In more than forty years of career, Marie Laforêt created nearly 350 songs. It is very difficult to precisely describe this course because of its diversity. It is indeed composed of songs very different the ones from the others. One can distinguish various musical periods during all these years :
First period :
The first appearances of "Marie Laforêt" in the universe of the song were marked by folk airs which it transformed in the field of the music , "Les vendanges de l’amour", for example, which take as a starting point the style of the sardanne and which was modified to arrive at the version that we know, the title "Viens sur la montagne" (who comes from an arranged "Negro spiritual", just like "Tumbleweed", song adapted by Prévert. Marie also sang old English songs such as "Banks of the Ohio", "Poor Railroad Boy" which was also sung by "Joan Baez" (but the words were changed). One can also quote other titles of 1963-1964 like "Flora", "Mary Ann", "House of the rising sun" or "Tu fais semblant".
Second period :
During this second time Marie created successes while taking as a starting point folksongs, of successes like "La plage", resulting from instrumental which was played and sung per many musicians in the whole world of which the trio "Los Panchos" which made final very sad with "quenas". It there had as "My love my friend", part commercial but with song strange, which will be used as model for many musicians (I think for example as this song inspired the authors of "Get Down" of "Backstreet Boys"), "Manchester and Liverpool", song whose Celtic rate/rhythm is given by the percussion of the "bones" in hitch, without forgetting the poetry of the interpretation which makes this song unforgettable.
For the French who do not think that Marie made songs of Celtic inspiration, let us quote songs as "Toi qui dors", "Barbara Allen", "Mary Hamilton", "Coule doux", "L’arbre qui pleure", "Tom", "Katy Cruelle", "L’orage", "Julie Crèvecoeur", "Je t’attends", "Feuilles d’or", "Prend-moi", "La légende de Thomas", "La guerre d’Irlande"... Songs to which Marie gave a Celtic side.
Third period :
During the years 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971 and 1972, Marie will traverse the scenes of the whole world with a definitely folk repertory, borrowed from the traditional songs where with the music folk of many countries. It will be called "the girl with the voice of gold" because its voice then is fully developed, deep, sometimes clear and sometimes guttural, astonishing with its vibrato exceptional (which evokes the technique of the song Tyrolean). Let us add that at that time, "Marie Laforêt" arrives at a register of almost four octaves, approaching the five octaves of Yma Sumac (its preferred singer).
It is also during this period that it narrowly collaborated with large musicians (Jorge Milberg (and Los Incas), Egberto Gismonti and Bernard Wystraete) and that it failed to work with Alan Stivell.
Between 1968 and 1969, Marie brings a whole of very particular songs to us. Songs as well mystical as more profane with "Los Incas" and under the direction of "Jorge Milchberg", Argentinian genius to which the music is as close to the spirit of the Celts as of that of the Andes: Marie will call it "her eternal chief".
In 1970, Marie will be related to Egberto Gismonti, "researcher of the lost continent of Lemuria", large of the jazz of today. The young woman achieves with him a fusion between the jazz and the primarily South American folklore. Marie sang with him Brazilian very vanguard and inventive songs.
Then, Marie will bind to "Bernard Wystraete" and with its group, they will carry out a fusion jazz - traditional - folklore and will show much creativity, carrying out wonders. Many of these wonders were not diffused in the form of disc.
I deliver here the list of the lost songs of "Marie Laforêt", songs which never left in discs, their number rises to about thirty approximately :
With Los Incas :
"Erev she shoshanim", "Bom Dia", "Belle que tient ma vie", "Za Kafkazam", "El Eco", "Parenera", "Rio Abierto" and some others.
With Egberto Gismonti :
"Pendulo", "Janela de Ouro", "Lirica Number 1", "Mercader de Serpentes", "Sonhos", "Lenda" S and some others which were reproduced on an album recorded in 1970 but CBS for which Marie worked at the time opposed to its exit considering the unit too experimental.
