I was a member of the RFS for many year until its 'retirement'. I have nothing to do with social media so your Facebook page is of no use to me.

I am not clear whether you have digitised the past editions of JIM and made them generally available.  What I would like to know is whether anybody seeks copies of the original Journal editions at all these days? If not, then my local authority will have their paper recycling increased somewhat in the near future.

Stephen Trowell

Quite a few years ago I bought Geroge Melachrino's 78 record collection from Burstow & Hewett Auctioneers.  Interesting items within the collection were radio broadcasts from November 1939 at the Cafe de Paris, which the BBC haven't got and other items involving Vera Lynn which have never seen the light of day.  This appears to be a take on a film from 1939 calleed Over the Rainbow Dream Fantasy.   One of the acetates is a signed record by George of "Fantasia on a theme" Part 2 by Michael Carr.  I cannot find any details about it.  There are also many discs recorded at the BBC in 1945 and 1946 as well as alternate takes of popular hits by American artists.  Sre you interested in additional information for adding to your section on George? 

Hi all,

I have a few mint condition private recordings of RF on 78 if anyone's interested.

Regards,

S.

hi there, i use to go to bonnington hotel for our meetings,does anyone know the opening  music to the look at life film series and the earlier pathe pictorials,were they on the guild cds all the best ray

Please e-mail me Colin with your phone number or more details of this tune and I will identify it for you. It sounds like the Stuttgart Studio Orchestra to me who did some lovely orchestral arrangements of tunes like "Richmond Hill", "The Lark In The Clear Air", "Oh No John", Strawberry Fair", "Loch Lomand" etc.

my e-mail is:

Dear Sirs,

Is there any way you can identify a piece of music if I hum it? It's been bugging me for some time. It was played occasionally to accompany the BBC Test Card in the 1960s or 1970s. A traditional tune beautifully orchestrated.

I can call a knowledgeable music buff if you can supply their number.

Many thanks.

Colin Markham

I should like to create a recording, a 1 minute extract in length,  from  

Coronation Scot (feat. Sidney Torch & Queen’s Hall Light Orchestra) 

Could anyone kindly advise me on how I can gain permission or what fee I shall have to pay and to whom

Thank you Ian Buchanan, HDM

I found this by chance while looking for background about Leighton Lucas. It was most informative. I don't suppose there is a photo available of this composer? Thank you

Wonderful website.

Does anyone happen to have a complete list of musicians that were members of the Ronnie Hazlehurst Orchestra, especially on recordings of The Two Ronnies and The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin themes.

Thank you!

Hi

Does anyone have a list of the musicians who played on the recordings for RF.  I know this is a big ask but would be very useful for me.  Please email me on

Many thanks

Bill

I love the song Country Girl and wonder if you could tell me about its origins please ? Was it based on an old folk tune or is it an original composition ? Was it first sung by Kenneth McKellar? I know Tony Bennett and Scott Walker sang it , has it been covered by others?
Thankyou for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.

Good day

I am writing to you today, as my father who lived in South Africa had been in contact with David Ades for many years. Sadly my father also passed away on the 7th April in South Africa this year, I am keen to join your society to keep hold of the memories of the wonderful light classical music he loved so dearly. However the link on your website does not allow me to join and no matter how I try, it comes up with a default problem about not entering the correct details. I subsequently requested to join your Facebook page.

However I also have another pending question. My father had a huge collection of classical music that he collected since he was 12 years old. I still obtained records and CDs for him from Australia, the UK and elsewhere.

For the sake of my dads estate, I want to find out where in the world does one find a person who could put a value on my dads records? This is for notation by the lawyer.

I wish to keep hold of the records as they are very dear to my heart.

I hope you can help me with some advice please?

Very sorry to hear of the passing on Alan Bunting. 

When I published the Penguin Encyclopedia of Popular Music in 1989, Alan read the whole thing, cover to cover. Then he wrote to me, and we had a fun correspondence for many years. I’ll never be able to stop pawing through old 45 singles looking for rare Percy Faith items for Alan.

I learned of his passing when I wrote to him about a light music mystery. I’m trying to find albums for an elderly widow whose CD copies have rotted without any documentation. I rescued four tracks: Stairway to the Stars, These Foolish things, My Heart Stood Still and Autumn in New York. The unusual thing is that a soprano, almost obbligato, sings only the title line of each song, followed by a rather nice arrangement for a large string orchestra, with a piano. Does anyone know what arranger/leader that might be?

Alan loved this sort of question! I’ll miss him.

Donald Clarke
Colorado Springs USA

Wonderful website. Many congratulations! I wish the John Barry website looked only a bit like this. Jealous!!

Brian Reynolds' May 2012 meeting report mentions Frederick Bayco's "Lady Beautiful."

How can I obgtain a copy of this recording, strictly for private listening use. It was the theme music for a 1950's NBC TV program called "Home" and is from the KPM library.

Thanks.

I am attempting to locate the original 1952 Warner Bros film titled An Invitation to The Dance which featured The Ted Heah Band. Can anybody assist me?

Robert Farnon very kindly stood as a reference when I joined the Performing Right Society, Ltd in 1979. I have always been grateful for this kind act. George Pollen

I’m searching for the score of the London Transport Suite by Sidney Torch, but I can’t find one. Preferably I would like to have a piano score, but otherwise a orchestral one would also be fine. After a search on Worldcat I knew that the first movement of the suite (The hansom cab)  is published by Chappell & Co and available in the Trinity College Library of Dublin. Actually I would like to play the whole suite that consists of 3 movements. If you have any idea how I can get copies of the score or a manuscript I would be very pleased to know it from you. I’m an organist from the Netherlands with a big interest in light music. I’ve transcribed for example pieces by Eric Coates, Percy Grainger and Robert Farnon for church organ. Many thanks already for the one who can help me further.

Best regards,
Gijs Boelen

Whilst sorting through some of my late father's 78s I have come across a 

'music while you work' Decca 78 by Reginald Pursglove and his Ochestra 'in an18th century drawing room' and 'The Toy Trumpet' supervised by Wynford Reynolds but cannot find any information when googling this 78.

Can anybody help

Hi,

I grew up in South Africa in a house with wonderful classical music that my dad collected all his life. David Ades and my dad communicated until recently as they share similar music tastes. I would like to establish contact with David again but his email address is not responding. He may have changed it? Could you please help out with that.

I love your website, the music themes, the articles and interesting information. Thank you for keeping the soul of light music alight!

I was also wondering if you have an active membership through online registration available?

Kind regards

Louise

I can only agree with my learned friend!!

Wonderful website. Many congratulations! I wish the John Barry website looked only a bit like this. Jealous!!