Promise at Dawn

Music composed and conducted by Georges Delerue

Original soundtrack from a French-American drama directed by Jules Dassin

Cast : Melina Mercouri, Assaf Dayan, Didier Haudepin

Release : November 2002

A premiere on compact disc for a 1970 vintage soundtrack that has everything to please lovers of poignant and carefully orchestrated melodies, penned by a giant in his field. 4-page folder.

01. Leningrad - Prologue 2:55

02. Promise at Dawn 2:38

03. Romain Riding a Bicycle 0:55

04. The Fashion House 2:27

05. The Arrival in France 3:11

06. Aniela's Theme 1:58

07. Various professions 1:09

08. The Friend's Farewell 2:10

09. Walk in Nice 2:26

10. Pursuit (To the Chemistry) 2:03

11. Piekielny's Theme 1:21

12. The Sale of the Samovar 1:03

13. Romain's First Love 1:28

14. Negresco's Waltz 2:57

15. Romain at the Beach 1:26

16. Return of Romain 1:55

17. I'm Greek* sung by Melina Mercouri (J. Dassin - R. Dassin - P. Delanoë) 3:05

TT 35:15

Randall Larson - Soundtrack!, December 2002

The music is just wonderful, demonstrating Delerue's remarkable penchant for fragile, lyrical melodies and passionate sentiment.

Mikael Carlsson - Music from the Movies, UK, No 37

Promise at Dawn is a score built on several pastiches, but Delerue was very good at writing music in different historical styles and this score never sounds like a second rate copy of the classical masters - instead, Delerue adds his typical melodic sensibility to the music, making it fresh and new while remaining the authenticity needed for the film. It's the sign of master at work.

John Sunier, Audiophile Audition, June 05, 2008

In a French neo-classic style plus several different folk elements representing different ethnic groups in the film, Delerue has created a distinctive blend. He also in one portion leans towards Offenbach’s Gaite Parisienne music as well as some imitations of both Mozart and Vivaldi. A fun score to hear without any knowledge of the film