Golden Age Of Light Music - The 1940s

In retrospect, the 1940s are something of an enigma as far as Light Music is concerned. Early in the decade the kind of traditional – one might say almost genteel – sounds that had entertained generations since the late 1800s were still around, but World War II quickly brought about a change that could have consigned light orchestras to musical history had it not been for two important factors: first, a group of talented composers with a fresh approach emerged on both sides of the Atlantic; and second, the arrival of the Long Playing record stimulated a massive demand for all kinds of music, especially lush orchestral albums that would sell in the millions. This “fresh approach” to light music, can be credited to the likes of Robert Farnon Read more working in Britain and David Rose working in America. If one single work had to be chosen as “breaking the mold” during the 1940s as far as Light Music is concerned, then it would probably be Holiday for Strings by David Rose. Another memorable work that created a similar stir was Robert Farnon’s Portrait of a Flirt. Had neither of these great talents arrived on the scene, it is not fanciful to suggest that other “giants” such as George Melachrino, Percy Faith, Frank Chacksfield and Ron Goodwin would have had to struggle much harder to get their own music commercially recorded. This collection of varied recordings attempts to offer a “snapshot” of the Light Music scene in the 1940s.(ADD MONO 76:41)

Contents:

1.

Music In The Air (Lloyd, arr. Torch) – QUEEN’S HALL LIGHT ORCHESTRA/SIDNEY TORCH

[3:07]

2.

Just One Of Those Things (Porter) – BILLY TERNENT & HIS ORCHESTRA

[2:34]

3.

Melody On The Move (Richardson) – QUEEN’S HALL LIGHT ORCHESTRA/CHARLES WILLIAMS

[2:45]

4.

Out Of My Dreams (Rodgers, Hammerstein II) – THE GERALDO STRING ORCHESTRA

[3:11]

5.

Linda Chilena (Orefiche, Connelly) – THE STANLEY BLACK ORCHESTRA

[3:17]

6.

Laura (Raksin) – MORTON GOULD & HIS ORCHESTRA

[3:24]

7.

Golliwog’s Cakewalk (Debussy, arr. Douglas) – MAYFAIR ORCHESTRA/WALTER GOEHR

[2:27]

8.

Manhattan Square Dance (Rose) – DAVID ROSE & HIS ORCHESTRA

[2:22]

9.

Runaway Rocking Horse (White) – ORCHESTRE RAYMONDE/ROBERT PRESTON

[3:05]

10.

Woodland Revel (Melachrino) – MELACHRINO ORCHESTRA/GEORGE MELACHRINO

[3:09]

11.

Music for Romance (Sherwin, Maschwitz) – ALBERT SANDLER & HIS PALM COURT ORCHESTRA

[2:52]

12.

Canadian Caravan (Farnon) – QUEEN’S HALL LIGHT ORCHESTRA/CHARLES WILLIAMS

[2:50]

13.

Waltz from “TheThree Bears” (Coates) – QUEEN’S HALL LIGHT ORCHESTRA/ERIC COATES

[3:09]

14.

Metropolis (Brown) – NEW CENTURY ORCHESTRA/SIDNEY TORCH

[2:31]

15.

Gorgeous Hussy (Gray) – THE HARMONIC ORCHESTRA.HANS MAY

[2:53]

16.

Ascot Enclosure (Yorke) – QUEEN’S HALL LIGHT ORCHESTRA/CHARLES WILLIAMS

[3:00]

17.

Ten Green Bottles (Trad. arr. Hanmer) – BBC VARIETY ORCHESTRA/CHARLES SHADWELL

[3:04]

18.

Wagon Lit (Torch) – QUEEN’S HALL LIGHT ORCHESTRA/SIDNEY TORCH

[3:02]

19.

Roving Fancies (Wood) – THE REGENT CLASSIC ORCHESTRA

[3:04]

20.

“The Way To The Stars” – Film Themes (Brodszky) – TWO CITIES SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA/CHARLES WILLIAMS

[6:38]

21.

Theatreland (Strachey) – NEW CONCERT ORCHESTRA/JAY WILBUR

[3:06]

22.

Dancing Tambourine (Polla, arr. Gould) – ROBIN HOOD DELL ORCHESTRA/MORTON GOULD

[2:58]

23.

