Louis Fremaux

Louis Fremaux0:00

Hello, I'm Kirsty Young, and this is a podcast from the Desert Island Disc's Archive. For rights reasons we've had to shorten the music. The programme was originally broadcast in nineteen seventy seven, and the presenter was Roy Plumley.

Presenter0:32

Our castaway this week is a musician. He's Principal Conductor and Musical Director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Louis Fremont.

Presenter0:41

Now, it's always harder for a musician, of course, to choose just eight records to last a long, long time.

Presenter0:48

Would you rather have records or scores?

Presenter0:50

Well, I would prefer scores, but um

Presenter0:54

It doesn't make such a good program.

Louis Fremaux0:54

Yeah.

Speaker 40:54

Uh

Louis Fremaux0:54

Doesn't

Presenter0:56

That's exactly the things. But for me already it's the torture for me to

Presenter1:01

Uh you see, if if you ask me to choose eight records, it's for me to reject a thousand. Of course. What's the first you've chosen of your eight?

Presenter1:10

Well

Presenter1:12

When I was appointed to this country, I want to

Presenter1:16

Improve the orchestra to be in a high enough high standing to record.

Presenter1:22

And uh it was strange because I'm not really a light music conductor, but uh the suggestion of IMA was to record uh Masne.

Presenter1:32

Le Ballet Le Cide and I said, Well, anything. I I could uh to make the orchestra on the spot. And that was this record. Yes, this is the first one you recorded with the City of Birmingham Orchestra.

Louis Fremaux1:42

The city of Birmingham.

Presenter1:44

The ballet music to Marsnay's Lacide.

Presenter2:45

The Ballet Music t L'Ecide, recorded, it says, nineteen seventy one.

Presenter2:50

What part of France do you come from, Louis? North. Particular, and I I was living also in Valenciennes. Yes. Uh a musical tradition in your family?

Presenter3:00

More or less, yes. But uh a strong desire of my father to make is both boys to learn music. You and your brother? Yes. How old were you when you started to take music lessons? Six. Six. My brother was two years younger than me and we make the same study. It was very nice. Where did you study?

Presenter3:20

I start in Valenciennes. It's a nice town. Up by the Belgian border. Yes.

Presenter3:25

You hadn't got very far before the war started, and you volunteered, of course, at once.

Presenter3:30

No, I was too young uh to go and uh you see in thirty nine I was eighteen and I was caught. I mean, if you could say that when I see fir first the English troop leaving the country and after that seeing the German troop coming for my age, it was terrible.

Louis Fremaux3:36

No, that's not.

Presenter3:49

Yes, the occupation. Not immediately, because I have you see we have this um travais obligatoire we were sent in in in Germany the forced labor.

Louis Fremaux4:02

Forced label.

Presenter4:04

I tried to escape of that to don't be called that, so I was hidden in a centre de refugee. And you weren't found? No.

Presenter4:14

I did have a little cachette.

Presenter4:16

Yes, hiding place. And so you didn't have to build defences and you didn't have to go to Germany, but you made yourself a nuisance to the Germans.

Presenter4:25

Let's have a another record. What next?

Presenter4:28

Well, this record I was singing in this camp, when I could join them, when we could really, without without too much danger, to be arrested by the German troops, is to form first a little group, after that to find some rifles. And we did have this Le Champ des Partisan.

Presenter4:47

which was uh something uh strong, a little even savage, but also great fervor of the liberation.

Speaker 34:56

Ami entire descorbers no pleasure.

Speaker 35:04

A raised le son l'our du pais que non cell.

Speaker 35:20

C soiri, connet le prison, and harvest.

Presenter5:26

The Song of the Partisans sung by Germain Sablanc.

Presenter5:30

Now, at the liberation, you went into the army.

Presenter5:35

Not so precise. All that little resistance camp gradually went to the normal army. And of course, we were volunteer for cadet school for officer. And I've been there after the the end of the war.

Louis Fremaux5:47

Uh

Presenter5:51

The Cadet School was very short because we tried to remake immediately the organization of the French army and

Presenter6:00

Uh I was volunteer also to continue and to help the Aliyah to for the Japan for the war. For the Far East war. Yes. Mhm. And that's why I I went in a corps

Presenter6:12

And uh our our destination was Vietnam.

Presenter6:17

You were going to Japan, but then the Japanese war stopped. Yes, because of with the bomb. Yes. So Vietnam, that was a horrible war, that was... Jungle fighting. Yes, at the beginning it was rather hard. We have to fight with the climates and as any tropical country and also the condition of the war. It was, you see, not a real war, it's a guerrilla warfare. Yes. In the jungle. Yes, and it was strange because I've been a guerrilla. And after that, I've been to fight against a guerrilla. Yes. After fighting in the resistance as a guerrilla force, you found yourself.

