Christmas Celebration

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GUILD LIGHT MUSIC GLCD5185

Christmas Celebration

1 Jingle Bells (James Lord Pierpont, arr. George H. Greeley)
BILLY VAUGHN AND HIS ORCHESTRA
DOT DLP 25148 1958
2 We Three Kings Of Orient Are (Reverend John Henry Hopkins Junior, arr. Percy Faith) (An American carol from the 19th century)
PERCY FAITH AND HIS ORCHESTRA
COLUMBIA CS 8033 1958
3 Hark The Herald Angels Sing (Charles Wesley; Felix Mendelssohn, adapted William H. Cummings, arr. Billy Vaughn) (An English carol with origins in the 18th century, although the popular version dates from a century later)
BILLY VAUGHN AND HIS ORCHESTRA
DOT DLP 25148 1958
4 Good King Wenceslas (Tempus Adest Floridum) (Traditional, arr. William Hill- Bowen) (Music based on 13th Century Spring Carol ‘Tempus Adest Floridum’; Words John Mason Neale)
THE MELACHRINO ORCHESTRA Conducted by GEORGE MELACHRINO
RCA LSP 2044 1959
5 Snowfall (Claude Thornhill, arr. Angela Morley)
ANGELA MORLEY AND HER ORCHESTRA (as ‘WALLY STOTT’ on LP label)
Warner Bros. WS 1341 1959
6 Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (John D. Marks, arr. Richard Hayman)
BOSTON ‘POPS’ ORCHESTRA Conducted by ARTHUR FIEDLER
RCA LSC 2329 1959
7 I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (Thomas Patrick Connor)
THE MELACHRINO ORCHESTRA Conducted by GEORGE MELACHRINO
RCA LSP 2044 1959
8 White Christmas (from the 1942 film "Holiday Inn") (Irving Berlin, arr. Billy Vaughn)
BILLY VAUGHN AND HIS ORCHESTRA
DOT DLP 25148 1958
9 The First Noel (The First Nowell) (Traditional, arr. Percy Faith) (Believed to be based on an English carol, possibly Cornish, from the 18th century)
PERCY FAITH AND HIS ORCHESTRA
COLUMBIA CS 8176 1959
10 Joy To The World ( Handel; Lowell Mason; Isaac Watts, arr. Billy Vaughn) (Originally based on Psalm 98)
BILLY VAUGHN AND HIS ORCHESTRA
DOT DLP 25148 1958
11 Nazareth (Traditional, arr. Cecil Milner)
MANTOVANI AND HIS ORCHESTRA
Decca SKL 4022 1958
12 Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful) (John Francis Wade, arr. Billy Vaughn) (An English carol which may have originated in the 13th century)
BILLY VAUGHN AND HIS ORCHESTRA
DOT DLP 25148 1958
13 Deck The Hall With Boughs Of Holly (Welsh Traditional, arr. George H Greeley) (Based on a Welsh winter carol ‘Nos Galan’, dating from the 16th century)
BILLY VAUGHN AND HIS ORCHESTRA
DOT DLP 25148 1958
14 Sleigh Ride (Leroy Anderson)
BOSTON ‘POPS’ ORCHESTRA Conducted by ARTHUR FIEDLER
RCA LSC 2329 1959
15 Fairy On The Christmas Tree (Roma Campbell Hunter; Harry Parr-Davies)
THE MELACHRINO ORCHESTRA Conducted by GEORGE MELACHRINO
RCA LSP 2044 1959
16 Winter Wonderland (Felix Bernard, arr. Jack Mason)
BOSTON ‘POPS’ ORCHESTRA Conducted by ARTHUR FIEDLER
RCA LSC 2329 1959
17 Christmas Sleigh Bells (Romance and Troika from "Lieutenant Kije") (Sergei Prokofiev, arr. Angela Morley)
ANGELA MORLEY AND HER ORCHESTRA (as ‘WALLY STOTT’ on LP label)
Warner Bros. WS 1341 1959
18 Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (Fred J. Coots, arr. Jack Mason)
BOSTON ‘POPS’ ORCHESTRA Conducted by ARTHUR FIEDLER
RCA LSC 2329 1959
19 Christmas Alphabet (Buddy Kaye; Jules Loman)
THE MELACHRINO ORCHESTRA Conducted by GEORGE MELACHRINO
RCA LSP 2044 1959
20 God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (Traditional) (English carol, believed to date from the 18th century)
THE MELACHRINO ORCHESTRA Conducted by GEORGE MELACHRINO
RCA LSP 2044 1959
21 Carol Of The Bells (Peter J. Wilhousky; Mykola Leontovich, arr. Percy Faith) (A Ukrainain carol, first performed in 1916)
PERCY FAITH AND HIS ORCHESTRA
COLUMBIA CS 8033 1958
22 Silent Night, Holy Night (Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht) (Joseph Mohr; Franz Xaver Gruber, arr. Percy Faith) (An Austrian carol from the 19th century)
PERCY FAITH AND HIS ORCHESTRA
COLUMBIA CS 8176 1959
23 It Came Upon The Midnight Clear (Edmund Sears; Richard Storrs Willis, arr. Billy Vaughn) (An American carol from the 19th century)
BILLY VAUGHN AND HIS ORCHESTRA
DOT DLP 25148 1958
24 I Saw Three Ships (Traditional, arr. Percy Faith) (An English carol with origins in the 17th century)
PERCY FAITH AND HIS ORCHESTRA
COLUMBIA CS 8033 1958
25 O Little Town Of Bethlehem (Lewis Redner, arr. Billy Vaughn) (An American carol from the 19th century)
BILLY VAUGHN AND HIS ORCHESTRA
DOT DLP 25148 1958
26 Angels From The Realms Of Glory (Traditional, arr. Percy Faith) (An English carol from the 19th century)
PERCY FAITH AND HIS ORCHESTRA
COLUMBIA CS 8033 1958
27 Christians, Awake! (John Byrom; John Wainwright, arr. Percy Faith) (An English carol from the 18th century)
PERCY FAITH AND HIS ORCHESTRA
COLUMBIA CS 8033 1958
28 O Tannenbaum (O Christmas Tree) (Traditional, arr. Percy Faith) (A German folk tune with connections dating back to the 16th century; the most popular version today dates from the 19th century)
PERCY FAITH AND HIS ORCHESTRA
COLUMBIA CS 8033 1958
29 The Skaters’ Waltz (Émile Waldteufel)
MANTOVANI AND HIS ORCHESTRA
Decca SKL 4022 1958
30 Hallelujah Chorus (from "Messiah") (George Frideric Handel, arr. Percy Faith)
PERCY FAITH AND HIS ORCHESTRA
COLUMBIA CS 8033 1958

