Dateline May 2008
The next concert by The Edinburgh Light Orchestra conducted by James Beyer will take place on Saturday 24 May in the Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh. For more information telephone 0131 334 3140.
Plans are still progressing for the premiere performance of Robert Farnon’s Bassoon Concerto.Daniel Smith tells us that he now hopes that this will take place in the spring of 2009, and we will naturally keep RFS members informed of developments.
Kym Bonython writes from his home in Adelaide to send warmest regards to his RFS friends, and say that he has started to write a sequel to his 1979 autobiography "Ladies Legs and Lemonade". His friend Barry Humphries suggested that it should be called "In ever decreasing circles…" probably alluding to the fact that Kym (born in 1920) has been forced to give up riding his beloved Agusta motor cycle. It has been sold to the Headmistress of a girls’ school in Britain! From being a highly decorated pilot in World War 2, Kym became one of the greatest jazz promoters in Australia, and he has also been an important patron of Australian art.
The inclusion of the BBC recordings of "Oranges and Lemons" on the Guild ‘Musical Kaleidoscope Volume 1’ collection prompted our good friend Frank Hare to remind us that using this piece to introduce the day’s broadcasting on the Light programme was following an established tradition. This traditional melody was also a ‘call sign’ for the BBC Allied Expeditionary Forces Programme, which commenced broadcasting on 7 June 1944 - one day after D-day. It then consisted of about 12 seconds of the tune repeated over and over again, with a short break between each, and played in single notes by the famous organist Charles Smart on a Novachord with a sustain. This can be heard at the start of the RFS CD featuring Captain Robert Farnon and the Canadian Band of the Allied Expeditionary Forces – still available from us for £6 (which includes p&p).
From Volker Rippe who discovered it in a German calendar for people learning English: Why is ‘our kind of music’ banned from radio and television? Too much sax and violins! (Say it out loud to yourself a few times and you’ll get the joke!)
Our thanks to Ann Adams who has sent us some nice colour photos taken at her Kensington Gardens Concert last summer. This time our colour reproductions had to be reserved for last November’s London meeting, but we hope to let you see Ann’s Ladies Palm Court Orchestra in the next issue.
Debbie Wiseman will be conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in a concert of her Favourite Film and TV Moments at London’s Cadogan Hall on Sunday 30 March. Telephone bookings: 020 7730 4500.
Mort Garson (born 20 July 1924), the composer of the popular song "Our Day Will Come" died in San Francisco on 4 January 2008. During a long and successful career he worked with the likes of Doris Day and Mel Torme.