The second new Guild Light Music CD revisits the 1930s. Of special interest is the final ‘bonus’ track, which features a rare experimental recording from 1934 when EMI engineers were discovering that stereo recordings were possible. It took another 23 years, before they reached the record buying public.

The Golden Age of Light Music : the 1930s – Volume 2 "In Town Tonight"

1 Down The Mall (John Belton, alias Tony Lowry & Douglas Brownsmith)
PHILIP GREEN AND HIS ORCHESTRA
2 Bitter Sweet Waltz (I’ll See You Again) (Noel Coward)
PARAMOUNT THEATRE ORCHESTRA Conducted by ANTON with AL BOLLINGTON (Organ)
3 Pony (Josef Rixner)
BARNABAS VON GÉCZY AND HIS ORCHESTRA
4 ‘Happy’ – Selection intro: I Want To Be Happy, Happy Days Are Here Again, Happy Feet, Back To Those Happy Days, Many Happy Returns Of The Day, Spread A Little Happiness, I Want To Be Happy.
COVENTRY HIPPODROME ORCHESTRA Conducted by CHARLES SHADWELL (piano soloist: Jack Wilson)
5 La Paloma (Sebastian de Yradier)
REGAL VIRTUOSI Conducted by EMANUEL STARKEY with SIDNEY TORCH, Organ.
6 Chinese Street Serenade (Ludwig Siede arr. Crook)
ALFREDO CAMPOLI AND HIS MARIMBA TANGO ORCHESTRA
7 Badinage (Victor Herbert)
HARRY HORLICK AND HIS ORCHESTRA
8 Squirrel Dance (H. Elliott Smith)
MAREK WEBER AND HIS ORCHESTRA
9 Kismet (Erich Börschel)
INTERNATIONAL RADIO ORCHESTRA
10 ‘Ice Rink Selection’ intro: Skaters Waltz, Wine Women And Song, Casino Tanz, Artist’s Life, Count Of Luxembourg, Valse Septembre, Nights Of Gladness, Amoretten Tanz, Gold And Silver Waltz, Wiener Blut, Espana.
DEBROY SOMERS BAND
11 In Town Tonight ("Knightsbridge" from "London Suite") (Eric Coates)
BBC DANCE ORCHESTRA Directed by HENRY HALL
12 Chinese Legend (Hermann Schulenburg arr. Etlinger)
RICHARD CREAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA
13 Fingerprints (Harry Engleman)
HARRY ENGLEMAN’S QUINTET
14 ‘A Bouquet Of Flowers’ intro: Won’t You Buy My Pretty Flowers, Valse Des Fleurs, Roses Of The South, Hearts And Flowers, Wedding Of The Rose, Dear Little Shamrock, Won’t You Buy My Pretty Flowers, Pas Des Fleurs, Narcissus, Last Rose Of Summer, Valse Des Fleurs.
GAUMONT STATE ORCHESTRA Conducted by ALFRED VAN DAM
15 Donna Juanita – Paso Doble (Wilhelm Gabriel)
ROBERT RENARD AND HIS ORCHESTRA
16 Shadowsplay (Schattenspiele) (Herbert Küster)
HERBERT KÜSTER’S PIANO ORCHESTRA
17 Ecstasy Waltz (Sidney Baynes)
EDITH LORAND AND HER VIENNESE ORCHESTRA
18 Procession Of The Sirdar (from ‘Caucasian Sketches’) (Mikhail Mikhailovich Ippolitov-Ivanov, arr. Herman Finck)
COMMODORE GRAND ORCHESTRA Conducted by JOSEPH MUSCANT
19 "Mr. Whittington" – Selection (John W. Green, Jack Waller, Joseph Tunbridge) intro: Oceans Of Time, Whoops For The Derby Day, Weep No More My Baby, Who Do You Think You Are, The Sun Is Round The Corner, What A Pleasant Surprise, Finale.
NEW MAYFAIR ORCHESTRA Conducted by RAY NOBLE
20 BONUS TRACK: RARE EXPERIMENTAL STEREO FROM 1934
Excerpt from "Mr. Whittington" intro: The Sun Is Round The Corner, What A Pleasant Surprise, Finale.
NEW MAYFAIR ORCHESTRA Conducted by RAY NOBLE

GUILD LIGHT MUSIC GLCD5116

The first Guild Light Music collection from the 1930s (GLCD5106) received such a warm reception from aficionados of the period, that a second helping from this tuneful era became a ‘must’. Recognising some constructive comments about the earlier CD, this time some additional famous continental ensembles have been included, resulting in a truly international feel. After all, music knows no boundaries, and whatever the politicians may have been doing during those troubled times, musicians were simply intent upon supplying first-rate entertainment for their grateful audiences.

Henry Hall [1898-1989] takes pride of place in these notes for providing the CD’s title. "In Town Tonight" was a popular British radio programme for 27 years, and its signature tune Knightsbridge from Eric Coates’ "London Suite" firmly established the composer as the leading figure in pre-war light music. Several different versions appeared on record, and while purists may blink at Henry Hall’s dance band version, the superb playing of his musicians has to be admired.

Barnabas Von Géczy [1897-1971] was born in Hungary. He had arrived in Berlin in 1922 and by the 1930s he had one of the best known hotel orchestras in Germany.

‘Robert Renard’ is one of several pseudonyms adopted by Otto Dobrindt [1886-1963] - others included Odeon Dance Orchestra, Piano Symphony, Dobbri and Frank Sandlers. He was also respected as a conductor for classical music, and some of his recordings accompanying noted singers of the time are still available on CDs.

Edith Lorand [1898-1960] was born in Hungary, but spent most of her early career in Germany where she became world-famous as a violinist. She made numerous recordings, mostly light classical and ‘salon’ works, but the changing political situation forced her to return to Hungary in the mid-1930s. Even in her homeland she felt unsafe, so in 1937 she went to the USA, where she spent the rest of her life.

Debroy Somers [1890-1952] could almost be described as a recording phenomenon of the 1930s. For a while his 78s occupied more space in the EMI Columbia catalogue than any other artist. Intriguingly, unlike other artists who were catalogued by surname, he was always listed under "D" rather than "S" and, whether fronting a small ensemble or conducting a large orchestra, the labels said "Debroy Somers Band". The vast majority of his records were medleys of popular songs, such as the Ice Rink Selection chosen for this CD. Somers was the son of an Army band-master from the 1^st Gloucestershire Regiment, and was born in Dublin in 1890 – the names on his birth certificate were William Henry – ‘Debroy’ came later. He could play virtually every instrument in the orchestra or the military band and mastered the oboe, cor anglais, piano, harp, clarinet, saxophone and xylophone. He was one of the first dance band leaders to broadcast, and was the originator of the Savoy Hotel Orpheans in 1923 – he remained their musical director until 1926. A prolific broadcaster, he remained an important figure on the British musical scene until he died suddenly at the age of 62 from a stroke.

