The Choir of Keble College, Oxford ● Matthew Martin
CRD 3537 (63:03)
To complement our normal Festive listening from Leroy Anderson, Percy Faith, Arthur Fiedler, Mantovani, André Rieu et al, your thoughts may turn to a vocal collection of Christmas music and you might like to consider this new release from the Keble College Choir. One of the leading mixed-voice choirs in Oxford, on this album it comprises eleven sopranos, seven altos, seven tenors and eight basses, who are either choral scholars, volunteers or lay clerks.
Mozart Records Mr120120 – 58 Tracks
Total Playing Time Approx. 148 Minutes
This two-CD set has been released to coincide with the ninetieth birthday of composer Peter Hope on December 2nd 2020. It owes its title to the first track of CD 1, and comprises recordings of his compositions for Mozart Edition made between 1965 and 1980.
The Stringbeat Years: Songs accompanied by John Barry – new CD Box Set announced
Written by Super User
Coming soon from Windmill Records, The Stringbeat Years: Songs accompanied by John Barry, a 4-CD box-set comprising of 144 tracks, a 24-page booklet (replete with period photographs and comprehensive notes) and including ten bonus tracks (among them the CD debut of the first ever cover version of a John Barry instrumental composition).
Adam Faith fans will experience every song he recorded with John Barry, thereby featuring – for the first time – the film versions of ‘Mix me a Person’, ‘The Time has Come’, and ‘What a Whopper’ (slightly shortened). There’s also an unique opportunity to hear the original version of ‘Ah, Poor Little Baby’, making its premiere appearance on CD.
The box-set is limited to 500 copies and is only £16.99 post-free in the UK (postage costs for elsewhere in the world to be determined when stock arrives), so don’t miss out! It will only be available direct from Windmill!
Please indicate your interest without commitment by emailing us and you’ll be contacted as soon as it becomes available.
Royal Scottish National Orchestra / Neeme Järvi
Chandos CHSA 5257 (82:55)
French composer Léo Delibes (1836-91) is entitled to be reviewed here as he was blessed with a natural gift for likeable, easily assimilated melodies: his music being described as having “charm, elegance, wit and grace”.
Decca 00028948504152 (73:21)
Having reviewed three previous albums by this orchestra and conductor – ‘Overtures, Preludes & Intermezzi’, ‘The Fellini Album’ and ‘Cherubini Miniatures’ – I have become something of a fan and welcome this new release; even although it does come into competition with John Wilson’s recent highly acclaimed versions of the two main works: Fountains of Rome and Pines of Rome (also previously reviewed here).
THE NDO PROJECT – a short history and a review of its latest CD release , 'Autumn Leaves'
Written by Tony Clayden
More than fifty years ago, many recordings were made [unofficially and privately, and often off-air] – by studio technicians, orchestral players and production staff – of a BBC 'house' orchestra in Manchester.
The Original Recordings with Joseph Calleja
Decca 4850894 (48.53)
When as a long time Mantovani admirer I first joined the Robert Farnon Society, his name was hardly ever mentioned. It seemed to me that he was thought of by my fellow light music enthusiasts as being too “popular”, much as some people now think of André Rieu.
Emmanuel Pahud Flute
Orchestre National De France / Desplat
Warner Classics 0190295306878(56:22)
Regular readers will know from my review of ‘Little Women’* in February this year that I regard Alexandre Desplat as second only to the great John Williams as a composer in the world of film music. Following that earlier album, we now have this further welcome selection of his work.
Philharmonic Promenade Orchestra
Iain Sutherland
SOMM ARIADNE 5009 (74:03)
This is a pleasing surprise follow-up to Great Classic Film Music (ARIADNE 5006), the virtues of which I extolled in 2019. The track selection here is noteworthy for being less hackneyed than in many of the comparable albums in the catalogue.
Andrế Previn / David Rose
Like Young & Like Blue
Sepia 1348 (78:29)
In June 1958, when distinctive pianist André Previn (“Piano Magic”) met David Rose with the 25 “Lush Strings” and rhythm section of his orchestra, they got together and produced a Billboard top 20 LP: ‘Like Young: Secret Songs for Young Lovers’. Nearly two years later there was a follow-up album, ‘Like Blue’. Both have now been released on this exceptionally well-filled stereo CD remastered by Robin Cherry.
