Information
Full name: Nathan Albert Valensi
Birth: April 24, 1882 in Algiers, Algeria (France)
Death: May 22, 1955 in Paris, France
Marriages:
Marie Charlotte Berthe Léandro (? – ?)
Yvonne Alexandrine Dupont (? – May 22, 1955)
Job on Snow White:
Conductor on the Snow White record Odeon 279473
Like a Waltz
This composer, arranger and conductor, popular in the 1920s and 1930s, worked for Odeon Records and recorded many hits with their orchestra. He also worked for the stage and many famous French singers such as Félix Mayol, Fernandel, Fréhel, Odette Barancey, Adrien Lamy, Jean Lumière, Berthe Sylva, Armand Bernard, and Maurice Chevalier. He also composed three operettas.
Born in Algiers to parents who traded in silk, he attended the Lycée Ben-Aknoun, then the Grand Lycée, while studying music with Willint Bordoni, a former teacher at the Paris Conservatoire. He composed the “Reine des prés” waltz at the age of 14, and Léopold Palat of Bidet successfully published it. Two years later, he entered the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, where he won a first prize in harmony at the age of 17, which he put to good use composing songs for artists performing at the Casino d’Alger.
Paris and World War 1
Albert did his military service as a nurse in Algeria, then moved to Paris, where he sought out the star Félix Mayol to write songs for him. They collaborated on a string of hits, including “Cousine”, “Boudou Badabouh”, “Arrouah Sidi”, “Si l’on aime”, “Yo t’aime”, “Voilà pourquoi” and “Les cédilles”.
He also composed “Si tu veux faire mon bonheur Marguerite” for Harry Fragson, a song taken up in chorus by the poilus in the trenches during the First World War, where Albert distinguished himself as a nurse, but fell ill.
Operettas
He was transferred to Orléans, where he met officer Jean Guitton, who suggested he compose the music for an operetta libretto entitled “Clo Clo”, which was performed over 150 times at the Eldorado in 1919, with Albert at the helm.
He went on to compose the song “Je m’appelle Antoine” for Fortugé, and then devoted himself fully to operetta composition and conducting. He wrote “Je te veux!” first performed at Marigny in 1922, then became conductor of the Bouffes Parisiens, the Daunou theater and the Folies Wagram, where he staged Raynaldo Hahn’s operetta “Brummel” in 1931.
He also staged “Les soeurs Hortensias” at the Nouveautés in 1934, where he also conducted the orchestra.
Odeon records
In 1931, he became director of light music for the music industry at Odéon records, where he was responsible for the recording of several thousand records.
When Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was released in France, he naturally took charge of the Odeon orchestra for the recording of a selection of tunes from the film, released in June.
In addition to adapting numerous hit songs from films, he also conducted the score for the film The Charm School for Paramount and is also one of the composers of the film Prosecutor Hallers. He composed the music of Bibi-la-purée and you can get a glimpse of him in the film Lady Paname, where he plays the orchestra leader.
