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CD Review
The Golden Age of British Light Music
Reflections of Tranquility
- Al Hoffman: A Night of Stars by Richard Hayman and His Orchestra
- Angela Morley: Adrift in a Dream by Danish State Radio Orchestra/Robert Farnon
- Archibald Joyce: Dreaming by Sidney Torch and His Orchestra
- Belle Fenstock: Safari by David Carroll and His Orchestra
- Bob Haymes:
- Beyond the next hill by Acquaviva and His Orchestra
- La Brilliante by Acquaviva and His Orchestra
- Burton Lane: How are things in Glocca Morra? by Monty Kelly and His Orchestra
- Cecil Milner: Primrose Dell by Harmonic Orchestra/Hans May
- Charles Williams: Lizard Point by Danish State Radio Orchestra/Robert Farnon
- Cyril Scott: Lotus Land by Camarata
- David Rose: Deserted City by David Rose and His Orchestra
- Donald Thorne: Rippling Waters by Queen's Hall Light Orchestra/Robert Farnon
- Eric Coates: Under the Stars by Queen's Hall Light Orchestra/Charles Williams
- Hans May: Rippling down the mountain by Harmonic Orchestra/Hans May
- Joyce Cochrane: Starry Night by Danish State Radio Orchestra/Robert Farnon
- Rufus Isaacs: Starlight Rendezvous by Louis Voss and His Orchestra
- Matty Malneck / Robert Maxwell: Shangri-La by Monty Kelly and His Orchestra
- Peter Dennis: Packet Boat by Dolf van der Linden and his orchestra
- Reginald King: Autumn Sunshine by London Promenade Orchestra/Walter Collins
- Richard Rodgers: Bali H'ai by Monty Kelly and His Orchestra
- Robert Farnon:
- In a Calm by Robert Farnon and His Orchestra
- Mid Ocean by Danish State Radio Orchestra/Robert Farnon
- Trevor Duncan: Moon Magic by New Concert Orchestra/Dolf van der Linden
- Walter Collins: Linden Grove by London Promenade Orchestra/Walter Collins
Guild Light Music GLCD5112 77m ADD
This is the 12th CD in Guild's absolutely charming series dedicated to The Golden Age of British Light Music. The title 'Reflections of Tranquillity' is suitably apt as the pieces chosen here have a sense of old world romantic charm about them and are at times unbearably nostalgic such as in the case of Robert Farnon's 'In a Calm'
There are a number of orchestras here which also remind us of those days when everything was calmer and more sedate. Sidney Torch, Monty Kelly, Robert Farnon himself and Walter Collins were all stalwarts in their day and the lovely pieces recorded here are definitely fine memorials of their art.
In his usual indefatigable manner, David Ades manages to conjure a mix of the familiar and the almost totally unknown. There is Eric Coates' classic 'Under the Stars', and Joyce's 'dreaming' but I confess that I was completely unaware of such obscure pieces as Haymes' 'Beyond the Next Hill' or Hans May's 'Rippling Down the Mountain'. However the compilation fits together so seamlessly that it would be rather impertinent to keep on discussing individual items.
David Ades' notes continue to make essential reading for the lover of this genre and this is fast superseding Dutton Laboratories' equally magnificent efforts in this field with their volumes on the Queen's Hall Light Orchestra, Mantovani and other stalwarts such as George Melachrino and Robert Farnon. Guild's remastering is predictably excellent and I would urge all those lovers of this beautiful genre to snap this CD up without delay.
Copyright © 2005, Gerald Fenech