With Bernard Wystraete :
"Perouvienne", "Suite classique", "Elipsse", "Stop", "Reglisse", "Mon Coeur se balance", "La roumaine", "L’automne rêve aux lilas", and some others.
With Guy Beart :
"Bienvenu", "Réveillon de Noël" and some others.
Other Songs :
« Je Te Prête Charlie (avec Gainsbourg et Régine) », « Si On Chantait Prévert », « Mon Amour où es- Tu Passé », « La Californie », « Mamie a Cent Ans » and some others.
Fourth period :
Marie will have to forget all her scenic career and to start again in a fourth stage discographic "with the multiple voices" at Polydor, which will confine it with commercial songs, misusing the ch?urs and the play backs, of the songs without depth but not deprived of quality. There are during this time some strange songs like « Noé », « Mea Culpa », « Demain Moby Dick Peut-être », « Lily Marlene », « Berceuse pour Deborah », « Etait-ce trop beau pour durer », « Lady Anna », « Demain se dessine si bien », « Un Jour », « Roman D’ Amour », « Aussi Loin Que L’Amour », « Mon Amour » (Vivaldi), « La Naissance », « Quand Nous Aurons Un Enfant », « Je Vois », « Prends moi », « La légende de Thomas », « La Baie des Anges », « J’ai le cœur gros du Temps Présent », « Que Je Bétonne mon cœur » and « Comme un oiseau ».
Fifth period :
Of return to the writing and the folklores with "Recognitions", Marie left us a new bouquet of wonders, as much esoteric than major: « Ma Viva », « Deja Vu », « Yerushalaim », « Richard Toll », « Bis Bald Marlene », « Calle Santa Rita » and « Genève ou Bien ».
There exists much of lost songs. Can be, while seeking patiently, somebody will be able it to find some of these wonders. I wrote a small comment in connection with the songs which follow :
"Rio Abierto" :
Last song of Marie with "Los Incas" interpreted into live. The song is like a round of children, but these children are "the Wire Of the Sun" which bring a tender music to us, childish, soft, mystical and very spiritual. A music specific to people of the Andes and their authentic folklore. Initially, Marie puts in counter-melody her voice engraves then then her acute voice jusqu'à to make of it an absolutely sublime song which, for me, represents the symbolic system of a space that Marie opens to us towards the future.
"Back Palomitas" :
Marie is accompanied with the guitar and sings... with what a voice! For this reason Argentinian folklore, it confers a very special key. It sings it as one must sing it, no Argentinian does not sing it like Marie, not even "Mercedes Sosa", great Argentinian voice. It is incredible to note at which point Marie knows well the musics of our areas (I am Argentin) and difficult to include/understand it bus for a French it is not easy to appreciate the so remote ground folklores: imagine that Marie affirms to like the pampas!
"El Pastor" :
It acts of a song of the Mexican folklore, named "huapango", mode musical that can sing only certain people having a very good register of voice like "Miguel Acevez Mejía"... and yet Marie registered with her repertory by decorating it of a structure at four times ("amanecer-musicar-busqueda", "eternidad- alegría-alma", "anochecer-llamado-interior", "eternidad-alegría-alma"). It is a song of shepherd where the sun is very present, as in much of songs of Marie, and whom contains inside a very mystical message, as you can perceive it here :
Va el pastor con su rebaño El Pastor ya va de vuelta
Al despuntar la mañana Pues el Sol se esta Ocultando
Bajando por el Sendero Va Subiendo por la Cuesta
De la Sierra a la Pradera Para llamar a suRebaño
Va musicando sus Gestas Con su Flautín va llamando
Con su Flautín de Carrillo Una a una sus ovejas
Seguido por sus Ovejas Y les va comunicando
Como si fuera un Hechizo Sus dolores y Sus Tristezas
El Flautín del Pastor Alegre Canta Asi El Flautín del Pastor Alegre Canta Asi
Marie in the refrain of this song "El Flautín del Pastor Alegre Canta Así" passes from a voice of contralto to a very acute voice and passes to an acute intermediary then passes again to the low registers before returning to acute very suspended, showing to which degree it arrived in her technique of the song.
