Keeping Track - Dateline June 2007
LENA HORNE with ROBERT FARNON AND HIS ORCHESTRA and featuring PHIL WOODS saxophone: "Lena – A New Album" I’ve Grown Accusomed to His Face, Someone To Watch Over Me, My Funny Valentine, Someday My Prince Will Come, I’ve Got The World On A String, Softly As I Leave You, I Have Dreamed, A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing, I’ve Got To Have You, My Ship Vocalion CDLK 4342, 43:03 mins. Last February Mike Dutton asked me to pen some notes for this reissue of an album which – I must confess – I hadn’t listened to carefully for several years. To say it was a magical experience is something of an understatement. Around that time, in the mid-1970s, we were in the happy situation of receiving a steady supply of new Farnon albums, each one containing some priceless gems. To coin a familiar phrase, it was like being let loose in a sweet shop; there were so many treats all around that you didn’t always realise how wonderful some of them really were. I am facing the same situation today when I make selections for the Guild Light Music CDs. I often include individual tracks from Bob’s early Decca LPs (now out of copyright) and in many cases they stand out from the rest. In their original settings, among twelve or so of similar works all receiving his masterly touch, the orchestrations still sounded wonderful – but not as wonderful as they seem today when placed in the spotlight on their own. After several years of negligence I have now returned to the Lena Horne project, and it has been a true revelation. At times I struggled to find the words to express my overwhelming feelings of admiration for the way in which Bob treated each number – the only exception being A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing which Lena’s husband Lennie Hayton arranged. When three unique talents met at London’s Olympic Studios in April 1976, the result was bound to be something rather special. Lena Horne had already been at the top of her profession for almost forty years, beginning with her international fame in great musicals such as "Stormy Weather " and "Cabin In The Sky" (both in 1943), leading to her many concert appearances at the finest venues. She felt equally at home at the plushest nightspots in London, Paris, Monte Carlo, Stockholm, Chicago and New York, and the talented little girl who grew up in Brooklyn never short-changed her legions of doting admirers. By the time she was 16 she appeared at the famous Cotton Club, and this tended to set the tone for her life in show business. Lena was in her element entertaining the diners in nightclubs, yet to the millions who adored her around the world it was her films and recordings that were so magical. Her taste in choosing her material was undoubtedly helped by her marriage to Lennie Hayton, from 1940 to 1953 one of the leading musical directors at M-G-M. The third ingredient in the magical mix of unique talents was Phil Woods, a bebop-influenced alto-saxophonist whose impressive credits included working with Benny Goodman, Quincy Jones, Gene Krupa and Thelonious Monk – to pick just four at random. He honed his craft during four years at the Julliard in New York where he majored in clarinet. Critics and readers of Downbeat praised him with awards, and he received two Grammys around the time that he went into the studios with Lena Horne and Robert Farnon. The bonus of an album such as this is that it allows those involved to express the music in a way that may be completely different from the version that has already become familiar. Divorced from "My Fair Lady", I’ve Grown Accustomed to his Face takes on an almost doleful feel, bringing out the full meanings in Alan Jay Lerner’s lyrics which cleverly convey the realisation that familiarity has moved on to a new, higher plane. Composers must get frustrated when their carefully crafted verses get omitted by singers, but happily Lena Horne does not disappoint in Someone to Watch Over Me. This track marks the first appearance of Phil Woods, far removed from his bebop roots, but his saxophone provides the perfect foil to Lena’s complete grasp of the meanings in the lyrics. My Funny Valentine reveals the Robert Farnon strings in all their glory, with an almost religious feel encompassing the singer who clearly worships her lover. The earlier comment about familiar versions of well known tunes certainly applies to Someday My Prince Will Come. For a while after the release of Walt Disney’s 1937 masterpiece "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", Adriana Caselotti’s high soprano frightened off anyone else but by 1976 a new generation had emerged largely untouched by the original, and receptive to a new interpretation. Robert Farnon always knew when simplicity was best, and Lena begins with the intimate sound of Gordon Beck on piano, with the strings gently ushering in Phil Woods as the chorus ends. This is late night music par excellence. The simple theme is maintained in I’ve Got the World on a String with Phil Woods and Gordon Beck supported by Chris Laurence on bass, before the strings eventually shimmer in and alert us to the fact that the lady is about to sing – preceded by a suitable fanfare from the brass. Softly As I Leave You gets the tender treatment it deserves, with the strings providing a heart-rending backdrop before the piano provides just the right touch of perception.I Have Dreamed recreates the jazzy sound of saxophone, keyboard and bass, but the rich orchestral colours are never too distant. Lena’s husband Lennie Hayton provides the lovely string setting for A Flower is a Lovesome Thing, then I’ve Got to Have You is the one track that acknowledges that popular songwriters were still around in the 1970s, although styles had changed quite dramatically. Personally I feel that this is the one number that was out of place in this collection. Kurt Weill composed My Ship for the 1941 show "Lady in the Dark" and it now seems incredible that some bands at the time treated it as an up-tempo number (which you can find on a future Guild CD!), especially when you hear the magnificent setting created for Lena Horne and Phil Woods. Farnon always filled his orchestras with the top session players: his regular Concertmaster, and first violinist, was Raymond Cohen (for whom Farnon composed his "Rhapsody for Violin and Orchestra") and the usual choice of harpist was David Snell, today a leading composer and conductor for films. Each and every performer involved in this album was at their peak when this recording was created in 1976, and the sheer quality shines through in every track. I urge every reader to add it to their collection while they can. If you need an extra incentive, in the booklet there is a colour photo of Bob with Lena relaxing during a break in the sessions. David Ades This CD is available from the RFS Record Service for £10 [$20].
VINTAGE TV & RADIO CLASSICSSea Songs (Vaughan Williams), Marigold (Billy Mayerl), Waltzing with Sullivan (Gilbert Vinter), Sound & Vision (ATV March) (Eric Coates), Radio 4 Theme Tune (Fritz Spiegl), Holiday Spirit (Clive Richardson), Imperial Echoes (Arnold Sarfroni), Top Dog (Ivor Slaney),A Thousand Kisses (Archibald Joyce), Parisian Mode (Woolf Phillips), Willow Waltz (Cyril Watters),Non Stop (John Malcolm), Winter Sunshine (George Melachrino), Paris Promenade & Paris Metro(William Hill-Bowen), Out of the Blue (Hubert Bath), Barnacle Bill (Ashworth Hope), Galop (Alan Langford), Three Dance Revels (Montague Phillips), Widespread World (London Rediffusion Call Sign)(Johnny Dankworth). Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Paul Murphy and Gavin Sutherland Naxos 8.570332. These are all new recordings of old favourites and jolly good they are too. Try listening to them without first reading the liner notes and see if you can identify the programmes they introduced. Need a few clues? Oh all right then: try Billy Bunter, The Men from the Ministry, Children’s Newsreel and What’s My Line – but that’s only for starters. Edmund Whitehouse
While nothing can really match the original broadcast version of a famous signature tune, we have here a good varied collection of themes played by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. In particular, Vaughan Williams’ Sea Songs, the Radio 4 UK theme, Barnacle Bill and ATV’s Sound And Vision by Eric Coates are given rousing performances and, despite that ‘something’ which is nearly always lacking in the sound quality from Naxos, the whole package is very good value. The crowning glory is the quite outstanding reconstruction by Gavin Sutherland of Sir John Dankworth’s Rediffusion marchWidespread World. You can almost hear the voice of ITV’s Redvers Kyle introducing the TV station after the opening fanfare – great stuff! – well done the RPO (and Naxos).
