Icons of British Light Music

Donald Macleod explores how the rise and fall of Light Music in Britain

The names of the composers of British Light Music - Coates, Ketèlby, Farnon, Dring or Tomlinson - might not be as well known as those of Mozart, Beethoven or Bach, but some of their music will be just as familiar to most listeners, and it still provides the soundtrack to many people’s everyday lives through, among other things, the theme music to their favourite TV and radio programmes. Over the course of this week, Donald Macleod tracks the rise and fall of Light Music in Britain over roughly 100 years, from the mid 19th century to the mid 20th. He’ll be exploring the social history which led to this genre flourishing, from the late-Victorian theatre crowds in want of more popular fare after the successes of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operettas, to the orchestras which sprang up to entertain the burgeoning UK seaside resorts. Along the way, Donald will examine the explosion of music in people’s homes, as at first pianos and other instruments, and then radio and television sets, became affordable to households across the country, and the transition from silent movies to the talkies. Donald will also explore the challenges which the genre faced as audiences moved towards new ways of listening in the 20th century and the pioneers who have sought to keep this music alive.

Music Featured:

Ronald Binge: Elizabethan Serenade Edward German: “If You Wish to Appear As An Irish Type” from Emerald Isle Edward German: Nell Gwyn Suite: Overture Edward German: Welsh Rhapsody Haydn Wood: Roses of Picardy Haydn Wood: Mannin Veen John H. Glover-Kind: I do like to be beside the seaside Albert Ketèlbey: In Holiday Mood Eric Coates: The Merrymakers, a Miniature Overture Eric Coates: Lazy night Eric Coates: Summer days Suite Reginald King: Song of Paradise Albert Ketèlbey: In a Monastery garden Eric Coates: The Dam Busters March Frederick Curzon: Robin Hood – March of the Bowmen Richard Addinsell: Love on the Dole (excerpts) Frederic Curzon: The Dread Tribunal Frederic Curzon: Bravada: Paso Doble Richard Addinsell: Warsaw Concerto Ronald Binge: Sailing by Ronald Binge: Alto Saxophone Concerto Robert Farnon: Little Miss Molly Eric Coates: Calling All Workers Eric Coates: London Suite III. Knightsbridge Robert Farnon: Portrait of a Flirt Robert Farnon: A La Claire Fontaine Robert Farnon: Westminster Waltz Ronald Binge: The Water Mill Madeleine Dring: Festival Scherzo for piano and strings Ernest Tomlinson:Little Serenade Ernest Tomlinson (under alias of Alan Perry): Eccentric March Ernest Tomlinson: Capability Brown (test card music) Ernest Tomlinson: Second Suite of English Folk Dances Madeleine Dring (orchestrated by Roderick Williams): Take, O Take Those Lips Away Madeleine Dring: Folk Song; Films from Cheapside at Cheapside (From 'Airs on a Shoestring!') Madeleine Dring: Song of a Nightclub Proprietress Eric Coates: Last Love

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Sam Phillips for BBC Audio Wales and West

For full track listings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for Icons of British Light Music https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001ptxr

And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z