All tracks in stereo

Somehow Christmas isn’t the same without Festive Music, whether traditional carols or the appealing popular melodies dreamed up by composers who know how to tear at our nostalgic heartstrings. Both categories can be found in abundance in this collection, which offers tasteful orchestral settings of some of the best known carols from various countries alongside the catchy novelties that make Christmas such a happy time of the year. In the hands of the top arrangers and orchestras assembled on this CD, there is every chance that the discerning listener will discover some new sounds that add a welcome vibrancy to old, familiar friends.

The six conductors performing the music for our enjoyment were among the most famous in the world towards the end of the 1950s, when these stereo recordings were made. First on the podium is Richard "Billy" Vaughn (1919-1991), born in Glasgow, Kentucky, who began his career playing piano and singing baritone in the group ‘The Hilltoppers’, before joining Dot Records as musical director where he accompanied many of the label’s top singers. He became one of the most successful orchestra leaders during the rock’n’roll era, and from 1955 to 1970 he managed to get 36 titles into the USA Top 200 charts, including a million seller Melody Of Love which earned him a gold disc. In 1965 he began touring internationally with his band, achieving considerable popularity in Japan, Korea and Brazil. His 1958 Christmas LP for Dot Records, from which the titles in this collection are taken, tastefully combined a small choir with the orchestra.

