BOOK REVIEW
CAREY BLYTON INTERVIEWED BY PETER THOMPSON
Fand Press Distributed by BLUMLEIN’S, 13, Heathfield Rd,Petersfield,
Hampshire GU31 4DG
Fand Press have been promoting Carey Blyton and his music recently in the
Gramophone Magazine, and, as noted on the back of this neat little paper
back publication, they publish several of the composer’s works, including
the recent ‘War Songs of the Saracens’, however, none of the listed
pieces are on the five discs of Blyton’s music which are currently
available. [although more discs are planned and one may well appear later
this year.]
They proudly announce that this is to be the first of ‘ a projected
series of one-to-one interviews with some of the leading composers of our
time’. Well, as much as I, for one enjoy and admire Carey Blyton’s
music it would not occur to me to conceive of him as one of our leading
composers, but the great thing about reading this 25 page booklet is that
at the end of it, and having read through the tightly packed work list at
the back, I could quite believe that he is.
Peter Thompson, who was a pupil of Blytons in the 70s, has a style that is
uncluttered and unfussy. The composer is allowed to come across just as he
is, honest and with a wicked twinkle in at least one of his eyes. It has
several anecdotes that I can just hear Carey coming out with. I loved the
one concerning Basset Silver who offered Carey the opportunity to write a
piece for "the arrival of his son Matthew". That 2 minute composition, [which
no doubt the composer has used somewhere else!] found its way into the recorded
music library of Boosey and Hawkes, and that is the way that ‘got me
into writing library music’ And then there’s the story of the Nimble
bread advert ……but that would be giving too much away.
I suggest that if members want a good and witty read, and want to support
a good cause in all our ultimate interests, then they purchase this little
book for £2.50, - a genuine snip I believe.
Reviewer
Gary Higginson
