Agustín Barrios Mangoré (1885-1944) - Vidalita / Contemplación / Villancico de Navidad / Valse op. 8, Nr. 3 / El Sueño de la Muñequita / Un Sueño en la Floresta / Valse op.8, Nr. 4 / Choro da Saudade et.al
Michael Erin / Royal Classics Strings
Volkmar Andreae (1879-1962) - String Quartet in E flat major / Six Piano Pieces for Two Hands, Op. 20 / String Trio in D minor, Op. 29 / Violin Sonata in D major, Op. 4
The Locrian Emsemble of London
Three Pieces / Lyric Sonata, Op.63 / Phantasy, Op.5 / Sonata No.1 in E / Almayne – Slow and broad / Suite, Op.101
Robery Atchison, violin / Olga Dudnik, piano
Donald Francis Tovey (1875-1940) - Piano Trio, Op.27 / Sonata Eroica for solo violin, Op.29 / Piano Quartet, Op.12
London Piano Trio / Robert Atchison, violin / Ormesby Ensemble
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) - Goldberg Variations, BWV988 / Alfred Schnittke (1934-1998) - String Trio (1985)
Goldberg Trio Lucerne
Meinrad Schütter (1910-2006) - Bap nos (Vater unser/Our Father) / Gregorianischer Choral - Resurrexi, et adhuc tecum sum, alleluia Antiphona ad introitum / Meinrad Schütter (1910-2006) - Grosse Messe für gemischten Chor, Soli und Orgel / Christian Henking (B.1961) - Ich bin ein schwebendes Luftblatt für 16-stimmigen Chor und Harfe / Leoš Janácek (1854-1928) - Otce náš (JW IV/29) (1901/06) Kantate für Tenor, Chor, Orgel & Harfe
Capella Nova - Raphael Immoos / Susanne Doll, Organ / Vera Schinder, harp
Joaquín Rodrigo (1901-1999) -Tres canciones españolas / Aranjuez, ma pensée / Joaquín Turina (1882-1949) -Sevillana, Op.29 / Luigi Boccherini (1743-1805) -Introduction & Fandango / Sérgio Assad (b.1952) -Valsa de outono / Radamés Gnattali (1906-1988) -Sonata for guitar & cello Giulio Regondi (1822-1872) -Introduction et caprice, Op.23 / Martin Derungs (b.1943) -Elegie, op.59 / Peter Wettstein (b.1939) -Skizzen / Ludwig Senfl (1486-1542/3) -Carmen / Lamentatio / Mag ich Unglück nit widerstahn / Ach Elselein, liebes Elselein
Admir Doci, guitar, Leila Pfister, mezzo, Mattia Zappa, cello, Martin Derungs, Harpsichord, Matthias Weilenmann, recorder
Joseph Haydn (1722-1809) - Symphony No.45 in F-sharp minor 'Farewell / Frank Martin (1890-1974) - Pavane couleur du temps / Wladimir Vogel (1896-1984) -'Abschied' - 'Farewell' / Herman Haller (1914-2002) - 'Abschied' - 'Farewell' for soprano & string orchestra, Op.59 / Hans Schaeuble (1906-1988) - Symphony for Strings & Timpani, Op.27 'In memoriam'
Camerata Zurich Orchestra - Marc Kissoczy / Barbara Böhi, soprano
Michel Corrette (1707-1795) - Preludio Grand jeu (aus dem Premier Livre d'Orgue 1737) / Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) - Leipziger Chorälen - Nun komm der Heiden Heiland, à 2 Clav. et Ped, BWV 659 / Josef Gabriel Rheinberger (1839-1901) - Vision (aus "Zwölf Charakterstücke für Orgel", op. 156/5) / Sonata Nr.4 in a-Moll, op.98 (1876) / Ernst Friedrich Richter (1808-1879) - Wie schön leucht' uns der Morgenstern op.20 / Samuel Rousseau (1853-1904) - Fantaisie op.73 / Théodore Dubois (1837-1924) - Verset de procession / Louis Vierne (1870-1937) - Carillon de Westminster (aus "Troisième Suite, op. 54) / Carl Türcke (1866-?) - Trauer-Fantasie in d-Moll
Ursina Caflish, Organ at Neumünster Zürich
Donald Francis Tovey (1875-1940) - Aria and Variations in B flat major for String Quartet, Op.11 / String Quartet in G major, Op.23
Tippett Quartet: John Mills Violin, Jeremy Isaac Violin, Julia O’riordan Viola, Bozidar Vukotic Cello
Richard Steinitz (b.1938) - Hymn to Apollo at Delphi / Arthur Butterworth (b.1923) - Ancient Sorceries / Stephen Hough (b.1961) - Three Grave Songs / Nicholas Marshall (b.1942) - Cat & Mouse / John McCabe (b.1939) - Two Latin Elegies / John Gardner (b.1917) - Six by Four / John Joubert (b.1927) - Crabbed Age and Youth
Nicholas Clapton, Countertenor / John Turner, Recorder / Jonathan Price, Cello / Ian Thompson, Harpsichord / Michael Harper, Bells
Wilhelm Popp - Rigoletto Fantasie, Op.335 (Verdi) / Emanuele Krakamp - La Traviata Fantasie, Op.248 (Verdi) / Jean Remusat - La Traviata Caprice (Verdi) - Fantaisie élégante sur un thème de Rossini ("La Cenerentola") / Joseph Joachim Raff - Deux Paraphrases de Salon d’après Verdi, Op. 70 for piano solo - Il Trovatore - La Traviata / Giuseppe Gariboldi Faust (Gounod) / Jules Demersseman - Fantaisie brillante sur des motives de La Juive (Halévy) / François Borne - Fantaisie brillante sur Carmen (Bizet)
Miriam Terragni, flute / Catherine Sarasin, piano
Francis Poulenc - Sonata for Oboe and Piano - Mélancolie - Sonata for Flute and Piano/ Tim Ewers (b.1958) - Flautando - Chimborazo - Kite - Rainy Days and Holidays - Solitaire - Following On
The Fibonacci Sequence
