04 Jan

Wagon Lit

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WAGON LIT
(Sidney Torch)
Analysed by Robert Walton

There can’t be many arrangements which are defined by a constant brass interjection, but that’s the very thing that attracted me to Wagon Lit . It’s a typical Torch touch on which the whole composition rests and is perfectly in keeping with his strict policy of crispness. This syncopated feature is first heard just after the third beat of the opening bar of the tune; in fact the second quaver of the third beat. Yes, I know it’s an unlikely component of a chart to choose, but this accentuation, part and parcel of the rhythm of a train, is somehow crying out to be noticed. You may have spotted the composition is slightly more subdued than most instrumental train records, perhaps giving consideration to the passengers in the sleeping compartment of this European railroad car!

Starting out on a bright and breezy note, Wagon Lit quickly gets into its stride with a perky little tune punctuated by the said staccato insertion that only Torch, a master ‘painter’ of mood music could create. Although the orchestration is basically lighthearted, there’s an element of drama and excitement too. And then taking a brief break from all this musical sandwiching, the brass takes over the tune in a new key. Before returning to the original key, Torch brilliantly brings the orchestra back down to earth free falling no less than nine times caught very neatly in a safety net by the harp. But no sooner has the first chorus finished, than Torch retains this wonderful sense of fun and freedom with brass and pizzicato strings darting about. Finally a French horn heralds the middle section.

For once we can quite legitimately call this a ‘bridge’, the word not unconnected to a train. But an engineer called Rose who just happened to be very keen on trains himself originally designed this one! After that monumental moment in light orchestral history with his Holiday for Strings, subdivisions like this provided the perfect contrast to busier openings. Of course Torch made them entirely his own, like this one which sort of creeps in with nothing to indicate its about to start. But when it does, this gentle song-like tune provides the perfect causeway. Halfway through, the maestro can’t resist one of his favourite sounds, pizzicato strings. After the brass job-share an upwardly mobile broken chord, arco strings with more feeling and tension, leave us in no doubt that the main melody is about the return.

Which means of course we’re back to that delightful opening with those persistent trumpets slotting in at the exact moment with the now familiar exclamation. Torch never wasted a good idea so it was no surprise that he ended Wagon Lit in the same way as he embellished it. His imagination and arranging skill could well have been acquired from his organ playing days when he was required to improvise on occasions. Incidentally in that early part of his career he also caught the baton-waving bug.

Wagon Lit might not have been such a high profile number in its day, probably because it wasn’t available commercially, but after having been neglected for so long, I would thoroughly recommend you to give it a listen. The art of Sidney Torch is a wonder to behold. And with the legendary Queen’s Hall Light Orchestra conducted by the composer it’s a bonus.

The original Chappell recording of Wagon Lit is available on the Guild CD "The 1940s" (GLCD 5102)

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Read 7268 times Last modified on Sunday, 24 January 2016 08:35

1 comment

  • William Zucker posted by William Zucker Tuesday, 05 January 2016 15:03

    It's nice to once again see these analyses of various light music selections that were such a noted feature of the JIM magazine in its days of publication.

    I must say, that although I was familiar with the title, I had never troubled to listen to this particular piece, but finally did so upon the advice of the author of the essay.

    Before proceeding further, I must say that at least for me, regarding the title "Wagon Lit," prior to listening to the actual piece, I may be forgiven for beforehand having imagined it to be something along the lines of "The Waggon Passes," from Elgar's Nursery Suite. This latter was never a particular favorite of mine, so that I could say that I was pleasantly reassured upon listening to this Sidney Torch selection.

    I found that it had some of the features, at least as I received it on a first hearing, somewhat along the lines of both Frederick Curzon's "Gallivant," and Peter Yorke's "Whipper Snapper," both of which I've known for some time, though exactly as with this piece, unjustly unavailable commercially to the interested purchaser. In that factor, I certainly share Mr. Walton's frustration as he expresses it in his last paragraph. Musically, I found very little if anything to remind me of a typical David Rose composition, whether "Holiday for Strings," "Gay Spirits," or anything of that ilk.

    As for the description itself, I cannot comment in detail about it, as this was my first hearing of the piece, as I had already stated. But one thing caught my eye; the continued reference to the brass exclamations in the main idea, given for me undue emphasis, such as I was expecting an overwhelming effect, whereas I found it to be an incidental feature which is 0part and parcel of that main idea. I tend to listen to any piece of music by taking in the total effect, both vertically (coincision of features) and horizontally (structural integrity of both ideas, overall pieces, and even multi-movemented works, as to how the component parts precede and follow one another). In saying this, I am merely stating that we all have our own way of receiving a piece of music, and there is no right or wrong way when it comes to it. Only by extensive listening experience are we in a position to form an educated or intelligent appraisal of a work.

    "Wagon Lit" is certainly worth cultivating further in my honest opinion (thank you, Robert, for calling this specifically to my attention), and I will study it in further detail to compare my impressions with that of Mr. Walton's.

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About Geoff 123
Geoff Leonard was born in Bristol. He spent much of his working career in banking but became an independent record producer in the early nineties, specialising in the works of John Barry and British TV theme compilations.
He also wrote liner notes for many soundtrack albums, including those by John Barry, Roy Budd, Ron Grainer, Maurice Jarre and Johnny Harris. He co-wrote two biographies of John Barry in 1998 and 2008, and is currently working on a biography of singer, actor, producer Adam Faith.
He joined the Internet Movie Data-base (www.imdb.com) as a data-manager in 2001 and looked after biographies, composers and the music-department, amongst other tasks. He retired after nine years loyal service in order to continue writing.