Bill Watts
Of special interest here for many will be Fritz Spiegl’s Radio 4 UK Theme for early wakers over which there was such a hoo-ha last year when it was axed by the BBC. Some of the other 21 pieces on this disc have not been heard since the shellac years – three even had to be reconstructed – and here they are all freshly minted and played by one of our leading symphony orchestras. It is refreshing to find, among others, well-loved pieces by Billy Mayerl, Clive Richardson, Ivor Slaney, Archibald Joyce, Hubert Bath, and Montague Phillips given such a sparkling modern treatment. Among the memories evoked are those of ‘Radio Newsreel’ by the Arnold Safroni [real name, A.S. Middleton] march,Imperial Echoes, and there are reminders of two defunct TV stations in Eric Coates’ Sound and Vision ATV March and John Dankworth’s Widespread World, the original call sign music for Rediffusion London. And who of a certain age has ever forgotten Ashworth Hope’s Barnacle Bill, long-time signature tune for ‘Blue Peter?’ A warm welcome and **** from me for a collection that will give much pleasure.
Peter Burt This CD is available from the RFS Record Service for £6 [$12].
FLORILÈGE DE MUSIQUES PITTORESQUES ("Bouquet of Picturesque Music") 4CD set - CD 1 features later recordings of old favourites Post Horn Galop (Orchestre Champetre), Teddy Bears’ Picnic (Teddy Petersen Orchestra), Doll Dance (Robert Maxwell, harp), Hot Canary (Florian Zabach), Fairy On The Clock (Reginald Foort, organ), In A Clock Store (JanCorduwener Orchestra), Tritsch Tratsch Polka (Johnny Nelson, whistler), Nola (Sidney Torch Orchestra), Toy Trumpet (Tommy Reilly, harmonica), Whistler And His Dog (Florian Zabach) 26 tracks; CD 2 includes separate sections with light music from Denmark , The Netherlands, France, Italy, Germany and the USA (Fiddle Derby – Percy Faith, Bugler’s Holiday – Leroy Anderson, On A Little Country Road In Switzerland – David Rose, Oriental Polka – Mitch Miller, Sandpaper Ballet – Leroy Anderson & Rainfall – Percy Faith) 26 tracks; CD 3 is a tribute to Britain’s contribution to Light Music from the late 1940s onwardsCoronation Scot (Sidney Torch), Messenger Boy (Ron Goodwin), Alpine Festival (Fred Hartley), Henpecking & Dancing Bells (Ray Martin), Comic Cuts & Song Of The ‘Maggie’ (Sidney Torch), Tic-Toc Tango (Ray Martin), Cornflakes (Sidney Torch), Jumping Bean (Robert Farnon), Waltzing Bugle Boy (Frank Chacksfield), Stringopation & Running Off The Rails (Philip Green), Flying Colours (Queen’s Hall Light Orchestra conducted by Robert Farnon), Strings On Parade (Ray Martin), Little Jumping Jack (Camarata – the one non-British conductor who crept in to this CD!), Tickled Pink (Ray Martin), Runaway Rocking Horse (Orchestre Raymonde), New Baby & Rip Van Twinkle (Norrie Paramor), Pied Piper (Frank Chacksfield), Elephant’s Tango (Cyril Stapleton), Ballet Of The Bells (Jackie Brown), Woodpecker’s Waltz (Ray Martin), Copenhagen Polka (George Melachrino), Little Laplander (Ron Goodwin) and Back Track (Stanley Black) 28 tracks; CD 4 focuses on virtuoso soloists Holiday For Strings (David Rose), Callahan’s Monkey (Norrie Paramor), Peanut Polka (Busketeers – Harmonica Group), Plink Plank Plunk (Florian Zabach), Galloping Comedians (Hotcha Harmonica Trio), Red Wings (Florian Zabach), Laughing Violin (Noucha Doina), Pizzicato Waltz (Helmut Zacharias), High Horse (Tommy Reilly), Fiddle Faddle (Wagn Sorensen, xylo-marimba), Fiddlin’ For Fun (David Rose) 23 tracks. (France) Marianne Melodie 071901 4 CDs not available separately. This incredible compilation is the brainchild of veteran French broadcaster Pierre-Marcel Ondher, and in the English section of the booklet Ralph Harvey accurately describes it as a ‘mini-anthology’. These four CDs contain a wide cross-section of so many music forms which PMO feels come within the umbrella of ‘light music’ in its widest sense. The emphasis is on what he calls ‘the juniors’, meaning the orchestras and soloists who carried the banner for light music following the second world war. PMO rightly believes that he has covered the earlier period (the 1920s and 1930s) comprehensively in his previous compilations such as ‘The Wonderful Music That Tells A Story’, and readers who have purchased his previous collections (following reviews in this magazine) will know that his immense knowledge of his subject is beyond doubt. He manages to find records that many of us simply didn’t know existed – for example, were you aware that a harmonica group called ‘Busketeers’ has recorded Robert Farnon’s Peanut Polka on the Tell Record label? It’s amusing to see Bob’s famous works listed as ‘Le Haricot Sauteur’ and ‘Cacahuète-Polka’ – alias Jumping Bean and Peanut Polka! Although there are some notes in English, the bulk of the highly informative booklet is in French. PMO has generously listed many of his friends in Light Music, including our own magazine. This collection – to put it simply – is a joyful celebration of the fun side of light music. It does not pretend to offer the more serious works in the genre that are widely available elsewhere, but the kind of bright pieces that make you smile when you hear them. The digital sound restoration appropriately provides clear, bright and crisp results that seem just right for this repertoire. Obviously the abridged tracklisting at the head of this review will alert you to the fact that you probably have many of these titles already in your collection. But at least one third – probably more like half – of the tracks are sufficiently rare to have eluded even the most assiduous collector over the years. A great deal of sheer hard work has gone into these four CDs, and everyone involved should be very proud of the finished product.David Ades This 4CD set is available to special order from the RFS Record Service – see page 96.
