Alternatively
Crotchet   AmazonUK

After all the many and various themes selected for previous issues in The Golden Age of Light Music series, this disc follows the tried and trusted theme of music linked to countries or parts of the world. Given the rich store of pieces with suitable titles, most making use of a variety of pastiche melodies and rhythms as well as piquant instrumental effects this was almost bound to be a success. So indeed it is. Some of the works will be familiar, including Gilbert Vinter’s “Portuguese Party” in a lively performance by the Stuttgart Radio Orchestra and Morton Gould’s arrangement of the “Mexican Hat Dance”, but others will be much less familiar. Almost every item manages to establish its character quickly and effectively, and many have the kind of catchy or memorable melody which marks out a winner in light music of this type.
 
Only two tracks disappointed me. The essence of playing the music of Ketèlbey convincingly is to make the most of the opportunities for local character and colour. The performance here of “In the Mystic Land of Egypt” is pleasant and professional but tastefully avoids going over the top in its effects. As many of the various recordings of this composer’s music reissued by Naxos show, the opposite approach yields greater dividends. Much better to revel in all the special effects suggested by the composer – possibly even adding a few extra. - and in the frankly corny tunes,
 
The other disappointment was less of a surprise. I have no objection in principle to raiding other composer’s music to produce new works. Composers as varied as Stravinsky, Foss and Schoenberg have all shown this. “Song of Norway” however merely takes some of Grieg’s best works and coarsens them without adding anything of interest. I found this item all but unbearable, but fortunately it is followed by Quilter’s English Dances, all too rarely played but very welcome, especially in this context.
 
I have taken too long describing the two tracks that disappoint. All of the rest is to a greater or lesser extent worth hearing, and much of it much more than that if you have a taste for this kind of music. This is certainly one of the best in a valuable series, and will surely lead to second volume visiting the musical styles of a variety of countries with similar abandon.
 
John Sheppard

Performer details
Stuttgart Radio Orchestra, Kurt Rehfeld (conductor) (1,8)
Ray Ventura and his Orchestra (2)
Fred Hartley and his Orchestra (3)
Cédric Dumont and his Orchestra (4)
The Melachrino Orchestra, George Melachrino (conductor) (5)
Arturo Chaite and his Orchestra (6)
Reg Owen and his Orchestra (7)
Joe Loss and his Orchestra (9)
New Symphony Orchestra, Stanford Robinson (conductor) (10)
Danish State Radio Orchestra, Robert Farnon (conductor) (11)
Richard Hayman and his Orchestra (12)
Jackie Brown and his Orchestra (13)
Orchestre Raymonde (14)
Rochester Pops, Morton Gould (conductor) (15)
Monty Kelly and his Orchestra (16)
Morton Gould and his Orchestra (17)
Frank de Vol and his Orchestra (18)
Palace Theatre Symphony Orchestra, Gideon Fagan (conductor) (19)
New Concert Orchestra, Rae Jenkins (conductor) (20)
New Century Orchestra, Sydney Torch (conductor) (21)

Return to Review Index