Malcolm Arnold's Trapeze Score, Plus Reups

It was just about, oh, five years ago that I posted the soundtrack to The Inn of the Sixth Happiness, and promised to follow up with more works from the talented English composer Malcolm Arnold.

Here to make belated good on that promise is Arnold's 1956 score to the Burt Lancaster - Gina Lollobrigida - Tony Curtis circus epic Trapeze.

Malcolm Arnold

Well, half a score anyway. A good part of the listening experience is occupied by "The Entry of the Gladiators," two Sousa marches, and the Blue Danube waltz. This would be well and good except conductor Muir Mathieson apparently wanted his orchestra to sound like a circus band, with raucous results.

To me, bad music is only one of the many reasons not to go to the circus - or to watch circus movies. So I have not seen Trapeze, but I can tell you that it revolves around a love triangle (if such a thing is geometrically possible). As you might guess from the wonderfully vivid cover, the participants are Lancaster, Lollobrigida and Curtis. At least I assume that is Curtis on the endless rope ladder - he looks as much like William Shatner there.

Poor Tony has to watch as Burt and Gina do their mid-air smooching routine. Meanwhile a circus tableau seemingly as imagined by Hieronymous Bosch unfolds far below, with what looks like a Parisian gang fight in the corner.

They don't make record covers like this anymore, nor scores, for that matter, although honestly, this is not one of Arnold's best efforts. His cues are effective enough, but there aren't many of them, and the effect is not as impressive as some of Arnold's other works.

Columbia did not give its best efforts to the sound, either, although I have done my darndest to give the thin sonics some life and heft.

Now on to the reups, leading off with Arnold's Inn of the Sixth Happiness score.

Malcolm Arnold - Inn of the Sixth Happiness. A wonderful early stereo score with Arnold at the height of his powers. Remastered.

Jean Francaix - Concertino, Serenade. The composer is soloist in his delightful Concertino, and Eugen Jochum leads the ensemble in the equally delightful Serenade, in these Telefunken recordings from the 1930s. Remastered.

Eartha Kitt - RCA Victor Presents. The first LP by the vocalist-tigress, with many of her most famous numbers, including "C'est Si Bon." Also the Stan Freberg send up of the latter tune. Remastered.

George Byron - Sings Jerome Kern. Byron was a cabaret singer who happened to be married to Kern's widow. His performances are scrupulous and convincing.

Joe Venuti and Bobby Maxwell. Jazz violin and jazz harp, separately and together in this compilation from mid-century. Remastered.

As usual, the links above go to the original posts, New download links are in the comments, both there and here.