Harry Horlick was the conductor of one of early American radio’s most popular salon orchestras, largely due to his regular appearances on the long-running "A & P Gypsies" show from 1924 to 1936. When this series ended, Decca signed him for almost twenty sets of 78s featuring what has been described as ‘musically sturdy, if somewhat careful, albums, with a number devoted to popular and theatre music’. From this period comes the Victor Herbert cameo Badinage.

The Gaumont State Cinema in Kilburn opened on 20 December 1937, and soon afterwards its own orchestra was making records, under its London-born conductor Alfred Van Dam [1902-1973]. He began a twelve-year association with the Gaumont-British organisation when aged only nineteen, and made his first broadcast in 1931. Immediately prior to his appointment at the flagship State cinema, he had been musical director at the Trocadero, Elephant & Castle in south London. During his later career he contributed no less than 140 broadcasts to the BBC’s famous ‘Music While You Work’ programme, his last broadcast taking place in 1958.

For decades the Far East inspired many artists from poets to painters and composers. The word ‘Chinese’ appears in numerous song titles, as evidenced by the two tracks in this collection. The first comes from Alfredo Campoli [1906-1991], one of the finest violinists working in Britain, whose brilliant playing enhanced numerous recordings, often unbeknown to the public since he was always in demand as a leader from the top orchestras. However he did get his own fair share of the limelight, through his recordings and broadcasts with the various groups he formed. His expertise is hardly surprising, since his father was a violin professor and orchestral leader, while his mother – the operatic soprano Elvira Celi – had toured with Caruso. The family moved to England from Rome while Alfredo was still a child, and he made his début at London’s Wigmore Hall in 1923. After enjoying great success in Britain for many years, he was widely praised when he appeared at the Carnegie Hall in New York in 1953, and other overseas tours took him twice to the Soviet Union.

Probably the best known British theatre orchestra during the 1930s was that of the world famous London Palladium which is featured on "British Cinema and Theatre Orchestras" (Guild GLCD 5108). In recording terms it was also the most prolific, with almost 150 recordings made between 1927 and the early 1940s, most of them conducted by Richard Crean who was in charge from 1930 to 1937. He also made recordings with his own orchestra and Chinese Legend is yet another classic example of the pseudo-oriental music that seemed to fascinate many music-lovers of that era.

The German composer and conductor Erich Börschel composed the charming Sparrow’s Concert which is included on the Guild Light Music CD "Highdays and Holidays" (GLCD5115). This was just one of a number of successful light pieces he wrote in the 1930s, and Kismet is another of the pieces specially recorded for the early Bosworth Mood Music Library.

Russian-born Joseph Muscant is credited with making the Commodore Grand Orchestra into one of the finest ensembles playing light music at that time. It was formed when the Hammersmith cinema opened on 14 September 1929, and soon became popular throughout Britain thanks to its regular BBC radio broadcasts.

Finally it is important to mention "Mr. Whittington" - a London show which, thanks to Ray Noble and EMI, formed an important landmark in the history of recorded sound. London-born Ray Noble (1903-1978) was one of the leading British bandleaders of the 1930s and, as well as being a talented pianist and arranger, he also composed several popular songs which have since become standards. Among his biggest successes were Goodnight Sweetheart, Love Is The Sweetest Thing, The Touch Of Your Lips, and The Very Thought Of You - all of them first introduced by singer Al Bowlly, who was a valued member of the Noble orchestra - called The New Mayfair (Dance) Orchestra on its numerous HMV 78s.

Alan Blumlein joined the Columbia Graphophone Company in 1929 with a brief to improve the then fledgling electrical recording process, which he did with notable success. By 1931 Columbia had merged with The Gramophone Company to form EMI (Electrical and Musical Industries) and Blumlein began experimenting with stereophonic recording (then known as "binaural") at their Hayes research laboratories. By 1934 these experiments were proving so successful that a complete binaural cutting system was installed in one of the studios at Abbey Road to enable recordings of orchestral and other music to be made and assessed.

Most of the results of these experiments – the "walking and talking" and classical music recordings - have already appeared on various LPs and CDs but it is not generally known that some light music was also recorded. In fact the very first Abbey Road binaural recording was made on the 11^th of January 1934 by Ray Noble and The New Mayfair Orchestra (called "Ray Noble’s Dance Band" in the documentation). The music chosen was part of a selection from the musical "Mr. Whittington" and the complete mono recording, made at the same time, is featured on track 19 while the binaural version forms the finale of this CD.

The sound is rather distant as the microphones were placed approximately 45 feet from the orchestra and the lack of additional ‘spot’ microphones (and the absence of a stereo mixing desk to accommodate them), means that certain instruments do not have the same prominence as on the mono recording. Even so, the resulting sound is quite exciting, perhaps giving the impression of sitting near the rear of a concert hall or theatre.

It is a pity that the economic climate and the obvious problems of playing such recordings domestically at that time meant that the experiments were abandoned, and the introduction of stereo discs into the home had to wait another 23 years. However Alan Blumlein was responsible for developing the disc cutting principles eventually adopted by the recording industry, although his patents expired in 1952, having never been commercially exploited by EMI. His system was "re-invented" by Westrex, and became the universal standard for stereo LPs.