It is possible that Billy Vaughn may have surprised some of his usual fans with the restrained treatment of his Christmas melodies, given his reputation for recordings that were often more strident. But when Percy Faith (1908-1976) turned his attention to this repertoire there was no doubt that he would treat it with proper respect. Faith was born in Toronto, Canada, and originally he expected that his musical career would be as a concert pianist. But he injured his hands in a fire, which forced him to turn to composing, arranging and conducting. During the 1930s his programme "Music By Faith" was carried by the Mutual network in the USA, which prompted offers of work south of the border. He eventually succumbed in 1940, leaving Robert Farnon (previously his lead trumpeter) to conduct his Canadian orchestra. Unlike most of his contemporaries, Faith arranged all his own material, and his exciting and vibrant scores made his work stand out among the rest. Faith was always busy, whether working in the recording studios, radio, television or films. Today it is his numerous albums that have created a resurgence of interest in his work, thanks to their reissue on CD. More than once his record company commissioned him to produce superior albums for the Christmas market, and they remain highly collectable.

Like Percy Faith, George Miltiades Melachrino (1909-1965) was asked to conduct music for the Festive Season on several occasions. The LP era was the perfect vehicle for his inventive scores (including some by his right-hand man, William Hill-Bowen 1918-1964), although as early as 1950 his Christmas Fantasy (on two sides of an HMV 78 - reissued on Guild GLCD5138) had left his admirers hoping for more. Melachrinowas one of the big names in British light music from the 1940s to the 1960s. Born in London, he became a professional musician, competent on clarinet, alto and tenor saxophone, violin and viola, and he worked with many British dance bands in the 1930s. He was also in demand as a singer, and can be heard on recordings with Carroll Gibbons and others. During World War 2 he became Musical Director of the Army Radio Unit, and his 50-piece ‘Orchestra in Khaki’ toured with the ‘Stars in Battledress’ (two of their rare wartime recordings can be heard on GLCD5174). When the Allied Expeditionary Forces Programme of the BBC began broadcasting to Allied troops on 7 June 1944 (one day after D-Day), George Melachrino was featured conducting the British Band of the AEF; his colleagues were Glenn Miller and Robert Farnon (whose recordings can be heard on many Guild CDs), fronting the American and Canadian Bands. After the war Melachrino retained the finest elements of his service band to form the magnificent orchestra that went on to achieve worldwide fame, mainly through its superb long-playing record albums which sold in millions. Many tuneful pieces of light music flowed from his pen, and he developed a unique arranging style which was instantly recognisable. Melachrino built up a thriving entertainment organisation also involved in films, theatre and broadcasting and EMI used his talents extensively when stereo arrived.

Angela Morley (1924-2009) originally played alto sax with bands such as Geraldo (under her former name, Wally Stott), and her orchestra was an essential ingredient in the overwhelming success of BBC Radio’s "Goon Show" starring Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan and Harry Secombe. The positive reaction to her distinctive arrangements encouraged her to start composing, and one of her first was A Canadian In Mayfair (on Guild GLCD5157)dedicated to Robert Farnon. She recalled that it was just intended as a piece of fun, but Farnon insisted that it should be shown to his publishers, Chappells, who added it to their mood music library – appropriately conducted by Farnon himself. When Philips Records launched in Britain in 1952 she was placed under contract to arrange and accompany many of their stars, but she was also fortunate in being given the opportunity to record many orchestral numbers, both on singles and LPs. In 1958 an album of melodies associated with London received numerous plaudits from critics and fans alike, and it is still regarded as one of the finest musical tributes to Britain’s capital city. Undoubtedly this helped her to become known in the USA, and in 1959 Warner Bros. asked her to rework – this time in stereo – a collection of Christmas titles she had previously recorded on a 10" Philips LP, with a few extra tunes added. Two of the outstanding ‘new’ tracks can be found on this CD. Angela was also a frequent contributor to the Chappell Recorded Music Library, with several of her works at last available for the first time on previous Guild CDs. In her later career she was much in demand for film scores, and also assisted leading composers on major projects – working with John Williams on "Star Wars" being a prime example. Her TV credits included "Dallas" and "Dynasty".