Peter Fribbins - Piano Trio / String Quartet No.1 / Sonata for Cello & Piano / Quintet for Clarinet & Strings
The Angell trio / The Allegri string quartet / Raphael Wallfisch, cello / John York, piano / James Campbell, clarinet
Bach - Cantata BWV 93 Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten / Cantata BWV 107 Was willst du dich betrüben / Sufi - Ney Taksimi - Ney improvisation / Segâh chorale: Tekbir - Prayer / Segâh chorale: Salâtü ümmiyye - Praise the Prophet / Hüzzam chorale: Ey Allahým Beni senden ayýrma - Oh my Allah don't separate me from you / Segâh chorale: Dinle Sözümü sana direm, özge edadýr - Listen to my message / Tanbur Taksimi/Hicaz chorale: Mevlam sana ersem diye - Tanbur improvisation/My Lord I reach out to you / Hicaz chorale: Gece gündüz döne döne - Whirling Day and Night / Hicaz chorales: Gelin gidelim efendim/Gönül hayran oluptur a?k elinden/Allah hu allah - Let's go my Lord/The heart admires the cause of love/Oh lovers Illallah Hu! / Kanun taksimi ve Keman taksimi - Kanun and keman improvisation
Die Freitagsakademie - Howard Griffiths / Sufi-Ensemble
Kol Nidrei for violin and orchestra, Op.47 / Romance for viola and orchestra, Op.85 / Overture to 'Scherz, List und Rache', Op.1 Orchestrated by Stefans Grové / Serenade on Swedish Folk Melodies, Op. posth / Violin Concerto No.1 in G minor, Op.26
Alexandre da Costa, Violin / Gilad Karni, Viola / Orchestre Symphonique Bienne - Thomas Rösner
John Dowland - Preludium - Lute solo / Sleep wayward thoughts / Die not before thy day / Say love if ever thou didst find / Now, O now I needs must part / Go crystal tears / Time stands still / Fine knacks for ladies / Sorrow stay - arranged by Peter Croton / Sorrow stay / His golden locks time hath to silver turned / Flow my tears / All the day / Come heavy sleep / Peter Croton- Remembrance of things past, Sonnet XXX / While you here do snoring lie / The Waking / Quietness / Now, O now I needs must part
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) - Scheherazade, Op.35 - London Symphony Orchestra / Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881) - Pictures at an Exhibition - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Haydn (1732-1809) - Symphony No. 101 in D major, ‘The Clock’ / Sibelius (1865-1957) - Tone Poem ‘The Swan of Tuonela’ / Weber (1786-1826) - ‘Euryanthe’ Overture / Respighi (1879-1936) - Pini di Roma / I pini di Villa Borghese (Pines of the Villa Borghese) / Pini presso una catacomba (Pines near a catacomb) / I pini del Gianicolo (Pines of the Janiculum) / ‘I pini della Via Appia (Pines of the Appian Way)
New York Philharmonic - Arthuro Toscanini
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809-1847) - Overture Das Märchen von der schönen Melusine Op.32 / Octet in E-flat major, Op.20 - Scherzo / Sinfonie-orchester Winterthur - Fritz Busch / Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) -Overture to Egmont, Op.84 /Franz Schubert (1797-1828) -Dance Suite for Orchestra / Polonaise F-dur Op.75 No.4 / Ecossaisen D.145 No.1-6 / Trio E-dur D.610 / Valses nobles Op.77 Zwölf Walzer D.969 / Richard Wagner (1813-1883) -Tristan und Isolde - Prelude and Isoldes Liebestod / Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg - Prelude and Interlude from Act III Philharmonic Orchestra of Los Angeles - Fritz Busch / Hugo Alfven (1872-1960) - Midsommarvaka, Swedish Rhapsody No.1, Op.19 / Konserthusstiftelsens orkester Malmö - Fritz Busch
Manfred Overture, Op.115 / Symphony No.2 in C, Op.61 / Symphony No.4 in D minor, Op.120
NBC Symphony Orchestra - Arturo Toscanini / Bruno Walter
Carlton Cooley (1898-1981) - Promenade from “Eastbourne” Sketches / Paul Lavalle (1908-1997) - Symphonic Rhumba / Roy Harris (1898-1979) - Folk Rhythms of Today / Darius Milhaud (1892-1974) - from Saudades do Brasil / Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) - Fantasia on Christmas Carols / Morton Gould (1913-1996) - Guaracha from “Latin-American Symphonette
NBC Symphony Orchestra - Leopold Stokowski
Max Reger (1873-1916) - Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Johann Adam Hiller Op.100 (Paul van Kempen, Jesus Christus Church, Berlin, July 1951) / Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Mozart Op.132 (Karl Böhm, Jesus Christus Church, Berlin, 19-21 Dec. 1956)
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Mendelssohn (1809-1847) - Symphony No.3 in A minor, Op.56 'Scottish' / Symphony No.5 in D, Op.107 'Reformation' / A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.21 & Op.61 / Overture - The Hebrides, Op.26 / Overture - Die schöne Melusine, Op.32 / String Quintet No.2 in B flat, Op.87 / Violin Concerto in E minor, Op.64 / Symphony No.4 in A major, Op.90 ‘Italian’
