline Chérie.
Wherever possible, I supplied the information to the Soundtrackcollector database.
I surely hope that we will see some CD releases of Garvaretnz' music. I would gladly buy some.
Just for the record, some time ago (a year or maybe two) I saw the SAPHO LP selling on ebay for about 40 euros.
Thanks for your input, Dorian!
The prices for that SAPHO certainly do fluctuate!
I only have Garvarentz on vinyl, actually. Never got any of those compilations of those Harkit on CD. My first purchase, years ago, was the Colgems LP of THE SOUTHERN STAR, which did not impress me that much and I sort of put Garvarentz on the back burner. Only over the past 2 years have I been pleasantly surprised by inheriting THAT MAN IN ISTANBUL and CORRUPT ONES, both of which I like much more than SOUTHERN STAR. Now this year, I am ordering MARCO THE MAGNIFICENT from a vendor on Gemm's site, and plan to get some cheaper French ones like LUMIERE DES JUSTES and GALETS D'ETRETAT.
I looked up some of those 7" EPs you cite, and it's interesting to see some titles NOT on Barclay (I was wondering if Garvarentz had any contract with Barclay since many of his albums appeared on that label).
SIGNE ALOUETTE is from a TV progam, correct? The EP is on Philips:
I've never heard before of this Ducretet Thomson label:
A vendor or two list the above as a Pathe disc (?)
I am thinking now that if there is any hope of these soundtrack EPs being re-issued onto CD, it's likely with the Disques CineMusique label, isn't it? Disques CineMusique had released a few years ago all of the existing soundtrack EPs by Jean Prodromides. So I'm hopeful!
Just got my stereo LP of MARCO THE MAGNIFICENT recently, and it's ... magnificent!
This Columbia LP has a rather generous runtime duration. About 22 minutes of music on each side to yield a total of approximately 44 minutes, which is the longer than most soundtracks from the mid-1960s.
I haven't been getting vinyl since about 2004, and here I am in 2012 getting some more!
This is a great "light" orchestral score. Imagine, if you will, the soundtrack to GENGHIS KHAN scored not by Dusan Radic but by Michel Magne, and you get an idea of what this MARCO sounds like.
This is the main theme from LES MOHICANS DE PARIS starring Brigitte Fossey -- and its sequel SALVATOR ET LES MOHICANS DE PARIS -- a french tv serie based on a novel by Alexandre Dumas that tells the story of followers of the Aiglon -- Napoleon Bonaparte's son -- who trie to overrun the King Charles X and reinstate the Empire. I didn't know the show until a few months ago when i watched the DVD. All the romantic stuff is still working very well but the production is quite poor. Garvarentz has provided yet an extraordinary piece of excitement that goes crescendo and as a child it was one of the 45 r.p.m. i used to play very often : i just loved this theme that sounded like a promise of epic adventures. And as usual i hope you'll enjoy this too!
I'll try to post the romantic theme and maybe other cues from the DVD within a few days.
I've been waiting for any new Garvarentz CD for years and years. Thanks for the clips! Hopefully Music Box Records or Kritzerland or some other label will find this worth it and will finally release some of this music on CD.
They Came To Rob Las Vegas! is one of my favorite scores but the sound quality of Harkit CD is very bad (not speaking about its legitimity).
A pity that FSM did not do some "budget box" with those U.S. LP's - Triple Cross, That Man in Istanbul, the mentioned Vegas score, The Corrupt Ones etc. Lots of great, great stuff there!
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