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)
GUILD LIGHT MUSIC
GLCD5141 [77:26]
