The reputation of Coates as a light music composer
is often under-rated. Sir Edward Elgar told him that he always bought
his latest recordings, a favourite of which was
Summer Days.
If such accolades can come from a revered composer why should the Establishment
have a problem in recognising him?
Coates had a good professional training: he studied harmony and composition
when aged 20, under Frederick Corder at the Royal Academy of Music where
Coates gained proficient skills to write good music for both the symphony
and light orchestra. He played viola under Thomas Beecham and Henry
Wood at the Queen’s Hall where he was exposed the music of many
genres. By 1910 Coates had successfully published a number of ballads.
However, a springboard to recognition came when Henry Wood asked him
to write the
Miniature Suite for a 1911 Promenade Concert
at the Royal Albert Hall. Seven years later he became a freelance composer
where song and orchestral writing was to become his sole income. The
formation of a British royalty system and a Chappell publishing contract
provided an important cushion financially. His actress wife had gained
him theatrical contracts yet he never aspired to become associated with
stage musicals. Instead, success was assured by the BBC when his
Knightsbridge
March was used as a signature tune. From this exposure, sheet
music and record sales rocketed. Increasing involvement with the BBC
during the 1940s and 1950s helped promote Coates’ music as its
style was ideally suited to
Music while you Work and
Workers’
Playtime. I mention this background history because this CD set
allows us to chart the development of Coates’s career rather nicely.
The 7 CDs allow the curious listener to compare the recordings he made
of the same piece at different times where speed and accents are varied.
We still find some of the music familiar today -
Calling All Workers,
London Suite and
Sleepy Lagoon in particular.
The 27 page booklet by Michael Payne is very informative and charts
the pieces in chronological order to provide insight into the workings
of the record industry. We learn how after the pieces were written they
would be edited to a running length of either 10" or 12" 78rpm records.
I found it interesting to learn that the studio choice of cuts did not
always match with those of the composer - extraordinary really - but
Coates realised that he needed to be tactful and subservient. There
are times when his publisher would turn down a piece (
Knightsbridge
for example) and this would only become recorded because there was time
at the end of a studio session. That particular piece happened to be
made famous by BBC broadcasts and so publication was belatedly agreed.
The inclusion of notes from Coates’ diary makes interesting reading.
The 78 record transfers have been excellently mastered with complete
removal of all 'shellac' track noise and clicks, yet with no loss of
treble frequencies. We are now used to the loving care which engineer,
Alan Bunting takes with all his transfers for the Guild series and this
care is also taken here. I was interested to compare the acoustic recording
with the later Columbia and then Full Frequency Range Recordings (ffrr)
boasted by Decca. What we hear is infinitely superior to that heard
when played on the steel-needled early electric record-player.
One could go as far as saying that a number of Coates’ compositions
are inspired as he shows great vitality in his writing and certain romantic
melodies are particularly attractive. In tr. 11 (CD3) he achieves a
modern take-off of the traditional Viennese waltz, where he turns corners
with Strauss, but not crudely so. His planning for
The Four Centuries
Suite at the outbreak of WWII is carefully researched to provide
the styles of musical composition in certain centuries. Having been
firmly associated with Columbia up to the war, this was to be his first
recording with Decca (1944). Likewise,
The Three Elizabeths Suite
has a charm with uplifting melodies set within a classical orchestration.
To me it seems strange that Coates was not recognised as an outstanding
light music composer of his time and decorated accordingly since the
establishment will have been aware of his professional training and
wide involvement in musical circles.
Raymond J Walker
See also reviews by
Ian
Lace and
John
France
Track List - Synopsis
CD 1 - 1931-1937 [78.08]
1. The Merrymakers - Overture 4:21; 2. From Meadow to Mayfair - Suite
11:35; 3. Summer Afternoon - Idyll 3:28; 4. Cinderella - Phantasy 12:46;
5. By The Sleepy Lagoon - Valse Serenade 4:36; 6. The Jester At The
Wedding : No.1 The Princess Arrives - March 3:00; 7. By The Tamarisk
- Intermezzo 4:13; 8. Saxo-Rhapsody 8:46; 9. Summer Days - Suite 8:07;
10. Springtime - Suite 12:20; 11. For Your Delight - Serenade 4:00
CD 2 - 1940-1948 [77.57]
1. Footlights - Concert Valse 4:17; 2. Last Love - Romance 3:54; 3.
The Seven Seas - March 3:14; 4. I Sing to You (A Souvenir) 3:17; 5.