BOX OF DELIGHTS (British Light Musical Gems) London Fields- Springtime at Kew, Maze at Hampton Court, St. James Park, Hampstead Heath (Phyllis Tate), Three Waltzes (Samuel Coleridge-Taylor), Russian Scenes - At the Fair, Mazurka, Polka, Valse, Cossack Dance (Granville Bantock),Fancy Dress Suite - Hurly Burly, Dance of the Mummers, Dusk, Pageantry (Cecil Armstrong Gibbs),En Voyage - Golden Arrow, Channel Crossing, Yvette, Paris Soir (Elisabeth Lutyens). London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Barry Wordsworth and Simon Joly. Lyrita SRCD 214. 15 years is a long time to wait for a CD but gosh, it was worth waiting for. This is one of the Lyrita discs shelved in the early 1990s but now, happily, resurrected. The recordings are outstanding and the music superb. Phyllis Tate’s marvellous London Fields was composed for the 1958 BBC Light Music Festival, and is a shining example of what Light Music is all about. Joie de vivre pulsates through every movement with daffodils wafting gentry in the breeze at Kew and the xylophone running amok in the Hampton Court Maze. Meanwhile, swans glide along the pond at St. James Park and bank holiday makers go ape on the Hampstead Heath funfair during the exciting finale, subtitledRondo for Roundabouts. Samuel Coleridge-Taylor composed much wonderful light music during his short life, including the three rare waltzes heard here. Sir Granville Bantock is often regarded as austere but his Russian Scenes are real foot tapping eye openers. Armstrong Gibbs’ complete Fancy Dress Suite is rarely heard but this will hopefully now be redressed. Elisabeth Lutyens later eschewed her tuneful works, one of which is the rare En Voyage, a journey from London to Paris by boat and train. This "Box of Delights" really is a collection of "British Light Musical Gems"! Edmund Whitehouse
MATT MONRO From Matt Monro With Love When I Fall In Love, On Days Like These, From Russia With Love, Days Of Wine And Roses, Till Then My Love, Walk Away, Portrait Of My Love, etc 23 tracks EMI 3845212. This CD was released just in time for Valentine’s Day but beautiful music such as this deserves to be heard at any time of the year. He was one of the finest singers of his generation, and when you listen to his songs it makes you realise that today’s entertainment business seems to be lacking the kind of quality that Matt always exemplified. His daughter Michele has penned an excellent booklet note, but I would have liked to see his fine backing orchestras and arrangers given some credit in the tracklisting. David Ades
OLIVER CROMWELL Rutland Boughton 1st Symphony (Oliver Cromwell), Edgar Bainton 3rd Symphony. BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Vernon Handley. Dutton Epoch CDLX 7185. Recognise the orchestra and conductor? Then you will realise straight away that this must be tuneful music. Oliver Cromwell was composed as long ago as 1905 when British music was undergoing a renaissance, with Elgar a prominent figure championing his contemporaries. Bainton, a much underrated composer, was also active but was unfortunately interred during the First World war after being stranded during a European tour. He eventually emigrated to Australia as Director of the Sydney State Conservatory. This is a fine and timely CD premiering two forgotten works, made possible by generous separate donations from the Bainton, Boughton, and Oliver Cromwell Societies.Edmund Whitehouse All Dutton Epoch CDs are available from the RFS Record Service for £10 [$20].
THE MELODY LINGERS ON – 100 Unforgettable Memories on 4 CDs. Original Recordings, Original Artists. V2TV1031392. This is a stellar selection of songs largely from the early 1950s. Obviously not all the tracks can be listed here but from Nat ‘King’ Cole’s Pretend to Blue Tango by Ray Martin & His Concert Orchestra, from The Harry Lime Theme by Anton Karas to The Weavers’Goodnight Irene, from Judy Garland’s Over The Rainbow to Glenn Miller’s In The Mood, from It Might As Well Be Spring by Dick Haymes to Sinatra’s One For My Baby, this is a wonderful nostalgia inducing box-set. Most of the artists are from the U.S. but as well as the likes of Astaire, Clooney, Crosby, Day, Fitzgerald, The Ink Spots, Kelly [Gene], Lanza, and Waller there are contributions from, Calvert, Chacksfield, Mantovani, Josef Locke and Whitfield – not forgetting Chevalier, Piaf, and Trenet. If you shop around online the set can be found for less than £12.
Peter Burt
THE FILM MUSIC OF JOHN ADDISON Themes from I was Monty’s Double; Centennial; Swashbuckler; A Bridge Too Far; The Maggie; Reach for the Sky; Strange Invaders; The Man Between; Tom Jones; Charge of the Light Brigade; Brandy for the Parson; Torn Curtain; Touch and Go; Sleuth; Carleton-Browne of the F.O.; Murder She Wrote. BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Rumon Gamba. Chandos CHAN 10418 Another fine film music CD from the enterprising Chandos label. You are sure to recognise many of the tunes on offer, especially from Reach for the Sky but probably also the jaunty melody called The Maggie based on a Scottish puffer boat adventure. The rest varies from sheer suspense and drama such as Strange Invaders, The Charge of the Light Brigade and I was Monty’s Double to the comedy of Carleton-Browne of the Foreign Office. Watch out for five other premiere recordings amongst this great offering. Edmund Whitehouse
I have always enjoyed John Addison’s scores; for me they always included that certain ‘something’ which was lacking from many other film composers. I was disappointed that commercial recordings were not always available, especially of catchy themes such as I Was Monty’s Double. Happily soundtrack albums started to become more commonplace as his career developed, and his music made Torn Curtain far more enjoyable, even though I always felt that Julie Andrews was badly mis-cast – despite that memorable scene with the two buses – what suspense! I have to admit to some disappointment with the Sidney Torch version of Reach For The Sky; I heard a different arrangement played by the BBC Concert Orchestra on radio about thirty years ago, and other themes were introduced which I felt gave it a better balance. For many people it will be the theme for TV’s Murder She Wrote which is now Addison’s most familiar work, although that memorable march from A Bridge Too Far (a film which made me despair of the ability of high ranking officers of all nations to make the right decisions in wartime) surely runs it a close second. John Addison was a superb composer of film (and TV) music, and this collection is long overdue. Bravo Chandos! David Ades This CD is available from the RFS Record Service price £12.50 [$25]. SIR EDWARD ELGAR Wand of Youth Suite No. 1 (Overture, Serenade, Minuet, Sun Dance, Fairy Pipers, Slumber Scene, Fairies & Giants); Wand of Youth Suite No. 2 (March, Little Bells, Moths & Butterflies, Fountain Dance, Tame Bear, Wild Bears); Nursery Suite (Aubade, Serious Doll, Busyness, Sad Doll, Wagon Passes; Merry Doll, Dreaming); Dream Children. Ulster Orchestra conducted by Bryden Thomson and Bournemouth Sinfonietta conducted by Norman del Mar. Chandos CHAN 10422 X. Unmistakably Elgar but unmistakably light music of a very high quality. Both the charming Wand of Youth Suites date back to Elgar’s early years when children playing make believe fascinated him as a young man while The Nursery Suite was a late work dedicated to the young Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret. Meanwhile Dream Children provided a perfect introduction to an E. Nesbitt children’s television series. This release of a previous LP (now at budget price) is very welcome indeed. Edmund Whitehouse
STANLEY BLACK & The London Festival Orchestra – France & Russia. France -
Original Decca LP PFS 4110 (1967) Stereo: I Love Paris (Porter) ; What now my Love (Becaud; Delanoe) ;Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo (Kaper; Deutsch) ; At Last! At Last! (Miles; Trenet) ;Gigi medley (Loewe; Lerner) ; Gigi medley - The night they invented Champagne; Thank heavens for little girls ; La Normandie – Can Can (Offenbach arr Black) ;Mademoiselle de Paris (Durand; Maschwitz; Contet) ;La Mer (Trenet; Mair; Lawrence; Lasry) ; Plaisir d’Amour (Martini arr Black) ; French Soldiers medley (arr Black) - Can Can (Offenbach); Aupres de ma blonde; Vive la Compagnie; Alouette; La Marseillaise. Russia - Original Decca LP PFS 4084 (1966) Stereo: Meadowlands (Trad arr Black) ;Two Guitars (Trad arr Black) ; Under Moscow Skies (Trad arr Black) ; At the Balalaika (Posford; Maschwitz) ; Sabre Dance (Khachaturian) ; Dark Eyes (Trad arr Black) ; Trepak (Tchaikovsky) ; Song of the Volga Boatmen (Trad arr Black) ;Baba Yaga’s Hut – The Great Gate of Kiev (Mussorgsky orch Ravel). Vocalion CDLK 4336 2 LPS on 1 CD. Some very familiar titles here, but given the Black treatment this a superb disc – especially his rendering of the Cole Porters. I Love Paris is pure joy, enhanced by its stereo effects. Alec Hellyer All Dutton Vocalion CDs are available from the RFS Record Service for £10 [$20].