David Ades

LIGHT MUSIC WAS STILL FLOURISHING IN AMERICA OVER FIFTY YEARS AGO, AS PROVED BY THIS NEW COLLECTION FROM 1948 to 1954

Great American Light Orchestras Volume 2 : Travellin’ Light

1 Travellin’ Light (Victor Young) WALTER SCHARF AND HIS ORCHESTRA
2 Blue Tango (Leroy Anderson) HUGO WINTERHALTER AND HIS ORCHESTRA
3 Laura (from the film "Laura") (Johnny Mercer & David Raksin) DAVID ROSE AND HIS ORCHESTRA
4 Limehouse Blues (from "Andre Charlot’s Revue of 1924") (Douglas Furber & Philip Braham) MORTON GOULD AND HIS ORCHESTRA
5 Mine (from "Let ‘Em Eat Cake") (George & Ira Gershwin) ANDRE KOSTELANETZ AND HIS ORCHESTRA
6 The Grasshopper (Bernard Landes) CONDUCTED BY CAMARATA
7 The Very Thought Of You (Ray Noble) RICHARD HAYMAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA
8 The Girl With The Spanish Drawl (Wow! Wow! Wow!) (Fausto Curbelo & John A. Camacho) PERCY FAITH AND HIS ORCHESTRA
9 The Continental (from film "The Gay Divorcee") (Herb Magidson & Con Conrad) BOSTON ‘POPS’ ORCHESTRA Conducted by ARTHUR FIEDLER
10 I Love Louisa (from "The Band Wagon") (Arthur Schwartz & Howard Dietz) THE PITTSBURGH STRINGS arranged and conducted by RICHARD JONES
11 Joyride (Billy Vaughn) BILLY VAUGHN AND HIS ORCHESTRA
12 I Can’t Believe That You’re In Love With Me (Clarence Gaskill & Jimmy McHugh) NELSON RIDDLE AND HIS ORCHESTRA
13 New York In A Nutshell (Nicholas Acquaviva & Ted Varnick) ACQUAVIVA AND HIS ORCHESTRA
14 The Little Toy Shop (Kermit Leslie & Walter Leslie) KERMIT LESLIE AND HIS ORCHESTRA
15 Calico Square Dance (Meredith Willson) MEREDITH WILLSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA
16 All The Things You Are (from "Very Warm for May") (Oscar Hammerstein II & Jerome Kern) GORDON JENKINS AND HIS ORCHESTRA
17 Parade of the Wooden Soldiers (Leon Jessel, arr. Morton Gould) ROBIN HOOD DELL ORCHESTRA Conducted by MORTON GOULD
18 Kentucky Trotter (Frank Perkins) FRANK PERKINS AND HIS "POPS" ORCHESTRA
19 Tambourine Chinois (Fritz Kreisler) DAVID CARROLL AND HIS ORCHESTRA
20 Little Jumping Jack (Ralph Maria Seigel) CONDUCTED BY CAMARATA
21 I Concentrate On You (from film "Broadway Melody of 1940") (Cole Porter) ANDRE KOSTELANETZ AND HIS ORCHESTRA
22 My Silent Love (Jazz Nocturne) (Edward Heyman & Dana Suesse) MORTON GOULD AND HIS ORCHESTRA
23 The Flying Horse (David Rose) DAVID ROSE AND HIS ORCHESTRA
24 The Piccolino (from film "Top Hat") (Irving Berlin) THE PITTSBURGH STRINGS arranged and conducted by RICHARD JONES
25 Tropical (Morton Gould) DAVID CARROLL AND HIS ORCHESTRA
26 Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo (from the film "Lili") (Helen Deutsch & Bronislau Kaper) VICTOR YOUNG AND HIS SINGING STRINGS
27 What’s Good About Goodbye? (from film "Casbah") (Leo Robin & Harold Arlen) DAVID ROSE AND HIS ORCHESTRA