Calling All Workers March 2:59; 6. Fanfare Number 1 0:18; 7. Salute
the Soldier March 3:22; 8. Fanfare Number 2 0:26; 9. The Eighth Army
March 2:37; 10. The Four Centuries Suite 17.24; 11. The Three Elizabeths
Suite 18.06; 12. Dancing Nights - Concert Valse 6:48; 13. London Calling
March 2:55; 14. London Bridge March 4:05; 15. London Suite - Knightsbridge
March 2:56
CD 3 - 1948-1955 [78.33]
1. A Song of Loyalty 3:19; 2. By the Sleepy Lagoon - Valse Serenade
3:15; 3. Bird Songs at Eventide 3:08; 4 . Television March 3:19; 5.
Wood Nymphs - Valsette 3:09; 6. London - Suite 13.27; 7. London Again
- Suite 12.51; 8. The Three Men - Suite 13.28; 9. The Jester at the
Wedding : No.4 - Dance of the Orange Blossoms 3:45; 10. Music Everywhere
- Rediffusion March 2:57; 11. The Dam Busters March 2:56; 12. Sound
and Vision The A.T.V. Television March 3:00
CD 4 - 1952-1957 [78.29]
1. High Flight - March 2:49; 2. Impression of a Princess - Intermezzo
2:58; 3. Wood Nymphs - Valsette 2:46; 4. South Wales and West - Television
March 2:47; 5. London - Suite 13:18; 6. London Again - Suite 12:00;
7. The Three Elizabeths - Suite 19:09; 8. The Four Centuries - Suite
20.25
CD 5 - Early records [72.05]
1. Summer Days - Suite 9:53; 2. Wood Nymphs - Valsette 3:01; 3. With
a Song in my Heart. Symphonic Rhapsody, after Richard Rodgers 7:47;
4. Bird Songs at Eventide 4:01; 5. I Pitch my Lonely Caravan at Night
4:11; 6. I Heard You Singing & Bird Songs at Eventide - Symphonic
Rhapsody 4:03; 7. London - Suite 8.08; 8. London Bridge - March 3:07
9. The Jester at the Wedding : No.1 - The Princess Arrives - March 3:21;
10. The Jester at the Wedding : No.4 The Dance Of The Orange Blossoms
3.03; 11. The Three Men - Suite 12.12; 12. Wood Nymphs - Valsette 3:18;
13. Song of Loyalty (The Prayer within our Hearts) 4:16
CD 6 - Early and Acoustic records [70.25]
1. Meadow To Mayfair Suite : No.2 4:03; 2. London Again - Suite 11.28;
3. By The Sleepy Lagoon - Valse Serenade 3:20; 4. The Three Bears -
A Phantasy 8:52; 5. London Suite - Knightsbridge March 4:01; 6. Television
March 3:20; 7. Valse from the Phantasy, The Three Bears 3:07; 8. The
Merrymakers - Overture 4:06; 9. Moresque Dance - Interlude 3:37; 10.
Joyous Youth - Suite 11.33; 11. Summer Days Suite : At The Dance 3:59;
12. The Selfish Giant - A Phantasy (arr. Lucas) 8:06
Bonus CD 7 - 1918-1955 [74.33]
Performances of works which Coates did not record himself alongside
alternative and famous performances by other conductors. Including The
Peerless Orchestra, Clarence Raybould, Charles Williams, Jack Hylton,
Joseph Lewis, RAF Central Orchestra, Sidney Torch, Robert Farnon and
the Central Band of the Royal Air Force.
