INTERVIEW TO PAUL MAURIAT

by "Garbo magazine, Spain, March 1st, 1972

Many, many thanks to Dmitry Zhoukov for providing me this interview!

Garbo magazine from Mexico, March 1972

Paul Mauriat Garbo Magazine 1972 interview

PAUL Mauriat is one of the most important orchestra conductors in the world. His records sell with the same ease as if they were from a hit singer … or maybe even better, because even though he usually is not at the top of hit lists, he has a continuing sale of these [records] over the years. His audience is fixed, and he is continuously gaining new followers. We talked at his hotel, just upon his arrival. In the afternoon he will record for a television show. He is accompanied by – and does not separate from his side -, Irene, his wife.

- You arrive alone, without your orchestra, why is that, is it because it would be too expensive your presence in our Television?

Paul Mauriat:- Indeed, moving with everyone will be a price too expensive to be hired. Take into account that normally, there are forty five musicians that accompany me at the recordings.

Paul and Irene Mauriat, arriving at Madrid airport

Paul Mauriat at the arrival at Barajas accompanied by his wife, Irene

- These musicians have to stay many times at home, like this time, to be hired only by you, is it profitable, even so, staying at your service, to be employed only in your recordings, I mean, from time to time?

Paul Mauriat: - They don't work with me in exclusivity, the same musicians accompany Franck Pourcel or Raymond Lefévre, among others; beside other singers.

Paul and Irene Mauriat arriving at Madrid airport 1972

Mauriat, famous, orchestra conductor, has come to Madrid to record a television show

- To which do you attribute the success that the great orchestras have in France... or if you prefer it, their conductors?

- Against what many people think, in France great orchestras are not good business, with respect to the recording field.

- Which is, in your field, who sell more records over there?

- Without a doubt, Franck Pourcel, but he is doing it for twelve years.

Paul and Irene Mauriat at MadridWe talk a lot about classical music.

He shows me his particular preferences about it.

There are many favorite composers.

He also declares himself a fervent lover of jazz music, to which he professed for a long time.

- How would you define your musical style?

- I think that I have found a middle line between the classical and "pop".

- In many ways, to my understanding, you let classical music clearly influence you. Or do you think different?

- No. Without a doubt, classical music influences me.

- It's been said that you have a particular "signature", that distinguished you clearly from your competitors. Which is that?

- This is something that I ignore; truly, I don't know in which resides my personality.

- Some years ago, you had a big success, which placed you at the lists in the entire world, with "Love is Blue", and you couldn't hit the mark again. Did you run out of inspiration?

- The truth is that I never thought that this song will become a success. Of course, I consider that I have not run out the recipe for making a hit. This was a song that I loved and I worked. Do you know one thing? In the only place that this song didn't "catch" was in France, in my land.

- I asked him how many Spanish artists he knows. He smiles, and he makes a vague gesture, as if he does not know what to say; later, when he starts to talk, we realize that that isn't so

- I know of Algueró, Manuel Alejandro and Serrat.

- Your shows always end up with a song from Algueró, "Penélope", why?.

- I consider this a great song, and that is why I used to finish my shows.

- Paul Mauriat is a regular participant in all kinds of festivals. I ask him his opinion that about Eurovision, in which he is an old acquaintance.

- In general, festivals always have the quality that the artists who take part in them give them.

- But, specifically, Eurovision, do you think, as a large sector of the public, that it is dying?.

- Maybe it's true that it is little dead. You win and the triumph has no impact. Particularly, the biggest fault I find is that the jurors, by voting one after the other, gradually influence each other. The first influences the second, and this on the third. And so on.

He has absolutely right. And it could be a good solution, although a secret voting …, although it would not be so colorful and exciting.

J. A. H.