GUILD LIGHT MUSIC GLCD5114 Readers of this magazine will need little introduction to many of the famous orchestras included in this collection, but it is hoped that there will be some pleasant surprises among the ‘old friends’. Camarata’s records were not widely distributed worldwide, and how many people can boast a recording by Kermit Leslie on their shelves? When enthusiasts talk about ‘The World of Light Music’ they often intend that their words should be taken literally, because there was a time – mainly during the middle years of the last century – when pleasant, tuneful melodies could be heard regularly emanating from radio loudspeakers in many parts of the world. This was reflected in commercial recordings, because listeners often wanted to be able to hear their favourite music and orchestras at times of their own choosing. Commercial pressures eventually forced changes as younger generations acquired more disposable cash for items such as records, but in countries where there was a strong public broadcasting ethos (mainly Europe and former British colonies) the commercial pressures were less keenly felt, resulting in radio orchestras surviving longer than in the ‘new world’. In America conductors such as Andre Kostelanetz, David Rose and Percy Faith built a strong following as a result of their radio work in the 1930s and 1940s, which translated into healthy record sales well into the LP era of the 1950s. Some of them managed to survive the arrival of Elvis Presley and The Beatles on the entertainment scene, but others simply could not afford the high expense of keeping an orchestra together for the diminishing radio and recording work on offer. There was also the ‘problem’ of adapting to changing musical tastes: orchestras were forced to play pop songs with a beat, and echo chambers and other electronic gadgets certainly didn’t help. The end result was that the pop-fed youngsters were totally unimpressed and disinterested, and the traditional fans of the orchestras hated the ‘new modern sounds’. Happily there was a ‘golden age’ for a while when music was more important than gimmickry, and recording managers were prepared to trust the good musical sense of conductors, arrangers and composers. Such a period in America is recreated in this Compact Disc. The selection takes its title from a sparkling composition by Victor Young (1900-1956). He excelled as a violinist, arranger, film composer, songwriter, conductor and record producer. This wide experience in all forms of music, from his first hit song, Sweet Sue, Just You in 1928 to his tremendous score for "Around the World in 80 Days" in 1956, was exceptional even by Tin Pan Alley and Hollywood standards, all the more so because his international reputation was achieved in such a short lifetime. Like so many of his contemporaries, he found work with various dance bands of the 1920s and 1930s, before eventually ending up in Hollywood, where he discovered the ideal outlet for his melodic gifts. Walter Scharf (1910-2003) was mainly a film score composer and arranger, who received ten Academy Award nominations. He also worked extensively in US television with stars like Barbra Streisand, Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson. Hugo Winterhalter (1909-1973) created arrangements for Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Claude Thornhill and others before several record companies recognised his true potential. Between 1948 and 1963 he was musical director at MGM, Columbia, RCA and Kapp, with several big sellers to his credit. Leroy Anderson’s Blue Tango was one of the first. David Rose (1910-1990) was born in London, England, and the family moved to the USA when he was just four-years-old. He began working in movies in 1941 and is credited with scoring 36 films. In 1943 he had a big hit with his own composition Holiday For Strings which firmly launched him as a light music composer in the eyes of the public. In total he won five Grammy awards and six gold records. Morton Gould (1913-1996) became one of the most highly respected American composers, and his distinguished career was crowned with a Pulitzer Prize (for his Stringmusic, commissioned by Mstislav Rostropovich for the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington) just a year before his death at the age of 82. Among his best-known works were the ballet Fall River Legend and American Symphonette No. 3,which became better known as Pavanne (the mis-spelling was deliberate). From 1986 to 1994 Gould was President of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). Andre Kostelanetz (1901-1980) was one of the biggest names in American light orchestral music during the middle years of the 20th century. He created a rich symphonic style of scoring that was to transform many popular melodies into minor masterpieces, and there is little doubt that he influenced many of his contemporaries. Born in Russia, in 1928 he became a naturalised American, and in the same year he began a long association with the Atlantic Broadcasting System (later CBS) which resulted in a series of very popular radio programmes which lasted from the early 1930s right through to the 1950s. His arrangements favoured light and shade, with extremely loud passages being followed (sometimes quite abruptly) by quieter phases, often involving only a few instruments. Early 78 discs found it difficult to cope, especially when the softer moments were aggravated by the hisses and crackles inherent in the poor quality pressings that were around in the 1940s due to war conditions. But that didn’t stop people from buying them: during the 1940s Columbia calculated that his sales had topped 20 million records in the USA alone. In 1950 his record company confirmed that he was their best-selling Masterworks artist, further adding to his prestige. Salvatore (‘Tutti’) Camarata (1913-2005) was an accomplished trumpet player, but he found his true musical niche during the 1930s as arranger for top bands such as Charlie Barnet, Jimmy Dorsey, Benny Goodman and Paul Whiteman. For a number of years he was musical director of ABC and Decca Records, and was a co-founder of London Records (the US arm of Britain’s Decca). He also worked for the Disney Studios and helped to establish Disneyland Records. During one of his periods based in England, in 1948 he recorded Robert Farnon’s arrangement of the famous Chopin work Fantaisie Impromptu in C sharp minor (Decca F8885 – recently reissued on Guild GLCD5101). An updated version, featuring Jane Pickles on flute, is included in the Vocalion CD "Hey There" (CDSA 6811). As well as being a respected arranger and conductor, Richard Hayman (b. 1920) 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 and Skipping Along. Percy Faith (1908-1976) 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. 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 elsewhere. At the time when The Continental was recorded, Leroy Anderson was the full-time arranger, so it seems most likely that he was responsible for this inventive score. During the post-war years, Anderson enjoyed considerable fame with his own compositions, especially Blue Tango played on this CD by the Hugo Winterhalter orchestra. During the 1950s and 60s many record companies became obsessed with albums featuring strings.  Recordings by the Victor Young Singing Strings (featured in Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo), The Castaway Strings, The San Sebastian Strings, The September Strings, The Knightsbridge Strings, The Clebanoff Strings, The Living Strings, 101 Strings and many others were released in abundance.  Capitol had the famous Hollyridge Strings created by Stu Phillips in 1964 but, like most "string" ensembles, they often included brass and woodwind, either as solo instruments or, a contradiction in terms, as complete sections of the orchestra. However, Capitol had first ventured into this genre some 11 years earlier when they commissioned Richard Jones to arrange for, and conduct, the complete string section of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, led by their famous concertmaster Samuel Thavin, in several albums which were 100% strings. Our two tracks come from their second album, "Moonlight And Violins". Billy Vaughn (1931-1991) 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 No. 1 in 1960 with Theme from ‘A Summer Place’. Nelson Riddle (1921-1985) was a trombonist during his early career, which could explain why that particular instrument was featured in some of his most inventive arrangements for Frank Sinatra. Riddle’s scores also enhanced the recording careers of many top stars, from Nat ‘King’ Cole and Dean Martin to Judy Garland and Peggy Lee. He made a few instrumental albums on his own, but one is left with the impression that he could have achieved more in this area, had he not been so successful accompanying the finest singers around. Nicholas Acquaviva was not a frequent visitor to the recording studios, but he gained recognition in the USA through his involvement with the Symphony of the Air orchestra and as conductor of the New York ‘Pops’ Symphony Orchestra. Kermit Leslie (real name Kermit Levinsky)was born in New York City, and was working as a professional musician by the time he was fourteen. In 1939 he joined Alvino Rey’s band as saxophonist and arranger, until he was conscripted during the Second World War. Later he studied harmony and counterpoint, and for a while became an arranger with Tommy Dorsey. He was a prolific composer (often with his brother Walter) with over 50 published titles to his credit, although Walter’s total is even higher. Meredith Willson (b. 1902) achieved his biggest success as composer of the Broadway musical "The Music Man" which was also turned into a popular film starring Robert Preston. Willson originally played the flute in John Philip Sousa’s band, then in the New York Philharmonic. A busy career in radio and films followed, punctuated by a spell as a major in the Armed Forces Radio Service during World War 2. Calico Square Dance is unusual in that it is actually in two keys at once. There are two basic melodies in the piece – one of them the familiar Old Joe Clark, while the other was Willson’s own creation. Gordon Jenkins (1910-1984) arranged for many of the top bands in America during the two World Wars, and he soon carved out an impressive career in radio and films. He signed with US Decca in 1945, and eventually became their managing director. Under his guidance the label had several big hits, although it has to be said that his own instrumental records sometimes disappointed. Far better were his arrangements for Nat ‘King’ Cole (especially Stardust) and Frank Sinatra (the album No One Cares). All The Things You Are comes from a collection of Jerome Kern Melodies, indicating that Jenkins could have created a far greater amount of tuneful orchestral scores, given the chance. Frank Perkins (b. 1908) has written some catchy novelties, including Kentucky Trotter, althoughone of his biggest hits was Fandango (with the benefit of an added lyric by John Bradford). David Carroll (b. 1913) was musical director of Mercury Records from 1951 to the early 1960s, during which time he accompanied many of the label’s contract singers as well as making some instrumental recordings of his own. Several of his LPs had a ‘dance’ theme, often including his own compositions, and he employed the cream of Chicago’s session musicians. Sometimes he used the solo voice of Betty Gilchrist to add an extra special dimension. For much of the 20^th century the USA acted like a magnet for numerous people facing oppression in their own homelands. Many creative artists and musicians discovered a welcome refuge where their talents could be freely expressed, and the result was a flowering of popular culture such as had never been witnessed previously. The world of light music certainly shared in this Golden Age, fuelled by emerging technologies such as radio, the cinema and eventually television. Sound recordings played a major role in the enjoyment of the masses, and they allow us to participate again in the tuneful music of that unique period in history. David Ades

Two more CDs have been added to the GUILD "Golden Age of Light Music" series. The first is a scintillating collection of recordings, mainly from 1954. The second concentrates on quiet, reflective melodies for enjoying during the less hectic times of the day.

