Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra Celebrating 60
Ken Bruce salutes the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra in their 60th anniversary year. This week's featured archive concert is Radio's Golden Greats from October 1997.
Celebrating 60 - Ken Bruce salutes the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra on their 60th anniversary. This week's featured archive concert is "Radio's Golden Greats" which was part of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's 75th anniversary season in October 1997. The show was broadcast from Alexandra Palace and presented by Roy Hudd recalling the music of Gracie Fields; Cavan O'Connor; Flanagan and Allen and Tony Hancock. Guest vocalists are Friday Night favourites - Joan Savage; Maryetta and Vernon Midgley and William Davies at the console of the Ally Paly organ. The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra are on hand to provide light music by Haydn Wood; Eric Coates and Charles Williams.
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 group 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 Buble; 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.
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Music Played
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Barry Wordsworth
High Adventure
(Williams)
- Friday Night Is Music Night - Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ.
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra
Valse Serenade
(Robinson)
- Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra – Decca.
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra
Donna Diana Overture
(Reznicek)
- Melodies For You - Decca.
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Eric Coates
The Dam Busters March
Orchestra: Ron Goodwin and His Concert Orchestra. Conductor: Eric Coates.(Coates) The Music of Eric Coates – Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Classics
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Robin Stapleton
Say It With Music
(Various)
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Robin Stapleton
News Huddlines Theme
(Rowley)
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Robin Stapleton
Limehouse Blues
(Furber/Braham)
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Joan Savage
Vitality (Gay's The Word)
(Novello) (Ft. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Robin Stapleton)
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Robin Stapleton
Roses From The South
(Strauss II)
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Robin Stapleton
Romance – The Magic Bow
(Paganini)
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Robin Stapleton
Knightsbridge March
(Coates)
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Vernon Midgley
Hear My Song
(Luckesch/Klose/Pepper) (Ft. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Robin Stapleton)
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Maryetta Midgley
Ziguener
(Coward) (Ft. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Robin Stapleton)
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William Davies (Organ)
Sandy McPherson Medley
(Various)
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Joan Savage
Sally
(Haines/Leon/Towers) (Ft. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Robin Stapleton)
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Robin Stapleton
I'm Only A Strolling Vagabond
(Runneke)
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Robin Stapleton
Calling All Workers
(Coates)
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Robin Stapleton
Horseguards
(Wood)
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Maryetta Midgley
Waltz Of My Heart
(Novello) (Ft. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Robin Stapleton)
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Robin Stapleton
Devil's Galop
(Williams)
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Robin Stapleton
High Adventure
(Williams)
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Robin Stapleton
Paradise for Two (Maids of the Mountains)
(Tate/Harris/Valentine)
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Robin Stapleton
Hancock's Half Hour
(Morley)
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Roy Hudd
Strollin'
(Reader) (Ft. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Robin Stapleton)
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William Davies (Organ)
Reginald Dixon Medley
(Various)
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Joan Savage
Olde Tyme Dancing
(Addinsell) (Ft. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Robin Stapleton)
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Vernon Midgley
One Alone
(Romberg) (Ft. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Robin Stapleton)
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Stanley Black (Piano)
That Old Black Magic
(Arlen)
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Robin Stapleton
Manhattan Skyline
(Shire)
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Robin Stapleton
Here's To The Next Time
(Hall) (Ft. the Ensemble)
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra/Barry Wordsworth
High Adventure
(Williams)
- Friday Night Is Music Night - Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ.
Broadcast
- Fri 24 Feb 2012 20:00Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2