Orchestral Sweets 4 – Emerald Concert Orchestra / Christopher Ball.
Eric Coates – Merrymakers Overture ; Dance In The Twilight ; Knightsbridge March ; Charles Williams – Rhythm On Rails ; The Old Clockmaker ; Devil’s Galop ; David Rose – The Tiny Ballerina ; Holiday For Strings ; Ernest Tomlinson – Dick’s Maggot ; Little Serenade ; Peter Hope – Jaunting Car ; Playful Scherzo ; Trevor Duncan – The Girl From Corsica ; High Heels ; March From A Little Suite ; Victor Herbert – March Of The Toys ; Wally Stott – Rotten Row ; Pink Champagne ; Ron Goodwin – The Headless Horseman ; Anthony Collins – Vanity Fair ; George Gershwin – Walking The Dog ; Ronald Binge – The Watermill ; Vivian Ellis – Coronation Scott ; Peter Yorke – Sapphires And Sables. Dimore Records DRD108. Orchestral Sweets 5 – Emerald Concert Orchestra / Christopher Ball.Robert Farnon – Portrait Of A Flirt ; Westminster Waltz ; Little Miss Molly ; Jumping Bean ; How Beautiful Is Night ; Peanut Polka ; Manhattan Playboy ; Leroy Anderson – Serenata ; Trumpeter’s Lullaby ; The Waltzing Cat ; Sandpaper Ballet ; Fiddle Faddle ; Sarabande ; Jazz Legato ; Jazz Pizzicato ; Chicken Reel ; Horse And Buggy ; Promenade ; Plink Plank Plunk ; Pennywhistle Song ; The Typewriter ; The Syncopated Clock ; Forgotten Dreams ; Bugler’s Holiday ; Sleighride ; Holiday For Trombones ; Belle Of The Ball. Dinmore Records DRD109. The above two discs are available from Dinmore Records, 11 Romsley Hill Grange, Romsley, Worcs. B62 0LN. Tel/Fax 01562 710 801.www.dinmore-records.co.uk Email: . £5 per disc inc p+p, cheques only. A glance at the titles at the head of this review will tell you that the essence of this pair of discs is primarily popular light music classics which exist already in a number of alternative versions available in various compilations, many of them boasting modern stereo recordings. Before you dismiss these new releases as non-essential additions to your collection and turn the page, may I suggest that they have a number of positive features going for them which might make you wish to reconsider? They of course have the advantage of modern recording technology resulting in very good sound and furthermore Dinmore display a decent sized professional concert orchestra with an adequate number of strings, so vital in this type of repertoire – and you certainly get all the appropriate special effects, notably in the Leroy Anderson pieces on the second disc. All the music portrayed here is played with satisfying elan and style and obvious affection – and when all these virtues are coupled with maximum playing time and a super budget price they do make an exciting proposition. Indeed some of the titles on these discs receive better and more attractive performances than rival accounts. I cite, for example, Anthony Collins’ Vanity Fair which receives a less distant and fragile interpretation than John Wilson’s version on his all-Collins disc – Dutton Epoch CDLX7162 – whilst Vivian Ellis’ famed Coronation Scott definitely has noticeably more impetus than Ernest Tomlinson’s somewhat under-powered performance on Marco Polo 8.223522. As an added inducement there are several novelties included here – disc 1 includes Peter Hope’s Playful Scherzoand The Tiny Ballerina by David Rose, whilst a rare Leroy Anderson piece, Holiday For Trombones, appears on the second disc, all of which were new to me. There are no booklet notes with these discs but it would be churlish to make too much of this in view of their exceptional value, although it would have been interesting to have at least some background information about the orchestra and conductor and where the recording sessions took place. All light music aficionados should support this imaginative and welcome venture, and let us hope that Christopher Ball and the Emerald Concert Orchestra may be emboldened and encouraged to go on to record more of our sort of music. Roger Hyslop
Songs of STEPHEN FOSTER – Ashokan Farewell / Beautiful Dreamer. Jay Unger, Molly Mason [guitar], Thomas Hampson [baritone], David Alpher [piano]. Ashoken Farewell, Bound for Another Harvest Home, Prairie Spring, Haymaker’s Hoedown, Solstice Hymn, Thanksgiving Waltz, Le Chanson de Mardi Gras, Boneparte’s Retreat/Hoedown, Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair, Hard times, come again no more, The Voice of Bygone Days, Foster Favourites Medley, Beautiful Dreamer, etc. 20 tracks EMI Classics for Pleasure 09463 382225 2 1 [77:21] What wonderful releases it has been my privilege to review recently and this is one of the very best. The title track, another version of which is much requested on a certain radio station, is almost worth the cost of this budget priced re-issue alone. It was written by Jay Unger who also plays fiddle and violin, as well as arranging and being musical director throughout the disc. The Nashville Chamber Orchestra under Paul Gambill accompanies on a couple of tracks. The first eight tracks [listed above] celebrate farming and the seasons: half of them are Jay Ungar compositions, one is by Mrs Ungar [aka Molly Mason] and three are traditional. If you can listen to Haymaker’s Hoedown without tapping your feet, I’ll be surprised. On La Chanson de Mardi Gras you’ll find an interesting line-up of instruments including Cajun accordion, horse clops and triangle. The classical composer Aaron Copland used the melody of Boneparte’s Retreat as the primary theme for the ‘Hoedown’ in his ballet ‘Rodeo’. There are a dozen Stephen Foster tracks, most of them being graced by the sensitive singing of the superb Thomas Hampson. Although Beautiful Dreamer, described by David Foil in his very full liner notes as "the consummate Foster love song", sets the standard every track has its merits. I can’t imagine anyone who appreciates heart lifting music of any genre will regret adding this CD to their collection.
Peter Burt
EDMUNDO ROS and his Orchestra - Dancing With Edmundo & Heading South Of The Border. Dancing With Edmundo, Original Decca LP SKL 4100 (1960) Stereo: Cuban Love Song (Stothart; McHugh; Fields) Rumba ; Toku (Lecuona) Rumba ; Brasil (Barroso) Samba ;Lua do Brasil (Rios) Samba ; Spanish Gipsy Dance (Marquina) Paso Doble ; Te Quiero Y Ole (Laredo) Paso Doble ; Tony’s Cha Cha Cha (Osborne) Cha Cha Cha ; Pao Pao Cha Cha Cha (Monchito) Cha Cha Cha ; Te Quiero Dijiste (Grever) Rumba ; Divina Mujer (Moral) Rumba ; Copacabana (Ribeiro; De Barro) Samba ; Rio Brasil (Carvalinho; Monteiro) Samba ;La Morena de mi Copla (Catellanos; Villegas) Paso Doble ; Que me Estas Queriendo (Guijarro) Paso Doble ; Puerto Rican Peddler (Brandon) Cha Cha Cha ; Fanfare Cha Cha Cha (White) Cha Cha Cha. Heading South Of The Border, Original Decca LP PFS 4193 (1970) Stereo: Heading South (Rios) ; Mrs Robinson (Simon) ; Light My Fire (Morrison; Manzarek; Krieger; Densmore) ; What Now My Love (Becaud; Sigman; Delanoe) ; Forbidden Games (Yepes; Stellman) ; United We Stand (Hiller; Simons) ; Up, Up and Away (Webb) ; My Cherie Amour (Wonder; Moy; Cosby) ; I Was Kaiser Bill’s Batman ; (Greenaway; Cook) ; The Skaters’ Waltz (Waldteufel arr Ros; Hanmer) ; I’ll Never Fall in Love Again (Bacharach; David) ; Hey Jude (Lennon; McCartney). Vocalion CDLK 4334 - 2 LPS on 1 CD. There are some unfamiliar titles here among the familiar ones, all given the excellent Ros treatment. Alec Hellyer
ERIC COATES conducts ERIC COATES – For Your Delight. For Your Delight ; Calling All Workers ; Wood Nymphs ; Summer Days suite ; By The Tamarisk’ ; The Three Bears ; By The Sleepy Lagoon ; Cinderella ; A Song By The Way ; London suite ; Saxo-Rhapsody ; Footlights ; Sound And Vision ; London Again suite ; Springtime suite ; The Jester At The Wedding ballet concert suite ; Last Love ; The Three Elizabeths suite ; Four Centuries suite ; The Dam Busters. Sanctuary Living Era AJD 2013 – Double CD. This is another excellent collection which has received the magic touch of Alan Bunting. The sound quality is superb throughout. It is great to see five of Coates’ suites appearing complete in one package, including the infrequent Three Elizabeths and Four Centuries. Another gem from Living Era. Bill Watts This 2CD set is available from the RFS Record Service for £11 [$22].
