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Quartet Records is proud to present its three latest releases for 2012...
SANTA CLAUS: THE MOVIE- Expanded Edition in a 3-CD set
Music Composed and Conducted by Henry Mancini
Seeing is believing! Quartet Records, in collaboration with Capitol Records and Calash Corporation, proudly presents the premiere release of Henry Mancini’s complete score for this 1985 Christmas movie.
The film, directed by Jeannot Szwarc, starred Dudley Moore, David Huddleston and John Lithgow. An ambitious and expensive project produced by Alexander Salkind, it was not the box-office hit it was expected to be.
One of the most important aspects of the film was its soundtrack, for which Salkind hired the great Henry Mancini. The composer was deeply involved in the production, composing more than 85 minutes of original music for the 109-minute film. This soundtrack is surely one of the biggest efforts of his career, written in the same period as Lifeforce and The Great Mouse Detective.
Mancini’ score is so beautiful, diverse and emotional, it is not strange that it has become the film’s most remembered and appreciated feature. Recorded in CTS Studios in London with The London Metropolitan Orchestra, the score also features The Ambrosian Children’s Choir performing several charming songs written by Mancini and Leslie Bricusse.
For the original album, released in 1985 by EMI America, Mancini prepared a program of highlights: 13 tracks lasting only 37 minutes (from an 85-minute score!). Some themes were modified for their album version – with different durations, slightly different mixes or the addition of pop elements. Almost all of Mancini’s symphonic effort was missing.
After a long search for all the source material and an effort to bring together the different rights owners (the film was a complicated coproduction), we can now present Mancini’s masterful score in its entirety, remixed from ½" 3-track stereo and 2" 24-track session masters vaulted in mint condition in Abbey Road Studios, London (where the EMI album was mixed). In addition to the complete score, it has been great to discover a lot of extra material that Mancini recorded for the film: songs with alternate lyrics, different orchestrations, etc. Courtesy of Capitol Records, we have also included the original 1985 album version, mastered from first generation master tapes stored in the Abbey Road vaults.
This deluxe, 3CD release includes a 32-page full-color booklet with liner notes and track-by-track analysis by Jeff Bond.
A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM - Expanded Edition
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Music Direction and Incidental Music by Ken Thorne
Quartet Records and MGM proudly presents an expanded release of the classic soundtrack by Stephen Sondheim and Ken Thorne, Oscar-winner for best music adaptation in 1966.
Directed by Richard Lester, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum surrounded the principal star of the original Broadway production, Zero Mostel, with a diverse cast that included Phil Silvers, Jack Gilford, Buster Keaton and such Richard Lester regulars as Michael Hordern, Michael Crawford and Roy Kinnear. Lester’s adaptation was not entirely faithful to Sondheim’s successful musical; indeed, the director selected only five of Sondheim’s original 16 songs, which were included in the film more in the style of video clips (as in his two previous films with The Beatles) than in the manner of a traditional movie musical.
Although Richard Lester worked with many great composers during his career (John Barry, George Martin, Lalo Schifrin, Michel Legrand, Patrick Williams), his favorite was undoubtedly Ken Thorne, who was responsible for scoring ten of the director’s movies (Juggernaut, How I Won the War, Royal Flash, The Ritz, Superman II, etc.).
For Forum, Thorne adapted the five Sondheim songs (including the popular “Comedy Tonight”) in a fully personal orchestral style. He also composed the underscore, referencing some of Sondheim’s themes.
The previously released LP (United Artists Records, 1966) and its reissue (Rykodisc, 1998) included Sondheim’s songs and selections from Thorne’s incidental music. This Quartet Records album is the premiere release of Thorne’s complete underscore. The sound is much improved and newly remastered from the original stereo ½? album masters from the MGM vaults, and a ¼? tape with acceptable sound (also in stereo) from the private library of Mr. Thorne.
The package includes a deluxe full-color 24-page booklet with liner notes and track-by-track analysis by Randall D. Larson. Limited edition of 1000 units.
“Tragedy tomorrow … comedy tonight!”
REVENGE OF THE PINK PANTHER- Expanded Edition
Music Composed and Conducted by Henry Mancini
Quartet Records, in collaboration with Capitol Records and MGM, proudly presents a complete edition of Blake Edwards’ Revenge of the Pink Panther, the last film featuring Peter Sellers as the clumsy Inspector Clouseau (Trail of the Pink Panther was shot in 1982 after Sellers’ death; it was edited with outtakes from previous Panther films).
Naturally, the score was composed by Henry Mancini. In addition to including his iconic “Pink Panther Theme” in ’70s disco style, Mancini provided more than an hour of new, original material. Full of classy melodies, the score contains two fine romantic tunes (“After the Shower” and “Simone”), a funny pop song with lyrics by Leslie Bricusse (“Move ’Em Out”), a frantic chase scene along the streets of Hong Kong, and lots of descriptive music.
The original album was released on LP by United Artist Records in 1978 and reissued on compact disc by Capitol Records in 1988. It has been out of print and very difficult to find for a long time. This album is the first-ever release of Mancini’s complete score, presented in pristine stereo.
The package includes a full-color 16-page insert with liner notes and track-by-track analysis by film music writer John Takis. Limited edition of 1500 units.
For more info and hear audio samples, please visit www.quartetrecords.com
The three titles will ship next Monday 10.
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Wow, I'm speechless. Santa Claus: The Movie. Wow.
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I just had a heart attack, oh my gosh oh my gosh. THANK YOU Quartet, my goodness, thank you. Three discs of Santa. Now I need to go find out where/when to buy!
What a dream to get this, hope these are out by Christmas so I can enjoy it before the holiday season is over 
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SEEING IS BELIEVING
And I still cannot believe it. One of my last true grails gets the 3CD treatment.
Thank you so much!!!!
(and great work with the other two releases as well!)
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Wonderful releases! Thank you. I can't wait to discover the additional Santa Claus score.
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I find it funny I just posted another thread about Santa Claus the Movie thread 108 the other day not knowing this was coming and here it is. One of my last holy grails like Mike. Can't wait to get this and hear it. The samples sound amazing!
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I find it funny I just posted another thread about Santa Claus the Movie thread 108 the other day not knowing this was coming and here it is. One of my last holy grails like Mike. Can't wait to get this and hear it. The samples sound amazing!
Indeed.
Folks, like many a Mancini score, the soundtrack album simply does not do it justice. This is a glorious, dramatic work teeming with gorgeous themes, veering deftly from joyous to festive to melancholy to tense to wondrous and back. I'll be particularly excited to hear "The Ancient One" and "The Magic Workshop." Any Mancini fans unfamiliar with this work will not be disappointed!
I just listened to the sample of The Ancient One, I swear it's like I'm riding a high, so to speak. Gorgeous gorgeous writing my goodness. I always loved the cue when Santa comes into the house for the first time and they show him around and then open up the toy room with the toys, can't wait to hear all of those. What a day!
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I always loved the cue when Santa comes into the house for the first time and they show him around and then open up the toy room with the toys, can't wait to hear all of those. What a day!
Ah, that's "The Magic Workshop"! Just as resplendent as you remember!
Incidentally, I think that theme (featured in both the Workshop and Ancient One cues) got the shortest shrift on the album, which is unfortunate since it's probably the best of the bunch.
I agree completely, probably my favorite of all the themes. Was just listening to Patch Natch instrumental, it's so funky and so 80's, dated horribly, but still nostalgic!
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