SCOTTO Vincent (1876-1952)

L.A.S. "V. Scotto", Paris April 27th, 1951, to Jean MARTINETTI; 2 pages in-4 on his letterhead. Interesting letter about his film music for Pagnol. The letter is addressed to Marcel PAGNOL's production manager for Naïs, about the music for La Femme du boulanger (1938), and that of other Pagnol's films: Angèle (1934), Jofroi (1934), César (1936) and Naïs (1945). "Obviously, Pagnol is right about the soundtrack of La Femme du boulanger (The Baker's Wife), but I do not think he blames me for a second for the dirt I heard when I heard the film's music. When the film was shown in Biarritz the first time before the war and even afterwards, in Marseille, the sound was wonderful and all the music came out very well. Corbessas, who was with me at the time, gave me great compliments and he remembers that the soundtrack was excellent. However, we developed, cut, redeveloped in this poor soundtrack, in such a way, that we made it dreadful and unlistenable"... He would like the negative of this tape to be found in the recording studio; the mixing or the successive prints are certainly responsible for the "musical galimatias"... "You don't know that I have done the music for nearly 300 films and the last three that I have just recorded, including : Les Petites Cardinal by Sauvageon and L'Étrange Madame X with Michèle Morgan, directed by Grémillon, have earned me congratulations from all sides and I tremble at the thought of hearing Angèle, César or Naïs which were nevertheless very good at the Gaumont. I don't want the poor state of the sound film of these films to do me any harm with the producers for whom I work and I must warn you that the music of the credits of Jofroy which was very good at its release is now abominable. About Jofroy I would like you to remind Marcel that this film was never paid to me and that I hope that his good heart will advise him to grant me a tiny percentage in his receipts on this film, for my collaboration which did not bring me anything but which caused me expenses. All that I say to you, I say it to you in a very friendly way because I am always your friend and that of Marcel whom I love and admire"... A L.A.S. from Ambroise THOMAS is attached, February 12, 1873 (2 p. in-8).