Paul Mauriat in Lima

 
This was a Peruvian TV Special created for the rare opportunity of having the visit of Paul Mauriat in Peru. This was an Interview and at the end, Mauriat played three songs on the piano.

~ Thanks to the help of my friend   José Peñaloza  for supplying this information.

Information:
Host: "Speedy Gonzales"
Guests:
- Paul Mauriat - Orchestra conductor, arranger and composer
- Patricia Wieland - Interpreter (for Paul Mauriat into spanish)
Broadcast: Canal 4, América (Peru), 1981
Director: Luis Carrizales Stoll
Running Time: Aprox. 22 minutes
  

1. We know that you are touring several Latin American countries and the goal was to introduce your musical show, that God willing, we can have you and your full fabulous orchestra next year. What can you tell us about?
Mauriat: Well, I have come to Peru with the help of my friend, Mr. Domingo Castro, manager of Chomin's, to present my show and also to find out and get to know the Peruvian music. Also, I pretend to come next year with all my orchestra but that requires a better organization.

2. Paul, we know about your orchestra, we have most knowledge about what your music, of your extraordinary great orchestra. Since we are talking about the orchestra, that you will come with, God willing, in the middle of next year, I believe in May of 1982. People often asks if the members of your orchestra, are they all French musicians?
Mauriat: No. I have a very international orchestra. I always carry with me in tours, 5 Mexicans, that play the trumpet, 3 brazilian singers, 5 violinists from New York and some brazilian rhythmn [percusionists] as well.
3. Counting all of them, how many members have your orchestra?
Mauriat: The orchestra is composed of 45 musicians for recording sessions and 31 musicians for touring.
4. You started with a very particular style of music, with arrangements really of your own, when you started making your recordings; we want to know if you think that you have changed a little bit your style in order to turn it more contemporary. Do you think that the actual arrangements are more different than those you did earlier?
Mauriat: I think that as many all musicians, I am influenced by what is going on all around. I listen to many recordings in my house in Paris, most of all, American recordings, and I think that my love for the American music has made me turn more into the rhythmic side. And I think that unlike other contemporary composers, such as Franck Pourcel, that he is a friend of mine, is that my music is more rhythmic, and that his [arrangements] is more romantic, more conventional.

5. Now we are talk a bit about your personal life. We would like to know a bit more about yourself. We know that you also know a bit of English. We're going to make some questions in English. How do inspire yourself to compose a song?
Mauriat: I am going to reply in French because [the answer] is very difficult.
I believe I am an changing person. I never wake up the same way in the mornings. Sometimes I wake up with a romantic foot, and others times with a feverish [foot].
What makes it that I don't have a special key, that I am always changing...
6. How do you take your personal life? I imagine that your music is a big part of your life, but when you leave the music aside for awhile, what do you? We know that you live in France, that you travel a lot, but in the resting times, what do you do?
Mauriat: First of all, I spend a lot of time with my wife. I am married for more than 29 years and I have been lucky to find a woman with whom we understand each other very well. When I am tired of making orchestrations, I take a break listening music. What makes me stay inside the music and I listen symphonic music a lot.

7. What are your favorite musical styles?
Mauriat: I enjoy jazz-rock a lot, such as Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, among others.
8. Contemporary jazz is really a very beautiful music, and here, contemporary jazz is getting more audience, more and more. What do you think about the American pop music? That sound so much all over the world?
Mauriat: I believe that there are many reasons for which the American pop music has invaded the world. First of all, is that they have a lot of money and they are very powerful, and the second one, I believe is that they are the best professionals in the world. And at this pace, the competition is very difficult.
9. Had you the opportunity arised to score a motion picture, a great production?
Mauriat: About a ten [or twelve] years ago, I scored a couple of films for Charles Aznavour, but since then, I haven't been able to do it again because I don't have much time. But I confess that this is a very interesting experience because when you make the music for a film, it feels so good.
10. Do you have in mind making another LP?
Mauriat: I just finished one very recently. It consists of pieces of original music and it is called Chromatique. And when I return to France I will make another one, consisting of original music and hits from all over the world.
11. We know that the music of Paul Mauriat in Chromatique is available in stores in our country now, and is a recording that I recommend to all of you, you're going to like it.
To not extend too much this interview because we want you to offer us something on the piano tonight, two last questions. What's your opinion of the Peruvian music?
Mauriat: My approach is very brief because I just arrived yesterday evening and I have spent the evening in a Peruvian pub (peña). Yesterday evening I started discovering the Peruvian music and I am very surprised of the mix of black music with three tempo's music. Is because of this mixture that I think that Peruvian music will have some importance, influence in the future.
12. Another of the greatest albums that you developed and that we have in our country is called Nube Gris, where you performed known songs of Latin America and Peru. What experiences you took recording this album?
Mauriat: I wanted to make an album devoted to all South America and I thought that Nube Gris was the best ambassador of Peruvian music. I am not saying this for false diplomacy, but because is a piece that I like a lot.
 
Paul Mauriat plays three pieces on the piano: Nube Gris, Toccata and Nocturno.