Louis Fremaux6:51

Yeah.

Presenter6:52

Fighting against guerrillas in Vietnam. And Algeria Leta.

Presenter6:57

You were in in the Foreign Legion.

Presenter7:00

What?

Presenter7:01

You see, when you finish your study as cadet, they suggest a choice of regiment, and I say why not?

Presenter7:10

It would be a good experience. I was a fanatic at the time. Did you train for it in North Africa? Oh, yes.

Louis Fremaux7:16

Oh yes, yes.

Presenter7:18

And it's not a bit the way uh not a bit like Beaugest. It's not as romantic as that. No, no.

Louis Fremaux7:19

What the f

Louis Fremaux7:21

It's not as romantic as that.

Presenter7:25

Let's have a next record. What's that to be? Well, that famous Marche de la Legion et Tranger. And you will notice um the speed. It's slow. The legendnaire walk very slowly. This is because of the desert, the sand. That's it. That's it. It's a tradition of Algeria and uh desert uh walking in the sand or in the dust and uh in the sun.

Louis Fremaux7:40

That's it.

Presenter7:49

Well, there's a recording here by the Foreign Legion Band.

Presenter8:58

The march of the foreign legion. Well, when eventually you were out of uniform, Louis.

Presenter9:05

You were able to take up your studies after rather a long interval? Yes, nearly eight years. Eight years away from music. Yes. Did you go back to Valenciennes? No. No, I go back to Paris because my goal, my my my idea was to go to the Conservatoire de Paris. When I even uh at sixteen I realized uh to make study really professional study you must

Presenter9:27

It's a very, very difficult competition. Yes. And you had to teach, I believe, to pay for your studies, yes. Yes, well I have to leave and uh

Presenter9:36

uh for the life I have to do something. And it was better instead to play in the instrument. It was I like also teaching, I like also the children. So

Presenter9:45

It was nice to have something completely different than the study of uh very professional music as a conductor, harmony, composition and everything. Yes, you had to do one or two rather odd musical jobs, I believe. Yes, that was I was very busy. Tell us about them. What did you do?

Presenter10:01

Ah well, I could play in a theater, um, the piano, I don't remember, it was not very interesting music. And also composing some um

Presenter10:11

Jiggles? Jingles, yes. Jingles with an N. For radio? Enough for c for picture, for cinema. For cinema. Yes, it was advertising. Yes, advertising. So uh.

Louis Fremaux10:12

Jingles with an M

Louis Fremaux10:17

Yes, it was

Presenter10:21

Chocolate poulin? Have you? I don't know.

Louis Fremaux10:23

I don't know that well.

Presenter10:25

Spaggy well, I don't remember. And for long term, but you'd have royalties for that. Plus a fee to compose and to conduct, of course.

Presenter10:33

Now, at the end of your studies, you were to conduct the Conservatoire Orchestra at a concert. Um now there was a tragedy involving the the principal of the Conservatoire, Claude Delvancourt, that changed the whole aspect of that concert.

Louis Fremaux10:46

Yeah.

Presenter10:50

Claude Delvancour first has been very, very good for all the students during the war. I was not there, but I I we knew and we have a big admiration for him. And every year he organized a concert and for conductor. It was to conduct the orchestra, the conservatoire.

Presenter11:07

And uh he he was killed in an accident. And finally this concert um I was conducting. It has been done in memoriam of him and uh I was conducting in the front of uh all the celebrity musical in Paris, which gave me immediately the help to be well known. Yes, of course. It was a big chance for you. Yes. And from that came what?

Presenter11:31

came um a proposal to record, which was very, very early for me and uh the record I've made w which is still on in in on in sale, on sale. On sale.

Speaker 411:42

Bombs

Presenter11:43

His Recreme de Gilles, uh I don't know why he has been well I could say why.

Presenter11:51

Any people selling a record in a shop say, That's easy to sell because you've put the start and immediately people say, Oh, I buy it.

Presenter11:59

We we're going to hear the start now. It's a very, very sad march play by the Tempani.

Louis Fremaux12:01

Yeah, that's it.

Presenter13:04

The opening of the first recording you ever made

Presenter13:07

The Requiem by Gilles.

Presenter13:10

Now

Presenter13:11

Leaving the Conservatoire as a rather senior graduate, you made that.

Presenter13:16

First recording. Then I believe two offers came in at the same time, two very different offers.

Presenter13:23

Yes.

Presenter13:25

One was not really an offer. I mean, it was a recall.

Presenter13:29

To the army. Yeah.

