British Light Music Vol 8

Famous for its immediately attractive and engaging style, British Light Music grew to become one of the most popular musical genres in Britain during the first half of the 20th century. The Naxos British Light Music series of enduring orchestral favourites by composers such as Ernest Tomlinson, Edward German, Haydn Wood, Richard Addinsell and Eric Coates now reaches Vol. 8 and music by Trevor Duncan.


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Allied to his melodic gifts, early experiences as a sound and balance engineer equipped Trevor Duncan with a profound understanding of instrumental colour. During the 1950s he composed music that became instantly recognisable in the light music tradition. The Girl from Corsica was heard almost daily on British radio and the theme tune for the BBC TV series Dr Finlay’s Casebook remains one of his most celebrated works (it’s part of A Little Suite, heard here in full). Duncan was an inspiration for other composers, and was capable of sensuous romance, breezy scene setting, delicate tone poems and irresistible glamour.

Listen to Little Debbie
About the Artists

Conductor Andrew Penny has made over 50 recordings for the Naxos and Marco Polo labels. Much of the repertoire is British music and includes symphonies by Arnold and Havergal Brian, film music by Vaughan Williams and Walton, theatre music by Sullivan and Holbrooke, and light music by Coates and Arnold. His complete cycle of Arnold’s nine symphonies marking the composer’s 80th birthday in October 2001 became BBC Music Magazine’s top recommendation. He was awarded the MBE for services to music in the Queen’s 2014 Birthday Honours.

The Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra was established in 1929 as the first professional symphony orchestra in Slovakia. In addition to regular season concerts, which feature works by Slovak composers, many of them as premieres, the orchestra has performed at concerts abroad, visiting Austria and Hungary, and touring in Europe, Japan and Korea.

Other releases in the British Light Music Series
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ADDINSELL, R.:
Goodbye Mr. Chips
The Prince and the Showgirl

Martin • Elms • BBC Concert Orchestra • Alwyn
‘Everything here sounds really rather splendid … the orchestra play with conviction, and the late lamented Kenneth Alwyn conducts with great sensitivity.’
The British Music Society
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BINGE, R.:
Elizabethan Serenade
Scottish Rhapsody • Sailing By

Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra • Tomlinson
‘This is a great disc if you want to relax and let the music envelop you with consistently charming melodies. Conductor Tomlinson knows how to coax the orchestra to play with beauty and playfulness. The recorded sound is excellent.’
American Record Guide
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★★★★
★★★★
‘The orchestra brings just the right amount of fun and flair to these familiar works by one of Britain’s light music heroes. The London Suite is just the tip of an enjoyable iceberg.’
BBC Music Magazine ★★★★
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‘The British have a tradition of upscale light music that is hard to find anywhere else in this form. Eric Coates is a good example of this endearing genre, which is enriched by him as a composer who has beautiful melodic ideas and processes them brilliantly and ingeniously.’
Pizzicato ★★★★
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‘Initially recorded in January 1993 by Marco Polo, this re-issue still sounds fresh and lively, credit to Adrian Leaper's advocacy for this fine music, which, despite its melodious beauty, has somehow fallen out of fashion.’
Classical Music Daily
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‘The performances throughout are played with the finessed and light touch we expect from this fine Slovak series, so ably and sympathetically conducted by Adrian Leaper. The recording is admirable.’
The Penguin Guide
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DOCKER, R.:
Three Contrasts
Scènes de ballet
Pastiche Variations

Davies • Presley • RTÉ Concert Orchestra • Knight
‘The shorter works prove to be the most satisfying. The Irish orchestra is spirited … a thoroughly worthwhile survey of a musician whose contribution to the light music scene clearly inspired great affection.’
The Daily Telegraph (Australia)


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