The 1950s – Volume 2 : Midnight Matinee

1 Midnight Matinee (Len Stevens)
DANISH STATE RADIO ORCHESTRA Conducted by ROBERT FARNON
2 Postman’s Knock (Leslie Julian Jones)
WALLY STOTT AND HIS ORCHESTRA
3 The Magic Touch (Bernie Wayne)
HUGO WINTERHALTER AND HIS ORCHESTRA
4 Moonlight Fiesta (Cyril Ornadel)
WINIFRED ATWELL, piano with CYRIL ORNADEL AND HIS ORCHESTRA
5 Simonetta (Belle Fenstock, Irving Caesar)
RICHARD HAYMAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA
6 Tales of Munich (Münchner G’Schichten) (Theo Mackeben)
HAMBURG RADIO ORCHESTRA Conducted by HARRY HERMANN
7 Holiday Funfair (Jack Beaver)
DOLF VAN DER LINDEN AND HIS ORCHESTRA
8 Shadow Waltz (Paul Dubois)
NELSON RIDDLE AND HIS ORCHESTRA
9 Veradero (Bernie Wayne)
GEOFF LOVE AND HIS ORCHESTRA
10 On Fifth Avenue (Ronnie Pleydell)
RONNIE PLEYDELL AND HIS CONCERT ORCHESTRA
11 BOULEVARD WALTZ (Hillier, Hillier, Newman)
REG TILSLEY AND HIS ORCHESTRA
12 Frenchman’s Creek (Laurie Johnson)
LAURIE JOHNSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA
13 Ecstasy (Jose Belmonte)
EDMUNDO ROS AND HIS ORCHESTRA
14 Bahama Buggy Ride (Steggerda)
HUGO WINTERHALTER AND HIS ORCHESTRA
15 Poodle Parade (Robert Farnon)
DANISH STATE RADIO ORCHESTRA Conducted by ROBERT FARNON
16 Ballet of the Bells (Ray Martin)
JOHNNY DOUGLAS AND HIS ORCHESTRA
17 A Girl Called Linda (David Greer)
JEFF MORLEY AND HIS ORCHESTRA
18 Park Plaza (from the film) (Philip Green)
PHILIP GREEN and THE CAMEO PLAYERS
19 Ditto (Charles Strouse)
MICHAEL FREDERICKS AND HIS ORCHESTRA
20 Follow Me Around (Philip Green)
DOLF VAN DER LINDEN AND HIS ORCHESTRA
21 Panoramic Splendour (Trevor Duncan)
NEW CONCERT ORCHESTRA Conducted by R. de PORTEN
22 Carefree (Charles E. Henderson, Edward Heyman)
AXEL STORDAHL AND HIS ORCHESTRA
23 Palsy Walsy (George Siravo)
GEORGE SIRAVO AND HIS ORCHESTRA
24 Midnight Blue (Eric Spear)
RON GOODWIN AND HIS CONCERT ORCHESTRA
25 With Emma To Town (Anthony Collins)
LONDON PROMENADE ORCHESTRA Conducted by ANTHONY COLLINS
26 Limelight – Theme and Incidental Music (Charles Chaplin)
WALLY STOTT AND HIS ORCHESTRA

GUILD LIGHT MUSIC GLCD5111

Names such as Wally Stott, Laurie Johnson, Ron Goodwin, Trevor Duncan, Dolf van der Linden and, of course, Robert Farnon, will immediately alert readers to the fact that this is a very special collection. 1954 seems to have been a vintage year for light music on 78s & 45s, and LPs were gradually starting to make a real impact, although their high prices did tend to make collectors think twice before buying. As well as the commercial discs, the mood music companies were releasing numerous pieces that have since become miniature masterpieces of light music. It all represents a far off period when light music seemed to be so plentiful, yet you could not always purchase what you really wanted.

The first track in this collection is a case in point. Midnight Matinee was heard countless times in cinema newsreels, and its sheer exuberance sums up the carefree atmosphere of the mid-1950s, when people were finally starting to believe that the days of wartime austerity were behind them at last. The composer, Len Stevens (d. 1989), was a master at composing this kind of music; in this instance his work was recorded by Chappell & Co. but he also contributed to many other leading publishers’ mood music catalogues. Essentially a ‘backroom boy’ of the music business, Len rarely came to the public’s attention, yet he was highly regarded by his colleagues and arranged (usually anonymously) for the biggest names, including many stage musicals.

Other prime examples of quality mood music on this CD include Holiday Funfair by Jack Beaver (1900-1963) and Follow Me Around by Philip Green (1910-1982) – both played by Dolf van der Linden and his Metropole Orchestra based in Hilversum, The Netherlands. Another Chappell 78 features a catchy cameo Poodle Parade by Robert Farnon (b. 1917), who also conducts the Danish State Radio Orchestra in this, and the afore-mentioned Midnight Matinee.

The other piece of production music comes from the pen of Trevor Duncan (real name Leonard Trebilco b. 1924) who was also responsible for The Girl From Corsica and the theme for BBC TV’s "Dr. Finlay’s Casebook" – his March from A Little Suite. According to the composer himself, Panoramic Splendour was one of his most successful pieces for his publishers, Boosey & Hawkes, but it is believed that this is the first time that it has been available on a commercial recording. RFS members still recall, with great pleasure, meeting Trevor at the Bonnington Hotel last April.

Angela Morley (b. 1924) is today regarded as one of the finest arrangers and film composers. In more recent she has worked on several big budget movies (one example is the "Star Wars" series assisting John Williams), but in her early career she made numerous recordings under her former name, Wally Stott, also providing the priceless musical backings for "The Goon Show". Actually Angela appears on three tracks in this collection: she conducts Postman’s Knock, and her own arrangement of Charlie Chaplin’s music for his film "Limelight" – and using the pseudonym ‘Jeff Morley’ she arranges and conducts A Girl Called Linda by David Greer. The composer of Postman’s Knock, Leslie Julian Jones (b. 1910), does not appear to have been a prolific writer, although he is credited with having composed songs (You’ll Never Know a Love Like Mine is one example) and a revue.

The 1950s seems to have been a very busy period for the American Bernie Wayne (1919-1993). In the USA he is best known for his "Miss America" Beauty Pageant theme, and the hit song Blue Velvet. His string of instrumental successes included Vanessa, Port-au-Prince and Veradero (played on this CD by Geoff Love). The Magic Touch didn’t attract quite the same attention, maybe because there were so many good tunes around at that time. Hugo Winterhalter (1909-1973) started out writing arrangements for Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Claude Thornhill, Will Bradley and others. His prestigious appointments included a spell as Musical Director at MGM in 1948, followed by similar positions with Columbia, RCA and Kapp Records. During his spell at RCA he arranged hits for Eddie Fisher, Dinah Shore and The Ames Bros. He also made his own instrumental recordings, and his disc of Canadian Sunset (with its composer Eddie Heywood on piano) sold two million copies in 1956. Another of his hits was the American version of Ray Martin’s Blue Violins (included on Guild GLCD5105 – Great American Light Orchestras). Another Winterhalter 78 is featured here – the catchy Bahama Buggy Ride, composed by Johannes Steggerda who appears to be a Belgian writer; the American Bob Mellin added a lyric and also published the tune.

Cyril Ornadel (b. 1924) rose to prominence in Britain during the 1950s, largely due to his weekly appearances conducting the orchestra for the popular television series "Sunday Night at the London Palladium". He was MD for numerous top musicals in London’s West End, and his composing credits include the hit show "Pickwick" and the song Portrait of my Love which gave Matt Monro an international hit. Moonlight Fiesta provided pianist Winifred Atwell (1914-1983) with a fine showcase for her talents, this time on the concert grand, rather than her better known "other piano". She hailed from Trinidad and enjoyed tremendous success, topping variety bills with her records regularly reaching the top twenty. Readers are reminded that Cyril Ornadel looked back on his career in a special article in our last issue.

Belle Fenstock (b. 1914) has no less than 28 compositions listed by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), yet very few seem to be remembered today. Simonetta was very popular during the 1950s, with recordings by several top orchestras. Irving Caesar added lyrics for the vocal version. Another Fenstock creation – Safari – is featured on the Guild collection "Reflections of Tranquility" GLCD 5112. Conductor Richard Hayman (b. 1920) started at the age of 18 as a harmonica player in Borrah Minevitch’s Harmonica Rascals, but he wisely decided to concentrate more on arranging and conducting. He worked on the MGM musical "Meet Me In St. Louis" and was put under contract by Mercury Records in 1950, for whom he made many singles and albums, the best-seller being his version of Ruby from the film "Ruby Gentry". He also arranged for the Boston Pops, serving as back-up conductor for Arthur Fiedler.