For many years Arthur Fiedler (1894-1979) was always linked in the mind with The Boston ‘Pops’ Orchestra, although in Britain its records were released under the name Boston ‘Promenade’ Orchestra, which seemed more in keeping with its repertoire. It took quite a long while before the American term ‘Pops’ Orchestra finally gained acceptance outside the USA. Fiedler’s Austrian-born father played violin in the Boston Symphony Orchestra (from which the Boston ‘Pops’ is created for its lighter moments). Arthur became the eighteenth conductor of the ‘Pops’ in 1930, and remained at the helm until a heart attack following a performance on 5 May 1979 hastened his death two months later at the age of 84. For years Leroy Anderson (1908-1975) was the full-time arranger, so it seems only right that the orchestra should play his Sleigh Ride on this CD. Such was its popularity that it managed to reach No. 34 in the Cash Box Top 50 in August 1954; but because it sold steadily over many years, its total sales probably exceeded those of many other records which hit the top for just a week or two. During the post-war years Anderson enjoyed considerable fame with his own compositions, sometimes introduced to the public by the Boston ‘Pops’, but more often through his recordings with his own ‘Pops’ Concert Orchestra. The arrangers of the other popular melodies played by the orchestra selected for this CD originally received due credit for their important contributions on the LP sleeve – something that rarely happened in those days. Although not so well-known, Jack Mason (1906-1965) was very prolific and he composed Pops Polka (on GLCD5166). On the other hand Richard (Warren Joseph) Hayman (b. 1920) as well as being a respected arranger and conductor, was also a harmonica virtuoso, and he sometimes adapted his scores of popular melodies so that he could perform on his favourite instrument. This formula brought him two chart successes in the early 1950s, with 78s of Ruby and April In Portugal. He followed Leroy Anderson as an arranger for the Boston ‘Pops’ Orchestra over a period of more than 30 years, and also served as Music Director of Mercury Records. He was regularly in demand to orchestrate Broadway shows and film soundtracks, and notable among his own compositions are No Strings Attached (GLCD5105) and Skipping Along (GLCD5131).

The father of Venetian-born Annunzio Paolo Mantovani (1905-1980) was principal violinist at La Scala, Milan, with the legendary Arturo Toscanini. Although details are difficult to confirm, Mantovani always maintained that he came to England when aged only four, and it is believed that he may have accompanied his father who was playing with a touring Italian opera company which performed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in 1909. The family seems to have settled permanently in England in 1912. During his formal studies at Trinity College he excelled on the violin, performing Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 when only 16. But the young Mantovani showed leanings towards the popular music of the day, and he embarked upon a career that was typical for many aspiring musicians in the early years of the last century. His studies had equipped him well as both a violinist and pianist, and it was not long before he became proficient at composing and arranging. Living in the capital city there were plenty of opportunities for work in restaurants, hotels and theatres, and while still in his teens he realised that conducting was another skill that came easily to him. In 1923 he took a quintet into the Midland Hotel in Birmingham; by 1925 he was at London’s Metropole Hotel where one of his later players was another talented youngster who would one day become one of the most famous light music conductors alongside Mantovani – none other than George Melachrino. This was the era that witnessed the birth of radio, and the emergence of gramophone records as a major source of home entertainment. Naturally Mantovani was in demand for both, and by 1932 his name was starting to be recognised by music lovers: it was in this year that he began his series of popular recordings conducting his Tipica Orchestra. There was a steady demand for dance music, and Mantovani tended to specialise in Latin American styles, resulting in two minor hits in the USA in 1935 and 1936 (Red Sails in the Sunset and Serenade in the Night). Gradually his recorded repertoire expanded to include pieces of concert-style light music, and this laid the foundations for the large orchestra, with the emphasis on strings, that was to bring him universal acclaim from the early 1950s onwards. In addition to all his other commitments, he conducted the theatre orchestra in West End productions such as "Sigh No More", "Pacific 1860" and "Ace of Clubs" (all Noel Coward shows), and Vivian Ellis’ "And So To Bed". But the world-wide acclaim that greeted Charmaine in 1951 forced him to devote all his energies thereafter to recording and performing concerts in Britain and overseas with the great orchestra that has ensured his well-deserved place in the history of popular music. Today it is well-known that Ronald Binge (1910-1979) deserved recognition as the talented arranger responsible for devising the distinctive string sound (sometimes called ‘cascading strings’) which made Mantovani famous throughout the world. But he was well served by some other talented arrangers, and Cecil Milner (1905-1989) created the delightful setting of the traditional air Nazareth.

Choosing the right melodies to open and close collections such as this can often pose problems for compilers. Happily this time Jingle Bells simply had to set the scene, leaving Handel’s magnificent Hallelujah Chorus, employing the full forces of the Percy Faith Orchestra, to provide the spectacular finale.

David Ades

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