Maurice Jarre’s Is Paris Burning? from Tadlow

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MAURICE JARRE: IS PARIS BURNING? City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, Nic Raine/Tadlow Music 2 CDs TADLOW023  Once again, the reliable team of producer James Fitzpatrick, conductor Nic Raine and the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra do sterling work in dusting off some unfairly neglected orchestral film scores from the days before far less ambitious and complex music took over – and with nary a hectoring rap theme song in sight. Maurice Jarre was one of the great film music professionals, initially making his mark with such French classics as Les Yeux Sans Visage/Eyes Without a Face before having his greatest success with the epic films of David Lean. This is Jarre in militaristic mode, cheekily borrowing motifs from Shostakovich’s Leningrad Symphony, but coming up with something possessing its own individual character. A particular plus here is another wartime film score by Jarre, The Night the Generals. As ever, Raine and his highly professional forces do a great service to this music.