[CP 019 CD] Phillippe Arthuys; Le Crabe Qui Jouait Avec La Mer, Conte De Noël

"Le Crabe Qui Jouait Avec La Mer" is a beyoot of a radio-play, based on a short story by Rudyard Kipling, narrated by Jacques Gripel & featuring one of the only full-length bits of Musique Concrète by the ORTF / INA-GRM aligned composer Philippe Arthuys. 

While heavy french texts pervade the goings on throughout, with it’s all-ages appeal, it’s kind of the first Creel Pone that’s for everybody; "Crabe's" absolutely gorgeous cover - with it’s depiction of psychedelic crustaceans - only sweetens the deal, upgraded via this 2015 re-reproduction to include three variants: the original 1955 Boîte a Musique 10" pressing, plus both of the later 60s / 70s BAM LP pressings - each featuring a completely different art-direction; my favorite being the tin-foil crab-hand.

In addition to "Le Crabe," we're treated to a further Gripel / Arthuys collaboration - issued by Lumen at Christmas 1961 as a 7" single - entitled "Conte de Noël ... et l'enfant resta seul." with text by Jérôme Peignot & music by Arthuys & Christian Hackspill realized "dans les studios de Musique Concrète de la R. T. F."