Track List - Complete
CD 1 [78:08]
(1923-1937)
1)
The Merrymakers Overture (1923) [4.21] rec. 1931+
From Meadow to Mayfair Suite (1931) [11.35] rec. 1931+
2)
In the Country - Rustic Dance [3.12]
3)
A Song by the Way - Romance [4.03]
4
) Evening in Town - Valse [4.20]
5
)Summer Afternoon - Idyll (1931) [3.28] rec. 1934
*
6
)Cinderella - Phantasy (1929) [12.46] **
7)
By the Sleepy Lagoon - Valse Serenade extended version
(1930) [4.36] rec. 1935 **
8)
The Jester at the Wedding (‘The Princess Arrives’)
March (1932) [3.00] rec. 1934 *
9)
By the Tamarisk - Intermezzo (1927) [4.13] rec. 1936
**
10)
Saxo-Rhapsody (1936) [8.46] with Sigurd Rascher (alto
saxophone) rec. 1937 ***
Summer Days Suite (1937) [8.17] rec. 1937 ***
11)
In a Country Lane [2.06]
12)
On the Edge of a Lake [2.19]
13)
At the Dance [3.42]
Springtime Suite (1937) [12.20] rec 1937 #
14)
Fresh Morning - Pastorale [4.01]
15)
Noonday Song - Romance [4.17]
16)
Dance in the Twilight - Valse [4.02]
17)
For Your Delight - Serenade (1937) [4.00] rec. 1937
#
+ London Symphony Orchestra
* Symphony Orchestra (unidentified) ** Symphony Orchestra (actually
London Philharmonic Orchestra) *** Symphony Orchestra (actually London
Symphony Orchestra)
+ London Symphony Orchestra; # Light Symphony Orchestra
CD 2 [77:57]
1
) Footlights - Concert Waltz (1939) [4.17] rec. 1940
#
2)
Last Love - Romance (1939) [3.54] rec. 1940 #
3)
The Seven Seas March (later re-titled
South Wales
& West) (1937) [3.14] rec. 1940 #
4)
I Sing to You (A Souvenir) (1940) [3.17] rec. 1940
#
5)
Calling All Workers March (1940) [2.59] rec. 1940 *
6)
Fanfare No. 1 (1943) [0.18] rec. 1944 +
7)
Salute the Soldier - March (1944) [3.22] rec. 1944
+
8)
Fanfare No. 2 (1943) [0.26] rec. 1944 +
9)
The Eighth Army March (1942) [2.37] rec. 1944 +
The Four Centuries Suite (1941) [18.04] rec. 1944 ≠
10)
Prelude & Hornpipe - 17thCentury
[4.21]
11)
Pavane & Tambourin - 18thCentury
[4.46]
12)
Valse - 19thCentury [4.41]
13)
Rhythm - 20thCentury [4.16]
The Three Elizabeths Suite (1944) [17.49] rec.1944 ≠
14)
Halcyon Days - Elizabeth Tudor [6.35]
15)
Springtime in Angus -Elizabeth of Glamis, The Queen Mother
[6.37]
16)
Youth of Britain (March) - The Princess Elizabeth [4.34]
17)
Dancing Nights - Concert Valse (1931) [6.48] rec.
1945 +
18)
London Calling -March (1941) [2.55] rec. 1946 +
19)
London Bridge - March (1934) [4.05] rec. 1946 +
20)
London Suite - Knightsbridge March (Abridged Version)
(1932) [2.56] rec. 1948
+ London Symphony Orchestra; # Light Symphony Orchestra * Symphony Orchestra
(unidentified) ≠ The National Symphony Orchestra
CD 3 [78.33]
1)
A Song of Loyalty (orchestral version) (1935) [3.19]
rec. 1948
2)
By the Sleepy Lagoon - Valse Serenade (1930) [3.15]
rec. 1948
3)
Bird Songs at Eventide (arranged by H. M. Higgs) [3.08]
rec. 1948
4)
Television March (1946) [3.19] rec. 1948
5)
Wood Nymphs - Valsette (1917) [3.09] rec. 1948
London Suite (1932) [13.27]
6)
Covent Garden - Tarantelle [4.43]
7)
Westminster - Meditation [4.29]
8)
Knightsbridge - March [4.15]
London Again Suite (1936) [12.51]
9)
Oxford Street (March) [3.31]
10)
Langham Place - Elegy [5.04]
11)
Mayfair - Valse [4.16]
The Three Men Suite (1935) [13.08] rec. 1949
12)
The Man From the Country [4.09]
13)
The Man About Town [4.37]
14)
The Man From the Sea [4.22]
15)
The Jester at the Wedding No. 4 Dance of the Orange
Blossoms (1932) [3.45] rec. 1949
16)
The Three Bears - A Phantasy (1926) [9.14] rec. 1949
17)
Music Everywhere - Rediffusion March (1948) [2.57]
rec. 1949
18)
The Dam Busters March (1954) [2.56] rec. 1955
19)
Sound and Vision - The ATV Television March (1955)
[3.00] rec. 1955
All recordings on CD3 made with New Symphony Orchestra except
Music
Everywhere with Queen’s Hall Light Orchestra; and
The Dam
Busters March and the
Sound and Vision March with a Concert
