Notes and Editorial Reviews
The name of Eric Coates has been synonymous with English light music for decades. These works have retained their popularity worldwide over the years largely because of recordings like this and the Marco Polo British light music series. Never mind that nearly all of Coates?s music sounds similar, whether it is in the form of a suite, phantasy, waltz, or march. In
The Three Men
suite, ?The Man from the Country,? ?The Man about Town,? and ?The Man from the Sea? musically sound like the same person despite slightly different tempos and orchestration. Coates is primarily known for his
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style="font-style:italic">London
suite (unfortunately not recorded here), but the
London Again
suite is structurally similar and may even be better. The second movement Elegie is absolutely gorgeous with its tolling bells, gongs, and organ-like sonorities.
The Selfish Giant
reveals a remarkable and not-too-subtle thematic resemblance to a theme from Erich Wolfgang Korngold?s score for
The Sea Hawk
, composed several years later. Needless to say this fantasy has an enchanting, wistful, and very civilized charm. There is even a brief moment of drama at the stroke of midnight in the
Cinderella
fantasy.
And so it goes with this collection of delectable works. Recordings of Coates?s music have periodically surfaced over the years, and most of them are quite good. If a conductor is interested enough to record it, the results are usually fine. John Wilson and the orchestra take the music seriously, but always maintain a quicksilver light touch and never over inflate it. The sound is excellent in every way. The orchestra is recorded in a natural concert hall setting with a realistic sense of depth and none of the artificial instrumental spotlighting that you often hear in crossover collections and film scores. If you like these charming miniatures and need a new recording, you certainly won?t go wrong here.
FANFARE: Arthur Lintgen
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Works on This Recording
1.
London Again by Eric Coates
Conductor:
John Wilson
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1936; England
Venue: Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, England
Length: 15 Minutes 35 Secs.
Notes: Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, England (10/07/2003 - 10/08/2003)
2.
Footlights Waltz by Eric Coates
Conductor:
John Wilson
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: England
Venue: Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, England
Length: 5 Minutes 51 Secs.
Notes: Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, England (10/07/2003 - 10/08/2003)
3.
The Selfish Giant by Eric Coates
Conductor:
John Wilson
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1925; England
Venue: Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, England
Length: 10 Minutes 44 Secs.
Notes: Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, England (10/07/2003 - 10/08/2003)
4.
Cinderella by Eric Coates
Conductor:
John Wilson
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1929; England
Venue: Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, England
Length: 16 Minutes 38 Secs.
Notes: Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, England (10/07/2003 - 10/08/2003)
5.
Summer Days by Eric Coates
Conductor:
John Wilson
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1919; England
Venue: Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, England
Length: 11 Minutes 38 Secs.
Notes: Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, England (10/07/2003 - 10/08/2003)
6.
TV March by Eric Coates
Conductor:
John Wilson
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1946
Venue: Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, England
Length: 3 Minutes 32 Secs.
Notes: Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, England (10/07/2003 - 10/08/2003)
7.
The Three Men by Eric Coates
Conductor:
John Wilson
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1935; England
Venue: Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, England
Length: 14 Minutes 32 Secs.
Notes: Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, England (10/07/2003 - 10/08/2003)
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