NBC Symphony Orchestra - Arthuro Toscanini / Jascha Heifetz
Mozart - Serenade in D major, KV 250 ('Haffner') / Schubert - Symphony No.5 in B flat major, D.485
Winterthur Orchestra - Fritz Busc (Recorded 1949)
Paul Burkhard - Sieben Stufen des lebens begleitet von einen Nachigall,der Bringerin eines Sanften Todes / Hans Schaeuble - Die Rose und der Schatten, op.43
Emmy Hürlimann, harp / Manfred Preis, clarinet / Martin Suter, organ / Paul Burkhard, conducting / Nivo Kaufmann, piano / Hans Schaeuble, piano
Strike Up The Band / The Butterfly And The Alligator / La Bamba De Vera Cruz / Flying Down To Rio / Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead / Praeludium / Romantic Overture et al.
Love Letters / Because You’re Mine / The Way You Look Tonight / Heart And Soul / While A Cigarette Was Burning et al
This collection has been prepared with three main aims: firstly to prove that the so-called boundaries between light and classical music are not as insurmountable as some people seem to imagine; secondly to illustrate that many composers, who may usually be associated with more serious works, also had their lighter moments; and thirdly to offer several examples of the tasteful way in which arrangers of the 20th century adapted the classics to make them more instantly appealing to their audience.
In retrospect it is clear that the 1940s had a major impact on the way in which Light Music would develop in the remaining years of the 20th Century. The somewhat genteel world in which many composers involved in the genre were living was shattered when World War 2 broke out in September 1939.
If anyone ever thought that the term ‘Light Music’ described a small corner of the music scene appealing only to minority interests, then maybe the wide variety of styles on offer in this collection will raise some serious doubts. No two people would probably ever agree on the exact boundaries of the genre, which is in itself an indication of how far it stretches across other musical styles.
Someone once said that the important thing which distinguished Light Music was the tune, rather than what you do with it. Listening to this collection he might have to change his mind, because the melodies on offer here would surely never sound so appealing without the magic woven in the glorious arrangements.
The two previous collections focussing upon this area of the music scene have prompted a steady flow of requests asking for more. It seems that a considerable number of music lovers retain a special affection for music mainly from the interwar years of the 20th century, and this was a time when theatres and cinemas employed many musicians in their ‘house’ orchestras. Many became known through their broadcasts and recordings, and these ensembles offered record buyers a wide choice of light music from leading composers in Europe and America, as well as nearer home.
In the hands of a talented arranger, a touch of rhythm can transform an ordinary melody into something rather special. Some music couldn’t exist without it: most of the glorious melodies associated with Latin America have rhythm as an essential ingredient, and it is easy to understand how it swept the world in the middle years of the 20th century.
During the last century there was a surge in the composition of Light Music, mainly from the 1940s onwards. This was commissioned by leading publishers who established libraries of recorded music to satisfy the requirements of radio, television and film producers, with special emphasis on the needs of cinema newsreels and documentary film makers.
Danish state radio orchestra
As the 1950s drew to a close, television was gaining dominance over radio as the main source of home entertainment, and in the world of recorded music the long playing record - with the added benefit of stereophonic sound - was overtaking the single disc as the preferred choice for most music lovers' collections. The idea of around forty minutes of music dedicated to a certain theme had a strong appeal and the 'concept album' gradually evolved.
Henry Mancini and his orchestra
Light music often relies upon the strings of the orchestra to carry the melody along, and some violinists must take a double-breath when they see the notes they are required to play in some arrangements. Yet often the most glorious sounds an orchestra can make are created in the string section, and the likes of David Rose (his Holiday for Strings made pizzicato so popular) have ensured that fresh ideas keep appearing as young musicians explore the full possibilities of the instruments.
Ron Goodwin and his concert orchestra