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GEORGES DELERUE (1925-1992)
Delerue was born of working class parents in Roubaix, France on March 12, 1925. He was an unhealthy child, what with poor nutrition (WWII), Scoliosis and a broken tailbone (accident) contributing to his poor health. It was during the convalescence period after surgery for his broken tailbone (he was in a brace) that he contemplated a musical career. He began his music education as a Scholarship student at the Paris Conservatoire during the German occupation of France at sixteen, and was simultaneously going to school and working in a factory. Georges supported himself by playing piano at dances, theatres & bars, and the latter surely influenced his score for Shoot the Piano Player. He also studied under the illustrious Darius Milhaud. Between 1950 and 1958, Delerue composed operas, concert pieces, ballets and scores for television. In 1959, he made his feature film debut with Alain Resnais Hiroshima Mon Amour.
His name became synonymous with the French New Wave, contributing scores for the films of Resnais, Phillipe de Broca, Alain Robbe-Grillet, Jean Luc Godard, Claude Chabrol, Louis Malle, Claude Berri and especially Francois Truffaut which collaboration rivals that of Herrmann and Hitchcock. And like Herrmann and Morricone Georges preferred to orchestrate his scores himself.
Although he had worked with some English and American directors in the 1960s, such as Fred Zinnemann, Ken Russell, John Frankenheimer, Jack Clayton & John Huston, the films remained European including English in origin. His first wholly American film was The Horsemen, for Columbia, in 1971, and his second and second Oscar nominated score was The Day of the Dolphin two years later. And though he relocated to the United States in the late 1970s, to actively pursue more work in American films, his ties to his roots were firm and he continued to produce scores for many French & English films. But his base remained the United States, and he remained here until his death in Burbank on March 20th, 1992.
Delerue was nominated for the Academy Award five times, winning for A Little Romance in 1979.
Herewith, some of our personal favorites among the Delerue gems.
Shoot the Piano Player (1960) Delerues first collaboration with Truffaut remains one of their absolute best. Delerues deceptively charming honky-tonk piano theme, which opens the film, has a devastating payoff by the time of the films finale. His lovely La Cafeteria waltz is typical of the Gallic charm Delerue often infused his scores with, and the intensity of his pursuit music showed he could play hard ball too.
Jules and Jim (1962) Every once in a while a film score is so much a seamless part of the fabric and essence of a film that it defines it, as with Bernsteins To Kill a Mockingbird, and the film cannot be imagined without it. This elegant score is just such a case. Who can forget the lovely Vacances? Its theme waters up my eyes and rushes me back to the film, and when I first experienced it.
Cartouche (1962) A change of pace from Delerue for Philippe de Brocas tongue-in-cheek 18th Century swashbuckler with Jean Paul Belmondo and Claudia Cardinale. Delerues lively and brassy fanfare immediately sets the tone for the adventure that follows.
The Soft Skin (La Peau Douce) (1964) Another collaboration with Truffaut, and yet another delicate score this time highlighted by the poignant theme for Pierre (Jean Desailly) and Nicole (Françoise Dorleac).
A Man for All Seasons (1966) High on Addisons list of never-released film scores, it is therefore one of his most desired for a recording. This is a superb score that is tantalizingly short and all too brief, which probably accounts for why its had no release. Although Delerue composed his score in the style of the 16th Century, he was still able to combine something resembling historical musical accuracy and an underscore whose themes provide the requisite dramatic tension.
The 25th Hour (1967) If you would like to hear the truly DARK side of Delerues musical voice, this is where you need to go. This film which seems to have no critical friends (and which Ive not seen) nevertheless contains a score of dark power and waltzes that rival Ravel in their dementia. A very disturbing score, and a treasure.
Interlude (1968) This was Kbobs first encounter with the composer (he saw King of Hearts after this, even though it was from the year before) this is a relatively brief score. This remake of the tale of a conductor and his affair with a young reporter contains one of Georges loveliest themes. Released on Colgems Lp, this might be a tough one to find, but I feel its worth the effort. The Title Song, with lyrics by Hal Shaper and sung by Timi Yuro with her truly unique voice is almost worth the effort on its own.
Women in Love (1969) Delerues score to Ken Russells filmization of the D.H.Lawrence novel provides the necessary warmth that Addison feels Russell lacks as a director and, in fact, he feels the film could have used more of it. Were assuming the dreary Main Title is an adaptation of a piece of period pop song. It doesnt sound like Delerue at all. However, the scoring for Gudruns dancing amongst the bulls is wildly intense and his music for the nude wrestling match between Alan Bates and Oliver Reed is suitably erotic.
A Walk with Love and Death and Anne of the Thousand Days (Both from 1969) are two marvelous evocations of first, the Medieval world and, second, the whirlwind fame of Anne Boleyn & her Henry. Delerues scores even the most modern often had a hint of this period lurking under their surfaces, and it was one of the truly unique aspects of Georges sound. Love and Death dealt with the Peasants Revolt in France, and gave us our first loving look at Angelica Huston. A film I like, and a score I adore. Anne, a much sparer score filled out with actual music of the period including at least one dance attributed to Henry VIII himself performed by the New York Pro Musica. Delerues original scoring is a perfect match for the actual historical material, and creates just the ambience needed.
The Conformist (1970) Delerue adapts his Gallic style to the Italian cinema quite well and if you told Addison that certain themes to this superb Bernardo Bertolucci film were composed by Morricone or Piero Piccioni, he could easily believe you, particularly the piece composed for Jean Louis Trintignants first visit to his mother. The rest of the score is prime Delerue.
Two English Girls (Les Deux Anglaises et la Continent) (1972) A delicate sound picture of romance and emotional exploration.
A Little Romance (1979) The composers only Academy Award, this score builds on fragments and themes of Vivaldi one particularly from a Mandolin Concerto and Delerues work and its renaiisance feel for the promise and then the actuality of Venice is equal to the work of Respighi. And in spite of my love for Goldsmiths Star Trek The Motion Picture score and Dave Grusins fine romantic music for The Champ, I feel this was the most deserving of the nominated scores.
True Confessions (1971) If you were familiar with this score, Agnes of God was no surprise when it came four years later. Not that theres a melodic connection, but the fine choral work and the sense of the scores is very much of a piece. Delerue had given us this feel in some of the peasant songs in A Walk with Love and Death, and would do so again in The Black Robe twenty years later. It was always a heartfelt and thrilling sound.
The Black Stallion Returns (1983) The odd adventure score from Delerue, and a return to a type of rhythmic structure hed only to my knowledge used in a comedic way for An Almost Perfect Affair (1979). Here theres NO comedic sense; this is pure and thrilling adventure.
Agnes of God (1985) Here Delerue returns to a darkness hed not explored in an English-language film since The 25th Hour, though somehow its not quite as unremittingly bleak. This was Delerues fifth and final Oscar nomination, and though dark, still contains many passages of beauty, including the End Title which subtly incorporates some more of that wonderful vocal work. Delerue and director Norman Jewison show great restraint in scoring, such as in Agnes hypnosis scene. Lesser composers would have given in to the temptation to score the scene.
Written by K. Robert Eaton