"Mon Coeur se balance" :
Song interpreted into live, delicate and fragile. With my opinion a song in the best style of Brel. Marie, in this adaptation of "Mendelssohn" evokes her childhood with nostalgia. The accompaniment, by its rate/rhythm, recalls also a little the airs of the Andes and Marie adds the marvellous one to it when it evokes "things of the suspended life" of its acute voice and which fall immediately into a low register moving, jusqu'à to speak "about the things of the love", impregnated sadness and rich person of evocation.
"Canzonetta Napolitana" :
Another song interpreted in Italian and live, different from the version which Marie in "Cicerenella offers to us", medieval melody where it uses its three vocal capacities (register acute, mezzo and serious). In this Marie title a canzonetta offers to us and gives us a voice very serious, raucous, androgyne, then transforms it into a voice of astonishing contralto, jusqu' with final where it very marvelously is well supported by a mandoline handled by Francis Dunglass.
"Quand les lilas refleuriront" :
Always in Live. This time it acts of an old song, sung very well with a very good musical accompaniment. One can recognize a little South American agreements and a rate/rhythm, more precisely of the Andes. There is a resemblance to the old French music. It is important to underline softness when it then sings « Personne alors qui ne comprenne, les doux mots qu’elles parleront, quand les lilas refleuriront, allez dire au printemps qu’il vienne ». . These words in the voice of Marie rise in the air and the wind, carrying hope for us.
"Luciana" :
Very beautiful song, with traditional airs, very rich semitones. By intending Marie to sing his soprano voice one feels joy to listen to it, playing on scales moving and of acute like cries by love. Cries of love which bring the hope for humanity to us. It should be specified that Luciana was a little child born in the Brazilian favellas. In this song, Marie is accompanied by "Gismonti" and it is a marvellous meeting which that of these two large musicians. Marie made vibrate Maracanazinho in a Brazilian Festival of Song...
"Canto of Ossanha" :
With new we find Marie and Egberto Gismonti for this very famous song of Baden Powell and Vinicius de Moraes. As with her practice, Marie paradoxically mixes acute very high, but the very soft ones, with low registers then passes from an immense traditional air to the jazz with Vai, Vai, Vai... She sings here for the "Orixas", song of Macumbas Brasileiras.
"Computeur" :
It is the last Brazilian song with Egberto Gismonti... Which poetry written by Marie who says so many things to us, invites us to visit a new world. It y created a new country: "come, come". Listen to its voice playing with the flute... Which voice that that of Marie and which flutist... Gismonti. The song is very a vanguard for the time and today still. I listened to this song in his instrumental version but without Marie it is not any more the same one...
"Doina DIN Maramures" :
This Rumanian song is one of the best songs of Maria Tanasse. By singing it Marie offers to us low registers astonishing as well as despaired, guttural and major, but also sad cries. Cries which leave us stiff and give space necessary to the reflexion thanks to its intonations of a superb contralto. One wonders how Marie could sing this song as it did, without same being accompanied by panpipes, as in the version of George Zamphir.
"Jovano Javanke" :
This Yugoslav song is incredibly well sung by Marie. She us offered two versions of them: the version of CD, in which it strikes its voice and fall into the low register to strike again and rises another time with a very strong cry, is very powerful... In this song, Jorge Milberg marvelously accompanies Marie and one can say that its interpretation is better vocally and with equality for the remainder that in the version of the Canadian singer Lorenna Mc Kennit.