Britain and America certainly did not have a monopoly of superb light orchestras during the 1950s. Germany was also blessed with many, usually tied to regional radio stations, and Harry Hermann (1899-1961) at Nord-West Deutsche Rundfunk in Hamburg fronted a large concert orchestra – as heard on the Philips 78 in this collection. At times the orchestra personnel included players of the calibre of ‘Toots’ Thielemans, Helmut Zacharias and James Last. Unfortunately it has not proved possible to identify who was responsible for the superb arrangement of Theo Mackeben’s delightful waltz Münchner G’schichten. Harry Hermann (full name Harry Hermann Spitz) often used Ulrich Sommerlatte during this period, but other strong candidates include Rudolf Kühn, Rudolf Maluck and Kurt Wege. RFS member Alexander Schatte kindly provided this information on the arrangers who were working with Harry Hermann at that time.

Clive Richardson (1909-1998) has already been featured on previous Guild Light Music CDs (his Melody on the Move from Guild GLCD 5102 is one of the finest pieces of light music ever written) but he also composed under the pseudonym ‘Paul Dubois’. Partly due to its use by the BBC as the theme for the television series "The Teckman Biography" in 1953-54, it quickly caught the public’s attention, and even achieved fame in the USA, where Nelson Riddle (1921-1985) made it one of his earliest singles for Capitol.

During the post-war years, Ronnie Pleydell (d. 1994) at one time fronted the resident band at the Hotel Bristol in Newquay, and also worked as a session musician. His recording of On Fifth Avenue comes from a rare Melodisc 78 and proves that he could also compose catchy tunes. Also from Melodisc (a label which issued very few orchestral recordings as it tended to specialise in West African music) comes Boulevard Waltz featuring Reg Tilsley, a highly respected composer, arranger and conductor. He was active in arranging and recording music library tracks (notably for De Wolfe); he also worked for a while with the pop group The Pretty Things and made a number of LP albums for Philips under the "Sounds Orchestral" banner.

Laurie Johnson (b.1927) has been a leading figure on the British entertainment scene for 50 years. A gifted arranger and composer, Laurie has contributed to films, musical theatre, radio, television and records, with his music used in many well-known productions such as "The Avengers" and "The Professionals". Frenchman’s Creek was inspired by the Daphne du Maurier novel, set in Cornwall and the subject of a Hollywood movie filmed by Paramount in 1944.

‘Jose Belmonte’ is one of a number of pseudonyms adopted by Philip Green, possibly to disguise the fact that he was one of the most prolific composers on the British music scene for around five decades. Radio, television, films, library music and numerous recordings gained him the reputation of being a workaholic – even before the term was invented. Three of his compositions are featured in this collection, each quite different in nature, but all bearing the stamp of quality that was his trademark. Ecstasy was very popular, at a time when tango music was enjoying a mini-revival, and the Edmundo Ros version is one of the best.It is among the very few recordings he made utilising a full concert orchestra rather than his normal Latin-American ensemble – two others are available on earlier Guild CDs in this series.

Ray Martin (1918-1988) has already been mentioned in these notes – in fact it would be difficult to ignore him in any survey of British light music of around 50 years ago. His tuneful pieces were often recorded by fellow conductors on other labels, and it is good to hear the alternate versions for a change, especially when they are as bright and refreshing as the Johnny Douglas (1920-2003) recording of Ballet of the Bells for Decca – although to be precise it must be stated that Martin never actually recorded this number himself.

The track Ditto is something or a rarity for several reasons. Firstly, it was issued by Polygon, a small British record company founded in 1949 by Alan Freeman: early successes included Petula Clark and Jimmy Young 78s. In 1955 it became part of the Pye label, which had been established in 1953 when it acquired 51% of Nixa. Polygon issued quite a large number of orchestral 78s, but few of them (apart from early Ray Martin and Ron Goodwin titles) ever attracted much attention. The conductor Michael Fredericks is also largely unknown, having managed to escape the reference books. But some light can be shed upon Ditto itself; it appears that the composer was Charles Strouse, and this catchy little piece was the first movement in his short suite entitled Three American Pieces for Piano.

The name Axel Stordahl (1913-1963) will be familiar to many collectors of American popular music, mainly through his backing for Frank Sinatra during a period known as the singer’s ‘Columbia years’. In 1936 he joined Tommy Dorsey as a trumpet player, and was encouraged to develop his arranging talents. He realised that his style was more suited to slow, sentimental ballads, which became his trademark. In partnership with Paul Weston, he composed Day by Day, but during his later career he tended to concentrate on leading studio bands for radio and television.

George Siravo (1916-2000) played clarinet with many of the big bands of the swing era, and he was also in demand as a free-lance arranger for the likes of Charlie Barnet, Artie Shaw and Gene Krupa. In recent years he has been credited with helping to revive Frank Sinatra’s flagging career, when he provided some of the orchestrations for the singer’s first major album ‘Songs for Young Lovers’, although the kudos went to Nelson Riddle who was brought in when the project was already partly completed. George Siravo’s contribution to this CD represents one of the rare novelty numbers that he both composed and recorded himself.

Eric Spear will forever be associated with the theme for "Coronation Street", but this was only one of many light music works he composed. Midnight Blue was intended as the ‘B’ side for a Ron Goodwin (1925-2003) 78, and this arrangement is probably by the maestro himself.

Anthony Collins (1893-1963) had already established a successful conducting career in England, before he went to the USA in 1939 where he began writing film scores for RKO in addition to conducting assignments in New York and Los Angeles. In 1944 he returned to England and worked on several British films, and concentrated on conducting classical music for concerts and recordings, including a series of Sibelius symphonies and tone poems. In the light music sphere his most enduring work has been Vanity Fair, but since this is already well represented on CD the decision has been made to feature the other side of the composer’s own Decca record - With Emma To Town.

