Henry Mancini: The Pink Panther

Henry Mancini: The Pink Panther ( SPC2795 )

Speakers Corner - LP AUDIOPHILE PRESSING 180g

"The Pink Panther" - Henry Mancini (arr, cond, p) & orchestra

Director Blake Edwards crafted what is arguably the best opening sequence to his comedy crime drama when he commissioned a young, enterprising company to produce an animated film about the Pink Panther. The creative team came up with the idea of giving the cold, glittering diamond the appearance of a cold pink panther, leading a bumbling detective in a merry dance to the sinuous strains of the Panther theme.
Mancini wouldn't be Mancini if he hadn't immersed the film's location—the ski resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo—in an extremely diverse array of colors and musical genres. His well-known love of dance music is evident in the samba ("It Had Better Be Tonight"), the shuffle ("Champagne and Quail"), and the cha-cha-cha ("Something For Sellers"). But even the ballad, sung by a muted trumpet and saxophone ("Royal Blue"), or the simple combination of keyboard and strings ("Piano and Strings") are all woven into the story. One of the most memorable and delightful sounds is that of the accordion, whose melodies evoke a rich atmosphere of Bohemia, Paris, and the sound of the musette. This music is never flamboyant, but discreet, just like a panther silently advancing. And if you're now craving more, there's an extra helping of Mancini to be found in "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (RCA LSP 2362).

This Speakers Corner LP has been remastered using only analog components, from the masters to the cutting head ( https://pure-analogue.com )

Recorded: September 1963 at RCA Victor's Music Center of the World, Hollywood, by Jim Malloy
Production: Joe Reisman

• RCA LSP-2795
• Format: 1LP 180g 33rpm / standard sleeve
• Original label: RCA
• Barcode: 4260019713995
• Release Date: 2011-10-04