THE DAY THE TV STOOD STILL – Winchester Hospital Radio WHRCD701. A double CD of melodic tunes compiled by Steven Wills, so you know the quality is going to be good. Here we have over 60 tracks from a wide range of composers, orchestras and bands. John Cacavas, Roger Webb, Angela Morley, Roger Roger, Syd Dale, Steve Race, Peter Yorke to name a few. But I’m sure of particular interest to Robert Farnon fans will be the tracks included here from the great man himself, namelyPleasure Drive, A Lonely Affair, Blue Moment, and Drum Dramatics No.13. This CD brings a host of lovely instrumentals together tunefully from those carefree "interlude" days when the TV stood still!Malcolm Batchelor
The advertisement on page 59 of this issue give you an idea of the contents of this 2CD collection, which mainly comes from original recordings in the Chappell Recorded Music Library from the late 1950s onwards, with the emphasis firmly in the 1960s. Thus the repertoire is mainly from a later period than that which is currently being covered in the Guild Light Music CDs, and the 61 tracks will provide many pieces which readers will not have had the opportunity to purchase previously. If you like this kind of repertoire, don’t hesitate to buy while this set is still available! David Ades Please refer to page 59 for details of how to purchase this collection. It is not available from the RFS Record Service.
ANDR? PREVIN Plays My Fair Lady & a dozen great standards – André Previn [Piano], Shelly Manne [Drums] and Leroy Vinnegar [Bass] 20 tracks including: I Got It Bad And That Ain’t Good, Take The "A" Train, This Can’t Be Love, Should I?, Hallelujah!, Just One Of Those Things, September In The Rain, Lullaby Of Broadway, Black And Blue, I’ve Got A Feeling I’m Falling, Honeysuckle Rose, Who’s Sorry Now? Sanctuary Living Era CD AJA 5656 [75’42"]. What a delight to find yet another fondly remembered recording resurrected on compact disc, with terrific tunes and immaculate instrumentalists. ‘Shelly Manne & His Friends: My Fair Lady’ was a hit LP recorded in August 1956, originally issued on the Contemporary Record label, that eventually became a classic of its genre. It also started the vogue for jazz treatments of Broadway scores. The ‘dozen great standards’ are all performed by the multi-talented Previn with either his Trio, Quartet or, in the case of the last track, Quartet plus Strings. The first six tracks listed above are from 1946-47, the rest from the ‘50s. If, like me, you are not in the habit of buying jazz CDs, then I urge you to make an exception for this one – it should be available online at £5.99. Sanctuary: I salute you for making an old[ish] man very happy.
Peter Burt Sanctuary Living Era single CDs are available from the RFS Record Service for £8 [$16].
GORDON JENKINS – A Musical Prodigy. Jasmine JASCD 660. Double CD. In his review of these recordings in JIM 171, David Ades rather damned with faint praise what arguably might be regarded as Jenkins' finest work, The Seven Dreams. I believe this is the first full version since the original LP on Decca DL9011, back in the early 50s (?) and, in my opinion, far outshines the earlier, more widely known and acclaimed Manhattan Tower, which here is a fair way short of the complete work. The Seven Dreams was wider in range and larger in scenario than he had previously attempted, with some memorable and beautiful melodies. There is indeed much narration, witty and highly original.The Blessing which ends The Pink Houseboat is gloriously uplifting. The whole theme of The Girl on the Rock is hauntingly enchanting. Even if you are not particularly a Jenkins' fan, this is well worth getting for The Seven Dreams alone. Ray Greaves This CD is available from the RFS Record Service for £12 [$24].
FRANK CHACKSFIELD – Frank Chacksfield in the Limelight Limelight theme & incidental music, Flirtation Waltz, Prelude to a Memory, Pulling Strings, Meet Mister Callaghan, Gin Fizz, Little Red Monkey, Golden Violins, Golden Tango, Dancing Princess, Pied Piper, Song of Canterbury, Misty Valley, Mademoiselle de Paris, Black Velvet, Someday I’ll Find You, Dance Little Lady, Twentieth Century Blues, Smile, Sur Le Pave de Paris, A Kid for Two Farthings, Cockleshell Heroes, Song of the Trees, Love is a Many Splendoured Thing, In Old Lisbon, The Donkey Cart, Memories of You, Waltzing Bugle Boy, Ebb Tide Sanctuary Living Era CD AJA 5655 [77:14]. If you have the 2001 Vocalion‘Presenting Frank Chacksfield’/’Dinner At Eight-Thirty’ [no longer in their back catalogue] there are over a dozen duplications here but if you are without a CD of early Chacksfield or no other copy of his mini-hit novelty number Little Red Monkey or The Donkey Cart – both UK chart entries – or the catchy Meet My Callaghan, which like Monkey features the clavioline, you will be interested in this. Many of the 30 mono tracks represent the late-flowering maestro [he achieved fame with Limelightand Ebb Tide in his 40th year] at his best. The aforementioned million sellers top and tail the collection. The lovely Song of Canterbury is from the pen of Ronald Binge, and Waltzing Bugle Boy is reckoned to be marginally superior to composer Ray Martin’s own version. Chaplin’s Smile is also included together with three Noel Coward numbers, two of Chacksfield’s own compositions, Georges Auric’s atmospheric Sur Le Pave De Paris, and a trio of 1955 movie themes. There are voices on four tracks which I would have preferred not to be there. The audio was in the hands of the masterly Alan Bunting and the informative liner notes are by David Ades, who gives due credit to arranger Leon Young – so what further recommendation to buy do we need?