"Comme un oiseau" :
It is a question of a singular song to hear. For me it is the symbol of "the man bird", the spiritual man. The song has many tempos: the first tempo starts like an old song, the music of a damaged disc and which comes by far. Marie learns how to us there to fly. There is then one crescendo: its voice goes up in force to each tempo, jusqu'à to arrive at the Sun (always present in all the spiritual songs of Marie). The voice of Marie goes up then very high and very far from us but remaining paradoxically close to us then it arrives at the final tempo which it offers to us with ch?urs which are voices as well Eastern as of the Andes (many the songs of Marie take as a starting point airs by the musics by the Andes... Musics which it does not forget).
Mon amour :
Inspired by the concerto for mandoline and orchestra of Antonio Vivaldi it is a traditional song in which one appreciates the beautiful undulations of this Andante as well as the soprano voice of Marie, who plays and plays the length of the levels of this part baroque in major C jusqu'à to even reach tenderness then until the account of a poetry written by herself, for the air of Time.
House of The Rising Sun :
It acts of a Negro spiritual very known and sung by large singers of the world at the last century. Marie made of them three versions, all different the ones from the others. The Japanese version is very charming and soft. In the last version Marie puts a voice right, major. In Live it makes some marvellous vocal improvisations. It is one of the preferred songs of Marie and the words are very spiritual.
5 X 5 :
This instrumental piece and of South American inspiration, was created by Milchberg. Marie singing exercise on this piece in acute astonishing. The instruments play various situations and improvisations that Marie is useful in eight pieces of her single and marvellous voice until giving a very large emotion to the public. The strangeness of all this song points out that of "the Nile of the" Celtic song of which I think that it was inspired in Clannad in its CD in public by 5x5, in his instrumental part.
“Etait-ce trop beau pour durer” :
It acts this time of a music of the film "Nicolas and Alexandra". It is a classic song, with a poetry hard and soft at the same time, where the voice of Marie as well as the ch?urs created by itself in undulating tonalities is superb. It’s a brilliant song.
"L' air que tu jouais pour moi" :
It was the first song in the acute tone which I listened to and I liked it at once. The softness of its voice prints with the song a different musical air. When Marie begins the song with the guitars of Los Incas the introduction is close to the air of the film "Jeux interdits"... but when it starts "On avait dit..." it makes us tremble emotion with the harmony of the tonalities and its acute voice, used just for this melody, splendid traditional air.
"En plus de l’amour" :
Superb song where one finds a voice of mezzo soprano as well as a harpsichord which confers on the unit a climate giving the impression to be in a fairy tale... without speaking about the instrumentation.
"Siffle, siffle ma fille" :
It is my preferred song of Marie. Pastoral and medieval song in which, in my opinion, the serious voice of Marie appears to leave my own throat, because Marie seems to sing it beside me. I like the way in which Marie wraps this song of tenderness and I believe that this song is one as of the its more beautiful songs.
"Mea Culpa" :
This song has a rhythm identical to that of "My Sweet Lord" of George Harrison and I believe that it mentions the problems of a mother with the love which the son of his boyfriend carries to him, young person teenager... topic appears not very transcendent but when one listens to the voice of contralto of Marie who rises and rises and whom then, with Chorus, it takes more force, still rising and still, with varied tonalities which leave the disc, one can wonder how this woman can sing this way. As to surprise us Marie arrives at her acutest voice and plays the final one accompanied by a trumpet and the soprano voice rises and rises in a cry of incredible love. It is then difficult to believe that all is real or if, one imagines it.
"Noé" :
what could we say EC song dedicated to the father of the humanity, which drips honey that the bees offer to him, like a dream of Atlantis and which starts with the piano of G Gascalles which precedes Marie, and Marie places her voice to begin the song and it is a voice undulating, serious, tender, deep until which the orchestra takes again, and in the large final one, large the chorus gives a mysticism to this song, at such point that one can ask for how a woman can sing thus, by what is it thorough?
There are some other songs which one could still speak and speak and to listen and which one could play with our instrument of predilection, to note delicacy that this melody contains and at which point all these songs were quite selected.
