Bill WORLAND
Orchestral
Works
RTE Concert
Orchestra/Gavin
Sutherland
MARCO POLO British
Light Music
8.225161
Crotchet AmazonUK
AmazonUS
Shopping Spree
01. Shopping Spree 03:21
02. Latin Lover 02:50
03. In The Shadow of Vesuvius 08:18
04. Peptia 02:09
05. Scottish Power 07:31
06. Sombrero 02:52
07. Brighton Belle 02:39
08. Happy Hacienda 02:27
09. Bossa Romantica 04:38
Dreaming Spires
10. Dreaming Spires 03:39
Suite: Tres Senoritas
11. Miguela 03:10
12. Carlotta 03:59
13. Conchita 03:17
Rhapsodie Tristesse (Dedicated to Daisy)
14. Rhapsode Tristesse (Dedicated To Daisy) 05:33
15. Millennium - A Celebration March 04:30
16. Amaro Dolce 05:02
17. It's Spring Again 03:44
18. Leeds Castle 04:24
To Eleanor
19. To Eleanor 03:49
In reviewing Bill Worland's memoirs 'Fumble Four Bars In' (British Music
Society News 80 page 246) I said I would love to hear some of his music.
Now, courtesy of Marco Polo and the highly accomplished RTE Orchestra,
brilliantly directed by the young Gavin Sutherland, I have my wish. Worland,
born in 1921, was a pianist in dance bands and light orchestras either side
of the Second War and turned his hand to composition at a time when British
light music was going into something of a decline in public appreciation.
He is not easily discouraged, however, and has continued composing, achieving
broadcast and some live performances and now a CD to himself in Marco Polo's
admirable series. And an attractive one it is, too, and quite varied. Worland,
like not a few light music composers, derives inspiration from Latin American
and Spanish rhythms, as we can hear from the Tres Señoritas suite
and the movements Latin Lovers, Pepita, Sombrero, Happy
Hacienda and Bossa Romantica, all in this disc, all tuneful and
entertaining. I also enjoyed In the Shadow of Vesuvius, a suite, or
sequence in several sections, which conveys the colour of Italy nicely. But
Worland can portray British scenes and people too; Scottish Power,
another suite/sequence, Dreaming Spires, Leeds Castle, To
Eleanor (wife of Edward I) and the moving Rhapsody Tristesse,
dedicated to his one time piano teacher. As he says in his insert notes the
lively Shopping Spree (track 1) was reckoned to resemble Robert Farnon.
Indeed it does; Worland's piece of train music is Farnonish too - hardly
surprising in view of Farnon's long-held, high status in light music this
side of the Atlantic. Some of the music, like Millennium Celebration March
and Scottish Power, have been recently composed, for the recording
in fact. Bill Worland will be a new experience for many of you, but hopefully
an enjoyable one. I hope there is more to come from his pen.
Philip Scowcroft
