British Composer Profiles: a biographical dictionary of past British composers 1800-2010 3rdEdition 2012By Gerald Leach, revised and edited by Ian Graham-Jones The British Music SocietyISBN: 9781870536998£15.00 Soft coverA major task of the past 30 years has been the rediscovery of many lost or forgotten British composers and their compositions. Readers of these pages do not need to be reminded of the sterling work by Lyrita, Chandos, Hyperion and...

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Eric Coates: Listings of Music recorded on the Guild Light Music Series.

Guild Light Music has been instrumental in issuing a vast range of quality light music. In fact, there are over 200 CD releases with in excess of 2000 tunes. This is a major achievement. In an occasional series I intend to list the works of certain light music composers that are currently available in this series.  I have listed each piece and have quoted the band and the CD number.  It is clear from this listing that most of the pieces are from the standard Coates repertoire such as By the Sleepy Lagoon and the London Suite. However...

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Eugene Goossens: Orchestral Music on Chandos Volume 2

Kaleidoscope, Op. 18 (1933) Tam o'Shanter, Op. 17a (1918-19) Three Greek Dances, Op.44 (1926, revised 1927) Concert Piece, Op.65 for oboe/cor anglais, two harps and orchestra (1957) Four Conceits, Op.20 (1918) Suite Orchestration by the composer of the original version for solo piano (1917) Variations on 'Cadet Rousselle' (French Folk Song) (1930) Two Nature Poems, Op. 25(1937-38) Intermezzo from Don Juan de Mañara, Op. 54 (1935)Melbourne Symphony...

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John Ansell: The Shoe Ballet

I came across the delightful The Shoe Ballet by John Ansell whilst reviewing one of the latest releases from the Guild Light Music Series (GLCD5195). The full review will appear in due course. I had not heard this work before. John Ansell is recalled for two works these days – the fine Overture: The Windjammer and the pot-pourri of nautical songs that makes up Plymouth Hoe. Both these pieces are available in a fine recording on SOMM 243.  John Ansell was born in Hoxton, London on 26 March 1874 and later studied at the Guildhall with the...

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Joseph Holbrooke in Gerald Cumberland’s ‘Set Down in Malice’

Nothing need be added to this brief pen portrait of the English composer Josef Holbrooke from Gerald Cumberland’s (pseudonym of Charles Frederick Kenyon)witty book of essays, Set Down in Malice.  Cumberland (1879-1926) at the time of writing this book was music and drama critic at the Daily Critic. He also wrote a number of other books and plays.Joseph Holbrooke, for sheer cleverness, for capacity for hard work, and for intellectual energy,...

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Musical Impressions of J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan

I have always been a great enthusiast of the Scottish author Sir James Barrie. He is almost exclusively regarded as the creator of the children’s classic Peter Pan; however, he wrote a wide range of literary genres, including novels, short stories and plays. He was born in the Scottish market town of Kirriemuir in 1860 and died in London in June 19, 1937. It is not my intention to evaluate the man or his achievements save to suggest that like all...

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John Ireland: A Collection of Music on ASC Records

John IRELAND (1879-1962)Fantasy Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (1943) The Lent Lily from The Land of Lost Content (1920/21) The Vain Desire from The Land of Lost Content (1920/21) Santa Chiara (Palm Sunday) Naples (1925) Rhapsody for Piano (1915) Mother and Child (Song Cycle) (1918) Sonata for Cello & Piano (1923) Julian Hellaby (piano) Peter Noke (piano) (Cello Sonata) Naomi Wright (cello) Linda Merrick (clarinet) Catriona Lang (soprano)ASC RECORDS...

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Frank Tapp: Beachy Head Overture

There is a lot of history about Beachy Head. This wonderful landmark is situated near to the holiday resort of Eastbourne in Sussex. The cliffs have the honour of being the highest chalk cliffs in the country. I do not believe that Frank Tapp’s music has anything to do with military matters; however the Battle of Portland in 1653 during the Anglo-Dutch War was fought off this point. During the Second World War there were a number of installations...

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Was Handel an English Composer?

Whilst considering Sir Herbert Brewer’s ground breraking experiment in allowing the audience to sing the Hallelujah Chorus in the December 1927 performance of Messiah at the Bristol Colston Hall I came across this short note attached to the review of the oratorio.  It is interesting and deserves to be rescued from obscurity. Handel is now typically regarded as a German-born British Baroque composer. There are still people about who consider...

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