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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Celebrating 60

Ken Bruce salutes the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra on their 60th anniversary featuring an archive concert from their 25th anniversary year - 1977.

Celebrating 60 - Ken Bruce salutes the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra on their 60th anniversary. 2012 will be a celebration of bronze, silver, gold and. diamonds. Yes, this summer we'll host the Olympic Games and celebrate the H.M Queen's Diamond Jubilee but Radio 2 kicks off the year with an 11 part archive series celebrating another 60th anniversary - the birth of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra.

In this first programme Ken recalls the early days of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra when they were called the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Opera Orchestra and their principal conductor was Stanford Robinson - the brother of broadcaster Eric Robinson. Then a chance to hear a concert from the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ archives from their silver anniversary year - 1977. 25 Glorious Years from the Royal Festival Hall features music from Die Fledermaus (J. Strauss II); The Desert Song (Romberg); Glamorous Night (Novello); and Tchaikovsky's Capriccio Italien.

Hailed by Sir Arthur Bliss as "a worthy instrument, ready at hand to present a brilliant new era of 'entertainment' music'" the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra are very much today a jewel in Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2's crown. The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra made its first broadcast on 11th September 1952 on the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ General Overseas Service with a repeat broadcast on the domestic service three days later. But the story starts 20 years before when the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ brought together a bunch of players under the title the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Theatre Orchestra - their main role was to provide incidental music to radio plays - under their principal conductor Leslie Woodgate.

When not required in the drama studios, the orchestra gave light music and opera concerts. In 1949 the orchestra was renamed the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Opera Orchestra with Stanford Robinson as conductor. Its brief was to be an "opera cum second symphony orchestra.an orchestra capable to putting over the finest light music to great effect". Three years later the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ decided the time was right for a light music orchestra and the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra was born.

Today, the 60 musicians who make up the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra broadcast weekly in Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2's Friday Night Is Music Night. They are equally at home playing Bach and Beethoven as accompanying Dame Shirley Bassey. In this 11-part series, Ken Bruce trawls the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra archives for some classic performances from their first 60 years.

A feast for light music fans - each week the series will broadcast a show from the orchestra archives. The series will feature archive performances from the likes of light music legends Sidney Torch; Vilem Tausky; Robert Farnon; Eric Coates; Willi Boskovsky; Stanley Black; and Ron Goodwin. Plus concert performances from Matt Monro and Dudley Moore as well as more recent collaborations with Michael BublΓ©; Lionel Richie and Peter Gabriel.

Ken Bruce talks to the players and conductors past and present for their musical memories and tells the story of this remarkable group of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ musicians.

1 hour, 57 minutes

Last on

Fri 20 Jan 2012 20:00
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2

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13/01/2012

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Music Played

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Barry Wordsworth

    High Adventure

    (Charles Williams)

    • Friday Night Is Music Night.
    • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ.

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Barry Wordsworth

    Hungarian Rhapsody

    (Liszt, arr. Torch)

    • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Plays Classical Masterpieces.
    • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ.

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Theatre Orchestra Cb: Stanford Robinson

    Monckton Melodies

    (Monckton)

    • The Golden Age of Light Music – Four Decades of Light Music Vol 1 20’s & 30’s.
    • Guild.

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Opera Chorus and Orchestra

    Caro Mio Ben

    (Giordani)

    • Beniamino Gigli in Concert 1938-1955.
    • Eklipse.

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Ashley Lawrence

    Prelude Act 3 - Lohengrin

    (Wagner)

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Ashley Lawrence

    Our Waltzing Years

    (Arr. Sidney Torch)

  • John Hanson & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Kenneth Alwyn

    Serenade: The Student Prince

    (Romberg)

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Kenneth Alwyn

    Farnon Fantasy

    (Robert Farnon)

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Ashley Lawrence

    Adagio - Spartacus

    (Khachaturian)

  • Cynthia Glover, John Lawrenson & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Vilem Tausky

    Bess You Is My Woman Now (Porgy and Bess)

    (Gershwin)

  • John McCarthy Singers & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Vilem Tausky

    Polotvsian Dances

    (Borodin))

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Vilem Tausky

    Overture: Die Fledermaus

    (Strauss II)

  • Cynthia Glover, John Lawrenson & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Vilem Tausky

    A Waltz Dream

    (Oscar Straus)

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Ashley Lawrence

    Opening & Closing Number – Pineapple Poll

    (Sullivan)

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Ashley Lawrence

    Intermezzo – Karelia Suite

    (Jean Sibelius)

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Vilem Tausky

    Shine Through My Dreams (Glamorous Night)

    (Ivor Novello)

  • John McCarthy Singers, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Ashley Lawrence

    Elizabethan Serenade

    (Binge)

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Ashley Lawrence

    Carousel Waltz

    (Richard Rodgers)

  • Ensemble & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    25 Glorious Years of Theatre Music

    (Various)

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Ashley Lawrence

    Capriccio Italien

    (Tchaikovsky)

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Barry Wordsworth

    High Adventure (Sig Tune)

    (Charles Williams)

    • Friday Night Is Music Night.
    • WMEM.

Broadcast

  • Fri 20 Jan 2012 20:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2