Peter Burt
JOHN PHILIP SOUSA - Music for Wind Band Volume 6. Royal Artillery Band / Keith Brion.Easter Monday on the White House Lawn; The Golden Star; The Dauntless Battalion; Sextet from The Bride Elect; The Federal March; Three Quotations (Suite for Band ; The Liberty Bell; The Gridiron Club; La Reine de la Mer; The Chariot Race; The Gladiator; New Mexico March; The Picador March. Naxos American Classics 8559132. Quite a time has elapsed since the appearance of volume 5 in this Sousa series, reviewed as far back as the December 2004 issue of JIM (p.85) – but with the arrival of this latest splendid addition we have I think been amply rewarded. By far the best known piece in this new release for the general collector is Liberty Bell which came even more to resonate in the public memory by its adoption as the signature tune for BBC television’s popular comedy seriesMonty Python’s Flying Circus. The disc gets off to a lively enough start with a piece composed in ragtime and bearing the extraordinary title of Easter Monday On The Whitehouse Lawn, replacing the stately Coronation March as the concluding movement of Tales Of A Traveller suite. Thereafter comes an abrupt change of mood as the succeeding march The Golden Star, dating from 1919 and dedicated to Mrs Theodore Roosevelt, is cast in the form of a solemn and poignant funeral march written in honour of members of the American military who fell in the first world war and displaying a less familiar and more serious side of Sousa. Track 3 restores a more light-hearted genial mood withThe Dauntless Battalion, a fine march dating from 1922 to honour cadets of Pennsylvania Military Academy. Keith Brion has recorded the enigmatically titled three quotations previously on a Marco Polo disc carrying the appellation volume 3 on Wings of Lightning with the Bratislava-based Razamovski Symphony Orchestra, (catalogue number 8.223874). The quotations seem to have a fairly obscure origin, two coming from the 16th century, and whilst the music is entertaining enough, the individual movements labour under some bizarre titles such as The King Of France (with twenty-thousand men marched up the hill and then marched down again) and I Too Was Born In Arcadie. Interestingly enough Keith Brion takes more than a minute longer over the former movement with the Royal Artillery Band than he does with the Razamovski Symphony Orchestra. Track 11 on this CD amply demonstrates the ease with which Sousa moves from 4/4 to 3/4 when the occasion demands with a lovely lilting Waldteufian waltz which appropriately bears a French title La Reine De La Mer. The lady Sousa had in mind, alas, was the rather prosaic figure of the wife of the secretary to the US navy! The chariot race is a vivid descriptive piece which could easily have lent itself as suitable background music to many an action sequence in a feature film down the years, whilst theNew Mexico March with its Spanish inflections is a product of his later years. All the marches in this collection are played as usual with superb panache and swagger and the recording sessions, based at Woolwich town hall dating as far back as January 2002, incidentally were produced and edited by Mike Purton of the Specialist Recording Company and the resultant sound can be best described in one word – magnificent! If you haven’t already embarked on this outstanding series I do urge you to give it a try, particularly as the super budget price of these discs won’t exactly break the bank, and let us hope that Naxos doesn’t keep us waiting quite so long for the next one!
Roger Hyslop Naxos CDs are available from the RFS Record Service price £6 [$12].
MANTOVANI – Waltz Encores & American Waltzes Charmaine, Wyoming, Love Makes The World Go ‘Round [La Ronde De L’Amour], Love, Here Is My Heart, Lovely Lady, The Moulin Rouge Theme, Greensleeves, Lonely Ballerina, The Kiss In Your Eyes, Dear Love, My Love, I Live for You, Dream, Dream, Dream/The Waltz You Saved For Me, Beautiful Ohio, When The Moon Comes Over The Mountain, The Sidewalks Of New York, Marcheta, The Whiffenpoof Song, Let Me Call You Sweetheart, Missouri Waltz, The Sweetheart Of Sigma Chi, Meet Me In St Louis, Louis, Clementine, Alice Blue Gown [74:45 ] Vocalion CDLK 4341. With this release "CD" could well stand for "cracker of a disc" – Mantovani and waltzes were made for each other. Neither album has been issued in the UK before or on CD in the States. ‘Waltz Encores’, recorded in 1958, features stereo recordings of old favourites [several from Monty’s very first album and including five million sellers] with the stereo intensifying the tingle down the spine feeling those early cascading strings still give. The second album, from 1962, includes tracks which I imagine have never been heard before by many of Monty’s admirers. For those who appreciate voices with their orchestra, the female Sammes Chorus provide support on five of the songs. There is a delicious jangle piano on Sidewalks and Meet Me. Mantovani guru Colin Mackenzie tells me of something that only came to light after he had written his extensive liner notes: that when London [Decca] issued the Let Me Call You Sweetheart track on LP they chopped all 19 seconds off the lovely intro to the tune. The mistake was subsequently repeated on the Japanese CD. Mike Dutton discovered the abandoned intro at the end of the tape supplied to him by Universal and has restored it to where it belongs. Monty never made a less than good album but this 2-on-1 brings us two that bear comparison with his finest. An obvious "must have" for all Mantovanians, I would like to think that anyone who is aiming to build a representative collection of the best in light music will also consider giving it a spin.
Peter Burt
ERIC COATES – London Philharmonic Orchestra / Barry Wordsworth. The Three Men suite; Dancing Nights ; I Pitch my Lonely Caravan ; Birdsongs at Eventide / I Heard You Singing ; Summer Afternoon ; The Enchanted Garden ; Footlights ; Rhythm (from Four Centuries suite) ; London Bridge.Lyrita SRCD213. Lyrita has been busily engaged in recent months re-issuing much of their distinguished back catalogue, but this Coates compilation they have kept up their sleeves since this would appear to be its first appearance in any format. Further they have been somewhat coy regarding the details of this recording – no dates are given for the recording sessions or any indication where they took place. I would guess that they probably originate from the late 1980s or early 90s but Lyrita’s sense of timing is certainly impeccable since this year of course marks the 50thanniversary of the composer’s death. Centrepiece on this new disc is a splendid account of Coates’ longest single movement based upon a story suggested by his wife and briefly all about a princess menaced by the spirits of darkness and protected by the birds and animals in the garden until her prince returns – in the nick of time! The scenario of The Enchanted Garden is easy enough to follow through the genius of Coates’ vividly descriptive music and Barry Wordsworth’s beautifully structured and characterised interpretation which completely holds the attention from first bar to last. Also included is a complete The Three Men suite, the final movement of which – The Man From The Sea – finally resolves into a fugue in which Johnny Come Down To Hilo and Three Blind Mice are cleverly interleaved and two of Coates’ elegant and graceful waltzes Footlights and Dancing Nights, the latter sounding suitably and stylishly svelte. Alas, there is only room for the concluding movement of theFour Centuries suite with its emphasis on the dance rhythms of the 20th century, but Wordsworth compensates by bringing out the rich heady art-deco feel to this music. This disc is brought to a resounding conclusion by one of Coates’ inimitable marches, the stirring London Bridge, dating from 1934, and if memory hasn’t failed me completely, this was deployed as the signature tune of a daily BBC radio soap which predated Mrs Dale and I think might have been called The Robinson Family. This Lyrita release comes at premium price £15 although by shopping around a little you may find a cheaper copy – but nonetheless this is unmistakably a Rolls Royce product and you will be amply compensated by superb accounts of Eric Coates’ music, excellently recorded and with generous playing time. Unmissable!
