Search - Yves Montand :: Olympia 81

Be ready to fall in love...

Merilahti Kristiina | Finland | 10/22/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"On New Year's night 1981 (partly 1982) this concert was shown on Finnish television. I was 13 and didn't understand French, but all the family was up, adults had their guests and talked their stuff on the other room and I needed some peace - and this was on. I fell for it. The voice and the charisma of Montand, the playful, beautiful music, the adoring, enthusiastic audience - they still come back to me, just as that night 22 years ago. So when I first traveled to Paris, this was the collection I bought. First of all, the songs are good, of course, though this isn't as complete a collection as '36 titres'. But the most famous ones are there and the concert was built carefully to reach its high point in the end. First there are the newer, more jazzy pieces and among them 'Dansons la rose' - Roses of Picardie - and I admit: mostly these songs are known to French audience better than us foreigners. But the atmosphere builds up song for song, until Montand performs his little comic sketch 'Telegramme' with Simone Signoret on the other end of the line. And then come the most familiar ones, starting with 'Chansonnette' - very very French, very very chanson. And finally you hear someone in the audience demanding "Les feuilles mortes!" "Oui.. oui" says Montand and starts by speaking the first words without any accompaniment. The audience explodes - and quickly becomes silent again to listen. And this really is the best recording of 'Feuilles mortes' there is, unbelievably intense and full of feeling and history, Prévért's poetry never was better sung than in Olympia 1981. In the middle Montand lets the orchestra play for a while and the applause burst out - and quiet down the moment he sings again. And when the song is finished... you never heard such applause, going on and on, people shouting "Y-ves, Y-ves!" It is the high point of the concert, but still there is one number: Montand sings a short poem by Prévért 'Jardin' which is tied together with a much older chanson 'A Paris', an energetic, very French waltz. He really gives his best to the end. And this is a very good live recording, it really lets you be part of the concert. The last three songs on the record are reason enough to buy this one. Even if you don't know French much, this 'Feuilles mortes' (Autumn leaves) is one of the best recordings in the world. I actually gave '36 titres' one star less. As a collection it is better - but as an experience this is much more."