The decision to record this repertoire in Cannes was inspired by the conductor Benjamin Levy's feeling that the music was composed for that specific location, creating a 'supernatural time-travelling experience'.
Composer Biography
Albert Willemetz, a lyricist and childhood friend of Sacha Guitry, was instrumental in creating the 1920s style of Parisian musical theatre, launching the new genre with the operetta Phi-Phi in 1918.
Historical Context
The 1920s and 1930s were the 'golden age' of Parisian musical theatre, a light operetta genre distinct from American musical theatre, incorporating contemporary themes like tennis and telephones, and rhythms like the Charleston.
Historical Context
The album's repertoire of light music from the interwar period is closely tied to the French Riviera, particularly Cannes, where many luxury hotels were inaugurated and famous figures like Hemingway were present.
Composer's Artistic Vision
While older composers like Reynaldo Hahn and André Messager looked to the past, Maurice Yvain, Henri Christiné, and Raoul Moretti shaped the new French operetta with rhythms influenced by Anglo-American styles, yet maintaining a Parisian character.
Compositional Technique
The light music of the interwar period, while often 'jazzified' in modern arrangements, originally featured orchestral compositions similar to those used by Offenbach, with percussion scores not yet developed into true 'drum' scores.
Interpretation
The performers aimed to restore the music's original flavor and spirit, rediscovering how these songs and ensembles were performed before microphones, allowing the interplay between text and music to be savored.
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