Louis Fremaux13:30

To the Army

Presenter13:31

In fifty six to Algeria. Oh yes, yes. And the other offer? Their offer was to to be principal conductor of the Monte Carlo Orchestra. Yes, well there was a choice for you, back to the Foreign Legion or off to Monte Carlo. So what happened?

Presenter13:47

Well, I region the Freund Legend in um in the desert in the Sahara, in exactly in Nemensha. It's a very, very crucial part of the of the of the battle, and it was very hard.

Presenter13:59

And I was disasperated because I said really I missed the chance of my life. I mean, as a musician, already I did have this eight years lost during the war.

Presenter14:09

Everybody was laughing in the foreign legend saying, What are you doing here? Go to Monte Carlo. Are you conductor or captain in this foreign legend? So it was a joke. I must say they they were very, very helpful because

Speaker 414:19

Yeah.

Presenter14:22

I I was in such situations, they helped me and um and finally I was released after a little while. Yes. To leave a battle in the desert for Monte Carlo must have been a nice change. How were things when you when you took over the National Orchestra of Monte Carlo Opera? Was it uh a a good, lively orchestra?

Presenter14:41

Well, it it has been a big tradition. Still there is uh on in the basement the room where Diagilev has uh promoted uh the Balerus. So we feel it's a big tradition. But the orchestra has been a little not disbanded, but a little uh in a model during the war because uh it was not a permanent orchestra. Also, the gamble, the casino has changed of spirit. Before the war, the gambler was rich, aristocrat, cultured, and they wanted to have music, opera, beautiful performance. After the war, we did have some businessmen just coming to two days player on the table and leave it without interesting about serious culture. And it was difficult at that time to remake a really a good orchestra. And when I was talking to the Princeton, I said, Well, look, you ought to have a decent symphony orchestra because uh it's for your prestige and that

Louis Fremaux15:25

Uh

Presenter15:38

At that time I have to make a not a battle but to you see to have the money from Onasis was rather rather difficult. At that time Onasis didn't did not yet meet La Carras and it was not so much interest with the classic music. Anyway he said well what we shall uh try the experience and it was uh it was successful after years of course it has not been a very pleasant place to work of course and

Louis Fremaux15:52

And

Presenter16:03

The whole gamut, you had opera and ballet and concerts. How long were you there?

Presenter16:09

Nine years.

Presenter16:11

Record number five, what should we have? Well, the first really successful record of an orchestra is always an event. I worked so hard to make this orchestra able.

Presenter16:21

to to be in the market and um

Presenter16:25

It was a Symphony Fantastique Barbarios. Played by the Monte Carlo Orchestra.

Presenter17:30

The March to the Scaffold from the Symphonie Fontastique by Berlioz, played by the Monte Carlo Orchestra. Now after ten years in Monaco, you decided to freelance. Well, I did. I've been... It has been a very important debt for me. It was 63, my first visit in this country.

Presenter17:51

I was very impressed by the standing of the orchestras, symphony orchestras. And which ones did you conduct? I start with the Bournemouth Orchestra, where Constantin Silvestri was there, and he has told me at that time

Louis Fremaux17:56

Uh

Speaker 417:56

I

Presenter18:03

If you really want to conduct concerts, you must be in this country. It's the first country all over the world to to promote concerts. I did not realize what it it meant. The thing is it's not only to play, it's it's to play in the town, it's to travel, it's to play, to perform.

Presenter18:20

It's the amount of concert d down in this country. It's fabulous. You never stop. And well, between this lazy life in Monte Carlo, of course I miss the sum, but

Presenter18:33

It was marvelous for me, and I was really attracted by this, also the discipline.

Presenter18:38

So you took over the city of Birmingham, I guess. Which year was that?

Louis Fremaux18:40

Next.

Presenter18:43

You were also uh principal conductor of the orchestra at Lyon at that time. Yes. I I was starting with both orchestra, but uh after three years I didn't renew my contract with Lyon because I wanted Ray to to be completely devoted with Birmingham. And you've done a lot for the orchestra, I know. I mean uh you Well, just to be the premiere recording orchestra.

Louis Fremaux19:01

Well, just to be there.

Presenter19:05

But what about opera? Because you haven't had a chance to do any opera or ballet, have you?

Louis Fremaux19:08

Yeah.

Presenter19:10

Yes, I missed a little that, but last year the Welsh National Opera offered me as guests to conduct the Pearls Fisher and First, I think.

Louis Fremaux19:10

The most clever

Presenter19:18

Pearls Fischer? I didn't know it was known in this country. Yes, and everybody's oh, that is so nice tune. In fact, it's true. I conduct that in Monte Carlo, so I knew well the piece. But

Presenter19:31

First I was impressed by the English translation of this Dieux d'Armour.