Reflections of Tranquility

1 Shangri-La
(Carl Sigman, Matty Malneck, Robert Maxwell)
Monty Kelly and his Orchestra
2 Starry Night
(Joyce Cochrane)
Danish State Radio Orchestra conducted by Robert Farnon
3 Deserted City
(David Rose)
David Rose and his Orchestra
4 Primrose Dell
(Cecil Milner)
Harmonic Orchestra conducted by Hans May
5 Lotus Land
(Cyril Scott)
Conducted by Camarata
6 In a Calm
(Robert Farnon)
Robert Farnon and his Orchestra
7 Linden Grove
(Walter Collins)
London Promenade Orchestra conducted by Walter Collins
8 Starlight Rendezvous
(Kenneth Essex)
Louis Voss and his Orchestra
9 Beyond The Next Hill
(Bob Haymes)
Acquaviva and his Orchestra
10 Rippling Waters
(Donald Thorne, arr. Robert Busby)
Queen’s Hall Light Orchestra conducted by Robert Farnon
11 Bali H’ai
(Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers)
Monty Kelly and his Orchestra
12 Under the Stars
(Eric Coates)
Queen’s Hall Light Orchestra conducted by Charles Williams
13 Packet Boat
(Peter Dennis)
Dolf van der Linden and his Orchestra
14 Dreaming
(Archibald Joyce, arr. Sidney Torch)
Sidney Torch and his Orchestra
15 Lizard Point
(Charles Williams)
Danish State Radio Orchestra conducted by Robert Farnon
16 La Brilliante
(Bob Haymes)
Acquaviva and his Orchestra
17 Adrift in a Dream
(Angela Morley)
Danish State Radio Orchestra conducted by Robert Farnon
18 Autumn Sunshine
(Reginald King)
London Promenade Orchestra conducted by Walter Collins
19 Moon Magic
(Trevor Duncan)
New Concert Orchestra conducted by Dolf van der Linden
20 A Night of Stars
(Al Hoffman)
Richard Hayman and his Orchestra
21 Rippling Down the Mountain
(Hans May)
Harmonic Orchestra conducted by Hans May
22 How Are Things In Glocca Morra
(E.Y. Harburg, Burton Lane)
Monty Kelly and his Orchestra
23 Mid Ocean
(Robert Farnon)
Danish State Radio Orchestra conducted by Robert Farnon
24 Safari (Belle Fenstock)
David Carroll and his Orchestra

GUILD LIGHT MUSIC GLCD5112

Early last year I spent an enjoyable few days relaxing in Cornwall, staying in a charming hotel right on the seafront in a small harbour town – St. Mawes. Music was often played in the hotel lounge, but it didn’t always suit the idyllic scene in the harbour outside. It didn’t help that the hotel only seemed to have two or three CDs, which kept getting repeated! It made me think that there must be many similar situations where people would enjoy relaxing, yet tuneful music that could be appreciated if you listened carefully, but which would not be intrusive if you were doing other things. So I decided that I would try to compile a selection featuring the kind of music I would have liked to have heard during that holiday, and the result is the new Guild CD "Reflections of Tranquility". I should add that it is not essential that you need to be on holiday to enjoy the music: hopefully it will be enjoyed at any time of the day when some peaceful moments seem appropriate.

The opening melody Shangri-La was composed by two talented Americans – harpist Robert Maxwell (b. 1921) and jazz violinist Matty Malneck (1904-1981). Although written in 1946, the tune didn’t attract much attention until Monty Kelly recorded it in 1954, followed by The Four Coins; Robert Maxwell’s own disc – plus a vocal version by The Lettermen – gave it a fresh lease of life a decade later. Maxwell’s biggest hit was Ebb Tide (for which Carl Sigman [1909-2000] also wrote the lyrics), which took Frank Chacksfield to No. 2 in the US charts, an unusual event for an instrumental record. Malneck already had a string of successes to his name, notably Goody Goody, I’m Through With Love and Stairway To The Stars.

Joyce Cochrane composed several popular melodies during the 1940s and 1950s, one of her biggest successes being Honey Child which enjoyed a vocal recording by Gracie Fields as well as an orchestral version arranged by Robert Farnon (on Guild GLCD5104). In 1950 her song You’re Only Dreaming was included in the Ealing film "Dance Hall" which featured the Ted Heath and Geraldo orchestras on screen.

David Rose (1910-1990) was born in London, England, and the family moved to the USA when he was just four-years-old. In 1943 he had a big hit with his own composition Holiday For Strings which firmly launched him as a light music composer in the eyes of the public. By the late '40s he was a regular on Red Skelton's radio show, moving with him into television. He later wrote scores and themes for over 20 television series and won Emmy awards for his 14 year stint on "Bonanza", 10 years with "Little House On The Prairie" and his work on three much-acclaimed Fred Astaire specials. Rose had a worldwide smash hit in 1962 with another of his own tunes, a humorous and satirical piece called The Stripper. He had actually composed this four years previously for a television show called "Burlesque", and it gathered dust on his record company’s shelves until they needed a ‘B’ side for Ebb Tide. A Los Angeles disc jockey picked it up, and the rest – as they say – is musical history.

Cecil Milner was a respected backroom boy in London music circles, arranging for many top orchestras such as Mantovani, for whom he supplied around 220 scores. He was also an accomplished composer, with his works willingly accepted by background music publishers such as Harmonic, who issued Primrose Dell on one of their mood music 78 discs in 1949. In the cinema he worked on the 1938 film "The Lady Vanishes". Cecil Milner’s nephew Timothy Milner is a member of our Society, and we met him at our London meeting last November.

Cyril Scott (1879-1970) was highly praised for his composing talents during the early part of the twentieth century, and was often compared with Vaughan Williams, Arnold Bax, Percy Grainger and Claude Debussy who described him as "…one of the rarest artists of the present generation". George Bernard Shaw apparently once told Elgar that he had become "… quite daring in your harmonies of late", to which Elgar is supposed to have replied: "Yes, but don’t forget it was Scott who started it all". It is therefore somewhat surprising that he is relatively little known today, and the sheer beauty of Lotus Land makes one wish that there were dozens of similar orchestral works still being performed. Scott is reputed to have been an infant prodigy on the piano, and in addition to music (he also lectured and wrote extensively) he displayed a keen interest in poetry and philosophy. Happily he lived long enough to enjoy the respect accorded to his music: in 1969 Chicago Conservatory of Music gave him an Honorary Music Doctorate.

Robert Joseph Farnon (b. 1917) had a distinguished career in Canadian Radio during the 1930s, eventually taking over Percy Faith’s CBC Orchestra when Faith went to the USA in 1940. During World War II, as Captain Robert Farnon, he was posted to Britain in 1944 as conductor of the Canadian Band of the Allied Expeditionary Forces, working alongside Glenn Miller and George Melachrino, who fronted the American and British bands. After the war, Farnon remained in Britain where he quickly established himself in radio, records, films and television. His gift for composition resulted in hundreds of his works being accepted for the background music library operated by the London publishers Chappells, and many of his catchy themes (notably Jumping Bean and Portrait of a Flirt) became instantly recognisable worldwide. In his later career he has been in demand to arrange and conduct for major international starts such as Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, Tony Bennett, Lena Horne and George Shearing. His compositions embrace many musical styles, from classical to jazz, but it is perhaps his beautifully crafted light orchestral cameos that have gained him the greatest public acclaim.

Walter R. Collins is remembered for his days as the distinguished Musical Director of the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-on-Sea, and also for conducting the London Promenade Orchestra for the Paxton Recorded Music Library during the 1940s. Earlier, in 1928, his own orchestra was sufficiently well respected to undertake a tour in Germany, and during his long career he was a prolific composer and arranger.