Roger Hyslop
NEW YEAR’S CONCERT IN VIENNA 1987 – Wiener Philharmoniker / Herbert von KarajanDie Fledermaus: Overture, Music of the Spheres, Anna Polka, Delirium, Pleasure-train, Pizzicat-Polka, Beloved Anna Polka, Thunder and Lightning, Voices of Spring, Without a Care!, The Blue Danube, Radetzky March. Emperor Waltz [80:29] DG Grand Prix 477 6336. Those for whom Mantovani’s‘Strauss Waltzes’ [reviewed in our last issue] would not have been to their liking, this is the "real" thing. Originally released in the year of recording it is now reissued at mid-price with an added "bonus" track of the glorious Kaiser-Walzer. The orchestra was, and still is, arguably the best in the world ? certainly in this repertoire. Karajan was one of the greatest conductors ever and this live foray into the lighter end of the classical genre is still regarded as foremost in a long line of such recordings. The soprano Kathleen Battle is a charming soloist in Voices. I find the music of Johann Strauss the elder and his two sons Johann and Josef irresistible, and this release is highly recommended.
Peter Burt
HALLÉ ORCHESTRA Conducted by MARK ELDER Claude Debussy (1862-1918) La Mer, Preludes Sanctuary/Hallé CD HLL 7513, 67:24 mins. Debussy completed the orchestration of La Meron the south coast of England at Eastbourne in 1905. This magnificent work is now regarded as a fine piece of classical music, and it has probably encouraged many listeners to explore further the riches on offer in similar vein. Yet the critics were less than favourable at its premiere – such is the way in which fashions change over time. I grew up listening to this work on a Decca 10" Medium Play LP (remember those?) by Ernest Ansermet and L’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. In one’s youth there is a temptation to believe that the first, familiar version of a particular work becomes regarded as the definitive one. Later, when exposed to other conductors’ interpretations subtle changes in tempi and emphasis can add to the understanding of what the composer may have had in mind. Mark Elder’s reading of La Mer seems, to me, to be fairly similar to my familiar Ansermet, apart from a noticeable slowing of the tempo towards the climax which, in my humble opinion, adds to the majesty and grandeur of the work. The composer’s Preludes were written for piano, and in 2001 Mark Elder commissioned Colin Matthews to orchestrate them for the Hallé. The CD booklet explains that "…far from writing note-for-note transcriptions, Matthews has discovered the secret of each piece and in most cases translated it faithfully, which does not mean literally, into orchestral terms." London born Colin Matthews is Associate Composer with the Hallé, and he studied music at the Universities of Nottingham and Sussex, where he also taught, and subsequently worked with Benjamin Britten and Imogen Holst. Apart from the final movement, The Girl With The Flaxen Hair (now in a sumptuous string setting by Matthews) I have to show my ignorance by admitting that I am not familiar with these works; all I can say is that the orchestrations sound faithful to the style of Debussy. If any readers have not yet added La Mer to their collection, I have no hesitation in recommending this version. David Ades
WERNER MÜLLER and his Orchestra – Spectacular Tangos & Gypsy! La Cumparsita, Blue Tango, Jalousie, Tango Bolero, Carminito, Czardas, Hungarian Dance No.5, Zorba’s Dance, Gypsy Love, At the Balalaika, etc. 24 tracks [77:38] Vocalion CDLK 4318. Those of you who, like me, are pushovers for both tango and gypsy music will delight in this 2-on-I as much as I have. The tune selection is fairly predictable but there are some interesting arrangements and the playing is of a high standard. Even the inclusion of a wordless chorus on some of the first album’s tracks does not raise my usual hackles. [I wonder why four of the tracks from the original LP have been replaced.] It’s a pity that Vocalion is no longer giving us the total playing time and, in consideration of those new to Herr Müller’s music, the complete absence of liner notes is also to be regretted. Both the albums were originally issued in Decca’s famed Phase 4 format and have been spectacularly remastered. Enjoy!
Peter Burt
With thanks to Wilfred Askew for bringing the following releases to our attention:
BING CROSBY – Good and Rare (recorded 1949-55). The Yodel Blues ; So In Love ; Someplace On Anywhere Road ; So Tall A Tree ; This Is The Time ; And You'll Be Home ; Milady - (with Dorothy Kirsten) ; The Best Thing For You ; Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo ; Silver Moon ; Don't Ever Be Afraid To Go Home ; On The 10.10 From Ten-Ten-Tennessee - (with Ben Lessey) ; Ohio ; Cela M'est Egal ; What A Little Moonlight Can Do - (with Gary Crosby) ; My Love, My Love ; Mon Coeur Est Un Violon ; La Vie En Rose ; Embrasse-Moi Bien ; Liebchen ; The River ; It's Mine, It's Yours ; The Search Is Through ; The Land Around Us ; Let's Harmonize ; Jim, Johnny And Jonas ; Farewell. Sepia 1071
CATERINA VALENTE – The Hi-Fi Nightingale (recorded 1954-55), original Polydor recordings.Just you, just me ; Istanbul ; Oho Aha ; Casanova ; El mosquito ; Ganz Paris ; I love Paris ; Gespensterblues ; The Breeze And I ; If hearts could talk ; Temptation ; This ecstasy ; Jalousie ; Fiesta cubana ; Malaguena ; The way you love me ; My Lonely Lover ; Begin the beguine ; Siboney ; This must be wrong. Cherry Red ACMEN87CD.
BILLY COTTON and his Band – Wakey Wakey! Featuring Alan Breeze and Doreen Stephens. I've Got A Lovely Bunch Of Coconuts ; Poppa Piccolino ; The Dam Busters March ; When You're Home With The Ones You Love ; Someone Else I'd Like To Be ; He's A Real Tough Guy ; Bring Your Smile Along ; Play Me Hearts And Flowers ; Yellow Rose Of Texas ; Hang On The Bell, Nellie ; When You Hear Big Ben ; The Petite Waltz ; Somebody Goofed ; I Only Saw Him Once ; The Ring Fell Under The Sofa ; Crazy Mixed Up Song ; This 'Ole House ; A Present For Bob ; The Whistling Song ; Where Did The Chicken Lay The Eggie? ; Big Head (Big 'Ead) ; Friends And Neighbours ; Domani ; I Miss My Darling ; Rain ; Two On A Tandem ; Can I Canoe You Up The River ; Oh Little Fish ; I Love The Sunshine Of Your Smile ; Dandelion Clock ; Have You Made The Day Worthwhile ; Longing For You ; Stick It On The Wall, Mrs. Riley ; Daddy's Little Girl ; If I Were A Blackbird ; The Flying Saucer ; London Calls ; The Night The Floor Fell In ; Star Of Hope ; A-Hunting We Will Go. Pulse PDSCD 645 – Double CD.
PAUL MAURIAT and his Orchestra – Blooming Hits. Somethin' Stupid; Penny Lane ; This Is My Song ; Alone In The World ; Inch Allah ; There's A Kind Of Hush (All Over The World) ; Puppet On A String ; L'Amour Est Bleu (Love Is Blue) ; Adieu To The Night ; Mama. Collectors’ Choice CCM-0710-2
MICHEL LEGRAND and his Orchestra – Paris, Rome Vienna. I Love Paris ; Mademoiselle de Paris ; Paris ; Autumn Leaves ; Under the Bridges of Paris ; Seine ; Paris in the Spring ; Paris Canaille ; April in Paris ; Paris ; Vie en Rose ; Under Paris Skies ; Paris, Je T'Aime ; Song from Moulin Rouge ; Last Time I Saw Paris ; I Love Paris (Reprise) ; Vieni Vieni ; Fiorin Fiorello ; Dicitencello Vuie! ; Neapolitan Nights ; Aveva un Bavero ; Munasterio 'E Santa Chiara ; Vola Columba ; Luna Lunera ; Funiculi Funicula ; ; Addormentarmi Cosi ; Torna a Surriento (Copme Back to Sorrento) ; Vilia ; 'Third Man' Theme ; Cafe Mozart Waltz.Cherry Red ACMEM73CD.