“Blue Skies” – Selection Irving Berlin) – Blue Skies, Always, Heat Wave, Getting Nowhere,A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody, You Keep Coming Back Like A Song, Blue Skies –LOUIS LEVY & HIS MUSIC FROM THE MOVIES

[8:03]

Read less

1. Music in the Air by Byron Lloyd

Conductor: Sidney Torch
Orchestra/Ensemble: Queen's Hall Light Orchestra

2. Jubilee: Just one of those things by Cole Porter

Conductor: Billy Ternent
Orchestra/Ensemble: Billy Ternert
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1935; USA

3. Melody on the Move by Clive Richardson

Conductor: Charles Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble: Queen's Hall Light Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: England

4. Oklahoma!: Out of My Dreams by Richard Rodgers

Orchestra/Ensemble: Geraldo String Orchestra
Written: 1943

5. Children's Corner: no 6, Golliwogg's Cake-walk by Claude Debussy

Conductor: Walter Goehr
Orchestra/Ensemble: Mayfair Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1906-1908; France

6. The Runaway Rocking-Horse by Edward White

Conductor: Robert Preston
Orchestra/Ensemble: Orchestre Raymonde
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1946; England

7. Betsy: Blue Skies by Irving Berlin

Conductor: Louis Levy
Orchestra/Ensemble: Louis Levy Concert Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1927; USA

Featured Popular Composers

Featured Popular Conductors

Featured Popular Performers

Featured Popular Ensembles

Featured Popular Labels

Golden Age Of Light Music - The 1940s

Notes and Editorial Reviews

Works on This Recording

Customer Reviews

1.	Music In The Air (Lloyd, arr. Torch) – QUEEN’S HALL LIGHT ORCHESTRA/SIDNEY TORCH	[3:07]
2.	Just One Of Those Things (Porter) – BILLY TERNENT & HIS ORCHESTRA	[2:34]
3.	Melody On The Move (Richardson) – QUEEN’S HALL LIGHT ORCHESTRA/CHARLES WILLIAMS	[2:45]
4.	Out Of My Dreams (Rodgers, Hammerstein II) – THE GERALDO STRING ORCHESTRA	[3:11]
5.	Linda Chilena (Orefiche, Connelly) – THE STANLEY BLACK ORCHESTRA	[3:17]
6.	Laura (Raksin) – MORTON GOULD & HIS ORCHESTRA	[3:24]
7.	Golliwog’s Cakewalk (Debussy, arr. Douglas) – MAYFAIR ORCHESTRA/WALTER GOEHR	[2:27]
8.	Manhattan Square Dance (Rose) – DAVID ROSE & HIS ORCHESTRA	[2:22]
9.	Runaway Rocking Horse (White) – ORCHESTRE RAYMONDE/ROBERT PRESTON	[3:05]
10.	Woodland Revel (Melachrino) – MELACHRINO ORCHESTRA/GEORGE MELACHRINO	[3:09]
11.	Music for Romance (Sherwin, Maschwitz) – ALBERT SANDLER & HIS PALM COURT ORCHESTRA	[2:52]
12.	Canadian Caravan (Farnon) – QUEEN’S HALL LIGHT ORCHESTRA/CHARLES WILLIAMS	[2:50]
13.	Waltz from “TheThree Bears” (Coates) – QUEEN’S HALL LIGHT ORCHESTRA/ERIC COATES	[3:09]
14.	Metropolis (Brown) – NEW CENTURY ORCHESTRA/SIDNEY TORCH	[2:31]
15.	Gorgeous Hussy (Gray) – THE HARMONIC ORCHESTRA.HANS MAY	[2:53]
16.	Ascot Enclosure (Yorke) – QUEEN’S HALL LIGHT ORCHESTRA/CHARLES WILLIAMS	[3:00]
17.	Ten Green Bottles (Trad. arr. Hanmer) – BBC VARIETY ORCHESTRA/CHARLES SHADWELL	[3:04]
18.	Wagon Lit (Torch) – QUEEN’S HALL LIGHT ORCHESTRA/SIDNEY TORCH	[3:02]
19.	Roving Fancies (Wood) – THE REGENT CLASSIC ORCHESTRA	[3:04]
20.	“The Way To The Stars” – Film Themes (Brodszky) – TWO CITIES SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA/CHARLES WILLIAMS	[6:38]
21.	Theatreland (Strachey) – NEW CONCERT ORCHESTRA/JAY WILBUR	[3:06]
22.	Dancing Tambourine (Polla, arr. Gould) – ROBIN HOOD DELL ORCHESTRA/MORTON GOULD	[2:58]
23.	“Blue Skies” – Selection Irving Berlin) – Blue Skies, Always, Heat Wave, Getting Nowhere,A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody, You Keep Coming Back Like A Song, Blue Skies –LOUIS LEVY & HIS MUSIC FROM THE MOVIES	[8:03]