Presenter19:37

Tonqueur na pa con prilumia and in English they said

Presenter19:41

He said, well, they said both, your heart was never tuned to mine. I think it's absolutely divine.

Louis Fremaux19:47

I think it's absolutely

Presenter19:49

Well, I know we're going to hear that in French, which is probably better. And who is singing it?

Presenter19:55

It's uh Henri Le Guay and Marta Angelisi.

Speaker 420:00

Okay.

Speaker 320:01

Uh

Speaker 420:01

Okay.

Louis Fremaux20:01

Yeah.

Speaker 420:07

Okay.

Speaker 420:09

Yeah.

Speaker 420:11

Charing.

Speaker 420:25

I will go free.

Presenter20:49

The love duet from Bizet's The Pearlfishers.

Presenter20:53

There's another orchestra I see that you are going to take over in the near future. You're going to stay in charge of the City of Birmingham Orchestra, but you're going to take another one on for the rest of the year. Is that right? Yes, I think it's I cannot go further. Where is it? It's Sydney. I've been asked to be chief conductor of the Sydney Orchestra Symphony and start in 1979 for three years.

Louis Fremaux21:02

Is that right?

Presenter21:17

And uh the duty of a chief conductor or principal conductor is to be in the top season. I mean it's a winter season, unfortunately. You see, I could be in the winter here and after that in the winter there.

Presenter21:30

It says for a few years you're going to get two winters and no summers.

Presenter21:34

Well, you see, I did have nine years of sun in Monte Carlo. I've been burned forever.

Louis Fremaux21:37

I've been

Presenter21:39

True.

Presenter21:40

Now, with all your experience in the jungle and the desert,

Presenter21:44

I should think that's equipped you rather well for desert island life. You'd be able to look after yourself quite well.

Presenter21:50

Yes, this um former old officer is to study the the situation and to plan. I think I will react like that.

Presenter22:00

It's rather exciting.

Presenter22:02

Would you try to escape?

Presenter22:04

Probably if I'm in the condition actually, I mean, uh if I'm still able to conduct, to continue my career, I will

Presenter22:11

Are we come back? Of course.

Presenter22:14

Record number seven.

Presenter22:16

When I was in Monte Carlo I start playing m the music by Britain.

Presenter22:21

And I have the opportunity to record the Young Pusses Guide.

Presenter22:25

Long time ago.

Presenter22:26

I think it's fifteen years. So it was rather early in this period uh of this music. When I was here, of course I I was close and close. And the first time I conduct the Illumination

Presenter22:39

with Peter Peirce in in in Birmingham. That was really something I will never forget.

Presenter22:45

Also this this fabulous understanding of the poem of Rambeau by Britain. It's something unbelievable to to be so close of the expression.

Presenter23:55

The opening of Benjamin Britton's Les Illuminations, Peter Peers with the English Chamber Orchestra, conducted by the composer.

Presenter24:03

Now we come to your last record. What's that to be?

Presenter24:07

Well, it has been a a big event for the CBSO, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, to record this Requiem by Berlioz.

Presenter24:17

In the Requiem there is of course very beautiful moment, particularly when the the four brass bands are

Presenter24:26

announcing the last day and the judgment.

Presenter24:30

That's spectacular, but there is also a very deep feeling of the religion when the chorus are calling the God, asking the mercy. And uh this um beautiful chord nearly screamed by the chorus a rex, a rex, which is a roi in fact, but we say God or king.

Presenter25:50

Rex Tremende from The Belios Requiem.

Presenter25:54

The City of Birmingham Orchestra and Chorus.

Presenter25:57

If you could take just one disk.

Presenter25:59

Out of the eight, which would it be?

Presenter26:01

I think finally it I like Britain illumination. Britain's illumination. And one luxury to take to the island with you.

Presenter26:11

I think

Presenter26:12

Manuscript paper. Manuscript paper. Paper for writing. Yes. To compose. And to write. To do everything. And one book putting aside the Bible and Shakespeare and big encyclopedias.

Presenter26:25

Well, um it's a book I was impressed when I was young. It's poems by Pierre Louis.

Presenter26:32

Les champions d'abilities.

Presenter26:35

They are sonnets. You say sonnets? Sonnets, yes.

Presenter26:38

And um I think that's very nice when you're alone. It's to to be you are able to read it, to to learn by heart, to recite. It's it's a nice words uh singing to your ears. Right, some sonnets by Pierre Louis, Les Champsons de Bilitiste. And thank you, Louis Fremont, for letting us hear your Desert Island discs. Thank you, Roy. Goodbye, everyone. Au revoir.

Louis Fremaux27:28

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