All arrangers cheerfully ignore a famous misstatement by Constant Lambert, to the effect that the only thing one can do after playing a folk tune is play it again louder. Quite the contrary. One can play it quietly. One can set another tune against it in counterpoint. One can use few or many instruments, altering the color. One can change major chords to minor, and minor to major, alter note values, and indeed tamper with it in every conceivable way, until it turns into something quite different. Finally, one can invent some new tunes, fanfares, or codas to set the original tune off handsomely. I list this catalog because it fairly describes the robust practices of these British arrangers/composers.

The Royal Ballet Sinfonia is the resident orchestra of the Birmingham Royal Ballet, a guest orchestra for other ballet companies, a concert orchestra, and, as demonstrated here, a recording orchestra. They play with gusto and polish, responding to their young conductor, Gavin Sutherland, who must relish this type of music. This excellent recording was accomplished in May 2003. With its fine tunes, imaginative arrangements, rousing performances, and generous playing time, the disc earns a very high recommendation.

Robert McColley, FANFARE