Upon its release, movie posters heralded the 1977 film Joseph Andrews as "the story of a young, English footman who served the Lady Booby but loved the little Fanny."  Just in case anybody still wasn't sure about exactly what the ribald film offered, the poster was illustrated with an image of the titular character surrounded by two ladies against the backdrop of a third, with a rather ample bosom.  Joseph Andrews was a belated thematic sequel to 1963's Tom Jones, and like that film, it was directed by Tony Richardson and based on a novel by Henry Fielding (1707-1754).  Despite the passage of time since Tom Jones, Richardson naturally turned to the same composer: John Addison.  Addison had received an Academy Award for Tom Jones, one of four Oscars taken home by the movie including Best Picture.  Now, Addison's score to Joseph Andrews has arrived on CD in its first-ever release, courtesy of Kritzerland.  It's the label's very first release of 2014.

Joseph Andrews was Fielding's first full-length published novel and actually one of the earliest novels written in English. For his cinematic adaptation, Richardson enlisted a starry cast.  Peter Firth (Lifeforce, The Hunt for Red October) took the title role of Joseph, supported by Ann-Margret as Lady Booby, Michael Hordern, Jim Dale (the same year he starred in Disney's Pete's Dragon), Beryl Reid and Penelope Wilton (of Downton Abbey), along with cameos by John Gielgud, Hugh Griffith (repeating his role of Squire Western from Tom Jones) and Peggy Ashcroft.   John Addison, previously represented on Kritzerland by both Tom Jones and A Bridge Too Far (also 1977), was a go-to composer for Richardson.  The pair collaborated on such classic films as The Entertainer, A Taste of Honey, The Charge of the Light Brigade and more.

After the jump, we have more information plus a pre-order link and full track listing!

Kritzerland describes Addison's score to Joseph Andrews as "wonderful and melodious music - it's pastoral, jaunty and often quirky in its instrumentation, conjuring up the world of Fielding and all of the film's colorful characters. Addison was a master at this kind of score and Joseph Andrews is prime John Addison."  This premiere release was derived from the film's mono mixdown tapes, housed in the Paramount Pictures vaults.  It's limited to 1,000 units, and is scheduled to ship by the third week of February.  However, orders placed directly at Kritzerland typically ship three to four weeks early.  You can place your pre-orders or listen to audio samples at the link below!

John Addison, Joseph Andrews: Music from the Motion Picture (Kritzerland KR-20027-5, 2014)

1. Love Theme from Joseph Andrews
2. Parson Adams Intercedes
3. Dawn Departure
4. Moatrack
5. Poor Sir Thomas
6. Drowned/Slipslop Repulsed 1 & 2
7. Lady Booby Repulsed
8. Joseph Dismissed
9. Betty and Joseph
10. Bloodying Scene
11. Ghost
12. Greasy Fellow
13. Marriage Plans
14. Lover's Meeting/Fanny's Doubts
15. Pedlar Pays the Bill
16. Mr. Wilson's Story (Stolen Baby)
17. Love Interrupted
18. Barn Fight
19. Saved by the Pedlar
20. Returning to Bath/Mr. Didapper
21. Victory and Love
22. Saved From Drowning/Pedlar and Adams/Bad News
23. Bedroom Farce
24. Belle/The Strawberry Mark
25. The Real Parents/Wedding and End Titles