VICTOR SILVESTER and his Ballroom Orchestra – Strictly Ballroom Dancing.
Summer Sweetheart ; Rosalie ; Apple Blossom Time ; White Sails ; A Mist Is Over The Moon; Fragrant Flowers; Tears On My Pillow; Love Bells; Green Eyes ; Deep Purple ; Maria, My Own; So Deep Is The Night; I'll Write A Love Song; When You Wish Upon A Star ; Shy ; Begin The Beguine; Once In A While; Faith Forever; My Secret Love Affair; Cuban Lady ; The Lady Is A Tramp ; Mexicali Rose ; Give A Little Whistle. Sunflower SUN2170.
THE SQUADRONAIRES – Wolf on the Prowl. Ring Dem Bells ; Five Minutes More ; Reflections On The Water ; High Society ; Picnic In The Snow ; Somebody Stole My Rose Coloured Glasses ; Winter Wonderland ;Hobo's Prayer ; More Than Ever Before ; Jeeper's Creepers ; The Champ ; Slow And Easy ; Mudhopper ; Wine, Women And Song ; Wolf On The Prowl ; Set Me Free ; Hesitation ; Coach Call Boogie ; Lies ; Donegal Cradle Song ; Eventide ; The Last Waltz. Sunflower SUN2166.
CARROLL GIBBONS and the Savoy Hotel Orpheans – Sweet as a Song. On The Air ; My Romance ; You're A Sweetheart ; A Foggy Day ; My Love For You ; One Song ; Nice Work If You Can Get It ; Tears In My Heart ; Can I Forget You ; Francesca ; The Masquerade Is Over ; In The Still Of The Night ; Sweet As A Song ; With A Smile And A Song ; Over Wyoming ; Rosalie ; The Moon Got In My Eyes ; Please Be Kind ; Silver Wedding Waltz Sentimental Fool ; Goodnight My Love ; Wandering Along. Sunflower SUN2168
Mike Dutton continues to please critics and buyers alike with his interesting mix of new releases. In May it was the turn of his budget labels, and the following details are taken from the press release.
CDBP 9772 focuses on the 1940s Decca recordings of violinist Ida Haendel performing works by Mendelssohn and Stravinsky, as well as those of Szymanowski, De Falla and Albéniz. Malcolm Sargent conducting the National Symphony Orcehstra accompanies Haendel in a performance of Mendelssohn’s Concerto in E minor for Violin and Orchestra, while in contrast Stravinsky’s La Baiser de la Fée: Divertimento for Violin and Piano (arranged by violinist Samuel Dushkin and based on Stravinsky’s ballet music ‘The Fairy’s Kiss’) shows off Haendel in an intimate chamber setting. Among the other works on this disc are Szymanowski’s Tarantella and Albéniz’s Malagueña – the latter in an arrangement by Kreisler.
The legendary Busch Quartet are the subject of CDBP 9773, which contains two of their 1930s HMV recordings of Beethoven’s string quartets. Led by Adolf Busch and acclaimed as perhaps the finest interpreters of the composer’s work in that idiom, their recordings of the Quartet in C major No.3 ‘Rasumovsky’ and the Quartet in C sharp minor No.14 leave the listener in no doubt as to why they enjoy such exalted status among chamber music groups of their era. Also available: Dutton CDBP 9743 The Busch Quartet and Pro Arte Play Schubert and CDBP 9765 Busch Quartet Play Beethoven Vol.1
Several of the finest 1940s and ’50s recordings of Marian Anderson are contained in CDBP 9774, which is one of two discs in Dutton’s May 2007 batch of releases to feature singers. Subtitled Oratorio and Lieder, this release contains superlative examples of her recordings in those styles. Anderson is accompanied by pianist Franz Rupp in Schubert’s Ave Maria and by pianist Kosti Vehanen in Der Tod und Das Mädchen, and by Robert Shaw conducting the RCA Chamber Orchestra in an excerpt from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and Zum Reinen Wasser from Cantata No.112, among other items.
CDBP 9775 concentrates on the voice of Helge Roswanege, known as ‘The Dane with the High D’. Recorded during the 1930s and ’40s, these remarkable performances show off his unique voice to telling effect in repertoire ranging from Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and Bizet’s Carmen to the works of lesser known but equally engaging composers such as Kattnigg (Balkanliebe) and Wille (Küss die hand, schöne frau). Also available: Dutton CDBP 9728 Helge Roswaenge - The Dane with the High D
CDBP 9776 sees the continuation of Dutton’s commitment to the music of Sir Edward Elgar, in a glorious programme of this giant of British music’s late 1920s and ’30s HMV recordings. Including works such as Falstaff: Symphonic Study in C minor, the charming Nursery Suite (the version presented here recorded in the presence of royalty) and the Cello Concerto in E minor, with Beatrice Harrison as soloist, we are reminded why Elgar was such a force to be reckoned with in 20thcentury music. On this disc the composer conducts the London Symphony and New Symphony Orchestras. Other Dutton Elgar discs include CDLX 7172 The Spirit of England and CDLX 7148Elgar/Walker Piano Concerto
CDBP 9777 is a particularly remarkable release, as it comprises recordings made in the pre-electric ‘acoustic’ era. Titled British Composers Conduct on Acoustic, it features recordings dating back as far as 1916 of charming orchestral works such as Sir Frederic Cowen’s The Butterfly’s Ball, Elgar’s Fringes of the Fleet recorded for HMV in 1917 and Holst’s Beni Mora – Oriental Suiterecorded in 1924. Music aside, it is quite astonishing to hear how incredibly clear these vintage recordings sound in the 21st century, owing to Michael J. Dutton’s exquisite remastering.
CDBP 9778 is the latest chapter in Dutton’s ongoing series featuring composers performing their own works, and in this instance the focus is on three very important names in 20th century music. Bartok plays piano in his fascinating Contrasts for Violin, Clarinet and Piano, which is also notable for featuring clarinettist Benny Goodman. Manuel de Falla is the harpsichordist in hisConcerto for Harpsichord featuring flautist Marcel Moyse, while Poulenc’s pianistic talents are on display in his Aubade concerto scored for eighteen instruments. Rounding off this programme is Jean Françaix’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra conducted by Nadia Boulanger, andConcertino for Piano and Orchestra conducted by Leo Borchard - both with the composer as pianist.
Several important HMV recordings by conductor Sir Eugene Goossens, spanning the 1920s to the 1950s, are compiled on CDBP 9779. In the main they focus on Goossens’s recordings of Bax’s works – a composer he championed – including Tintagel composed between 1917-19, and his Symphony No.2 in E Minor & C composed between 1924-26. The latter work was broadcast by the BBC in November 1956 as part of their memorial cycle of Bax’s symphonies, and is the recorded version presented here. Also included on this disc are Goossens’s recordings of Australian composer John Antill’s remarkable Corroboree ballet suite, which incorporated Aboriginal musical influences, and Goossens’s own work Tam O’Shanter, inspired by Robert Burns’s familiar poem.
Kenneth McKellar makes his fourth appearance on the Vocalion label with CDLF 8131, which is the first ever CD reissue of his 1965 Decca stereo album Songs of the British Isles. Here the famous Scottish tenor is heard giving unique and beautiful interpretations of traditional songs – in arrangements by Bob Sharples – including Cockles and Mussels, Greensleeves and Island Moonamong many others.