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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Celebrating 60

Ken Bruce salutes the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra on their 60th anniversary, re-visiting a Franz LehΓ΅r centenary concert which was recorded at the Royal Festival Hall in 1970.

Ken Bruce continues to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra. The second programme features another treat from the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ archives: a concert celebrating the birth centenary of the Austro-Hungarian composer Franz LehΓ΅r, which was recorded at London's Royal Festival Hall on 2 May 1970.

It is conducted by Vilem Tausky and features the English soprano Elizabeth Harwood, the Welsh tenor Rowland Jones, and the Polish-born violinist Jack Rothstein. The repertoire includes music from LehΓ΅r's operettas The Merry Widow and The Count Of Luxembourg.

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; 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 27 Jan 2012 20:00
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2

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Music Played

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Barry Wordsworth

    High Adventure

    (Charles Williams)

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

  • Elizabeth Harwood

    Opening Chorus & Vilia (Merry Widow)

    (F. Lehar) (Ft. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Vilem Tausky)

  • Elizabeth Harwood & Roland Jones

    Love Unspoken (Merry Widow)

    (F. Lehar) (Ft. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Vilem Tausky)

  • Jack Rothstein

    Concertino

    (F. Lehar) (Ft. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Vilem Tausky)

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Vilem Tausky

    Entracte (Frasquita)

    (F. Lehar)

  • Ensemble & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: VilemTausky

    Finale – Guiditta

    (F.Lehar)

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Vilem Tausky

    Overture - Eva

    (F. Lehar)

  • Rowland Jones

    O Maiden My Maiden (Frederika)

    (F. Lehar) (Ft. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Vilem Tausky

  • Elizabeth Harwood

    Love Live Forever (Pagini) Rule My Heart

    (F. Lehar) (Ft. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Vilem Tausky)

  • Elizabeth Harwood & Rowland Jones

    You're In Love (Gipsy Love)

    (F. Lehar) (Ft. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Vilem Tausky

  • Johan Rothstein

    Magyar brnd – Hungarian Fantasy

    (F. Lehar) (Ft. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Vilem Tausky)

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Vilem Tausky

    Fairy Tale from 1001 Nights

    (F. Lehar)

  • Ensemble & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Vilem Tausky

    Carnival (Count of Luxembourg)

    (F. Lehar)

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Vilem Tausky

    Gold and Silver Waltz

    (F. Lehar)

  • Ensemble & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Vilem Tausky

    Selection – Land Of Smiles

    (F. Lehar)

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Cb: Barry Wordsworth

    High Adventure (Sig Tune)

    (Charles Williams)

    • Friday Night Is Music Night.
    • WMEM.

Broadcast

  • Fri 27 Jan 2012 20:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2