Kenneth Essex (real name Rufus Isaacs) seemed to have a gift of being able to composer numerous bright and frothy numbers, and his works were published by many mood music companies. Some of his other pseudonyms include Derek Dwyer, Howitt Hale and Claude Vane.

Bob Haymes (b. 1922) appeared as an actor in films during the 1930s and 1940s, and he also had a famous older brother – the singer Dick Haymes. Bob dabbled in songwriting, his biggest hit being That’s All. Clearly he was also adept at light music, and the American conductor Nicolas Acquaviva recorded several of his works.

Donald James DeanThorne (1901-1967) spent his early musical career as a pianist for dances at the Savoy, Berkeley and Claridges hotels in London, as well as providing arrangements of popular tunes to leading bands such as Jack Hylton, Henry Hall, Jack Payne, Roy Fox, Debroy Somers and Carroll Gibbons. In 1934 he joined Granada Theatres at Tooting and Maidstone as a theatre organist, and thereafter spent much of his time at various venues on the circuit. Following war service he continued playing on electronic organs, one of his prestige bookings being aboard RMS Queen Mary. Rippling Waters was chosen by the BBC as one of its interludes in the early days of television (fish in an aquarium), but his other compositions (including a suite "Lights of London") are rarely heard. He wrote a few pieces for military band, and also composed under the pseudonyms Eric Denville and August Leserve.

Richard Rodgers (1902-1979) really needs no introduction to music lovers. As one of America’s foremost composers of the 20^th century, his music ranges from top musicals such as Carousel and The Sound Of Music, to highly regarded documentaries like NBC Television’s "Victory At Sea".

Eric Coates (1886-1957) was a successful composer of ballads in the early years of the last century, before devoting all his energies to light music. He was particularly adept at writing catchy melodies that appealed as BBC signatures tunes, the most famous being Knightsbridge from "London Suite" (used as the opening and closing music for "In Town Tonight"), By The Sleepy Lagoon ("Desert Island Discs") and Calling All Workers ("Music While You Work"). In 1954 he provided the memorable march for the war film "The Dam Busters", and his vast body of work is still attracting the attention of the new generation of conductors, resulting in welcome performances in the concert hall and on disc.

Peter Dennis hides the true identity of Dennis Alfred Berry, who also composed (sometimes in collaboration with others) under names such as Frank Sterling, Charles Kenbury and Michael Rodney. For part of the 1950s he ran the Paxton library, but also contributed titles to other publishers. Eventually he formed his own companies Berry Music and the Conroy Recorded Music Library, now part of KPM Music.

Archibald Joyce (1873-1963) learned the piano and violin as a child, and much of his life as a professional musician involved playing in ballrooms, theatres and the concert hall, especially before and after the First World War. Indeed his own orchestra was held in such high esteem that it played for Royalty and at major state occasions, and through his many compositions Joyce became known as ‘The English Waltz King’. He was also adept at writing marches, no doubt partly due to the influence of his father, who was a band sergeant with the Grenadier Guards. Unlike his contemporaries Eric Coates and Haydn Wood, Archibald Joyce did not allow his composing style to move with the times, preferring instead to believe that his music was intended for dancing, rather than listening. The millions who recognise his melody Dreaming (even if they do not know the name) would surely disagree.

Charles Williams(real name Isaac Cozerbreit, 1893-1978) began his career accompanying silent films, then played violin under the batons of Beecham and Elgar. Right from the start of the ‘talkies’, he provided scores for numerous British films, and his Dream Of Olwen is still remembered long after the film in which it appeared – "While I Live". In 1960 he topped the American charts with his theme for the film "The Apartment", although in reality the producers had resurrected one of his earlier works Jealous Lover which originally came from a rarely-seen 1949 British movie "The Romantic Age". By far the greatest volume of his composing skills was employed in mood music, providing hundreds of varied works for the London publishers Chappells alone, including the evocative Lizard Point.

Angela Morley (b. 1924) 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 dedicated to Robert Farnon. She recalls 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.

Angela quickly developed her own distinctive style which has won her so much praise, and numerous light pieces have since flowed from her pen. In her later career she has been much in demand for film scores, and has also assisted leading composers on major projects – working with John Williams on "Star Wars" being a prime example.

Reginald Claude McMahon King (1904-1991) was an accomplished pianist, who performed under the baton of Sir Henry Wood at the Proms soon after he completed his studies at London’s Royal Academy. In 1927 he took an orchestra into Swan & Edgar’s restaurant at their Piccadilly Circus store, where they remained until 1939. During this period he also started broadcasting regularly, and he made numerous recordings, often featuring his own attractive compositions. He made his last broadcast in 1964, but during a long retirement he continued composing until shortly before his death. One of his major works, the concert overture The Immortals, was featured on Guild GLCD5106 spotlighting music of the 1930s.

Trevor Duncan (real name Leonard Trebilco, b. 1924) was working as a BBC sound engineer when one of his first compositions, High Heels, made the light music world sit up and take notice. Eventually his successful and prolific output mushroomed to such an extent that he had to give up his ‘day job’ at the BBC, and also find several different publishers simply because he was writing too much for just one to handle. Girl From Corsica and his March from "A Little Suite" (used as the theme for BBC TV’s "Dr. Finlay’s Casebook") were two more big hits with the public, but a vast amount of his work still remains undiscovered, and Moon Magic is just one such piece.

American pop composer Al Hoffman (1902-1960) wrote hit songs and scores for Broadway and Hollywood from the 1930s until he died. His early hits included Heartaches, I Apologize, Auf Wiedersehen My Dear, I'm in a Dancing Mood and I Saw Stars. Hoffman came to England in 1934 to write for the stage and cinema, staying until 1937. He collaborated with Mack David on the score of Disney's "Cinderella" (1949).

Hans May (real name Johann Mayer, d.1959) was a Viennese-born composer and music director who devoted much of his musical life to composing for the screen and stage. Initially he worked in the German film industry, but in 1935 relocated to France, before eventually settling in England in 1937. His numerous films included scores for the Boulting Brothers, Gainsborough Films and the Rank Organisation, and he conducted numerous 78s for the Harmonic Music Library which was established in the mid-1940s. In his later career he concentrated more on stage productions, including "Carissima" in collaboration with Eric Maschwitz.

American composer Burton Lane (real name Burton Levy, 1912-1997) wrote numerous hit songs for Broadway musicals and Hollywood movies. In 1934 he is supposed to have discovered 11-year-old Frances Gumm, who later changed her name to Judy Garland.

The final track in this collection features Safari by the American Belle Fenstock (b. 1914). Her best-known number Simonetta was very popular during the 1950s, with recordings by several top orchestras, and Richard Hayman’s version appears on Guild GLCD5111 – "The 1950’s Volume 2".

David Ades