Orchestra
CD 4 [78.29]
1)
High Flight - March (1957) [2.49] rec. 1957
*
2)
Impression of a Princess - Intermezzo (1956) [2.58]
rec. 1957 *
3)
Wood Nymphs - Valsette (1917) [2.46] rec. 1957 *
4)
South Wales & West - Television March (1937 [2.47]
rec,. 1957 *
London Suite (1932) [13.18] rec. 1952 ≠
5)
Covent Garden - Tarantelle [4.41]
6)
Westminster - Meditation [4.25]
7)
Knightsbridge - March [4.12]
London Again Suite (1936) [12.40] rec. 1952 ≠
8)
Oxford Street - March [3.29]
9)
Langham Place - Elegy [4.59]
10)
Mayfair - Valse [4.12]
The Three Elizabeths Suite (1944) [18.49] rec. 1953 +
11) Halcyon Days - Elizabeth Tudor [7.23]
12) Springtime in Angus - Elizabeth of Glamis [7.05]
13) Youth of Britain - March - The Princess Elizabeth [4.41]
The Four Centuries Suite (1941) [21.05] rec. 1953 +
14)
Prelude & Hornpipe - 17
th Century [6.19]
15)
Pavane & Tambourin - 18
th Century [5.53]
16)
Valse - 19
th Century [4.38]
17)
Rhythm - 20
th Century [4.15]
* Eric Coates and his Orchestra ≠ Philharmonic Promenade Orchestra
(section of London Philharmonic) + New Symphony Orchestra of London
CD 5 [72.05]
Summer Days - Suite (1919) [9.53] rec. 1926 +
1)
In a Country Lane [2.43]
2)
On the Edge of the Lake (Isle of the Waters) [3.26]
3)
At the Dance [3.44]
4)
Wood Nymphs [3.01] +
5)
With A Song In My Heart (Symphonic Rhapsody after Richard
Rogers) (1930) [7.47] rec. 1930. ≠
6)
Bird Songs at Eventide (1926) with vocalist Billy Scott-Coomber
and Jack Payne and his Band [4.01] rec. 1932
7)
I Pitch my Lonely Caravan at Night - Symphonic Rhapsody
(1932) [4.11] rec.1933 *
8)
I Heard You Singing & Bird Songs at Eventide -
Symphonic Rhapsody (1932) [4.03] rec. 1933 *
London Suite (1932) [13.18] rec. 1933 *
9)
Covent Garden - Tarantelle [4.41]
10)
Westminster - Meditation [4.25]
11)
Knightsbridge - March [4.12]
12)
London Bridge - March (1934) [3.07] **
13)
The Jester at the Wedding:
No. 1 The Princess Arrives
(1932) [3.21] rec. 1935 *
14)
The Jester at the Wedding:
No. 4 The Dance of the
Orange Blossoms - Valse (1932) [3.03] rec. 1934] **
The Three Men - Suite (1935) [12.52] rec. 1935 ±
15)
The Man From the Country [3.55]
16)
The Man About Town [4.20]
17)
The Man From the Sea [4.37]
18)
Wood Nymphs - Valsette (1917) [3.18] rec. 1935 ±
19
) Song of Loyalty (The Prayer Within Our Hearts) (1935)
[4.16] rec. 1935
* Symphony Orchestra (actually London Philharmonic Orchestra); ** Symphony
Orchestra # New Queen’s Hall Light Orchestra; + New Queen’s
Hall Light Orchestra; ≠ The Court Symphony Orchestra; ± Light
Symphony Orchestra (actually London Philharmonic Orchestra
CD 6 [70.25]
1
) Meadow to Mayfair Suite: No. 2 - ‘A Song By the
Way’ (1931) [4.03] rec. 1935 *
London Again Suite (1936) [12.40] rec. 1936 **
2)
Oxford Street - March [3.12]
3)
Langham Place - Elegy [4.20]
4)
Mayfair - Valse [3.56]
5)
By the Sleepy Lagoon - Valse Serenade (1930) [3.20]
rec. rec. 1940 *
6)
The Three Bears - A Phantasy (1926) [8.52] rec. 1945
+
7)
London Suite - ‘Knightsbridge March’ (1932)
[4.01] rec. 1946 +
8)
Television March (1946) [3.20] +
9) ‘Valse’ from The Phantasy
The Three Bears
(1949) [3.07] rec. 1949 ≠
10)
The Merrymakers - Overture (1923) [4.06] rec. 1923
(acoustic recording) ≠
11)
Moresque - Interlude (1921) [3.37] rec. 1923 (acoustic
recording) ≠
Joyous Youth - Suite (1921) [11.33] rec. 1923 (acoustic
recordings) #
12)
Introduction [4.04]
13)
Serenade [3.59]
14)
Valse [3.30]
15)
Summer Days Suite:
At the Dance (1919) [3.59]
rec. 1926 #
16)
The Selfish Giant - A Phantasy (arr. Leighton Lucas)
(1925) [8.06] rec. 1926
* Symphony Orchestra; ** Symphony Orchestra (actually London Philharmonic);
+ London Symphony Orchestra; ≠ New Queen’s Hall Light Orchestra;
# The Aeolian Orchestra
BONUS CD 7 [74.33]
From The Countryside - Suite (1914) [6.59] rec. circa
1918
The Peerless Orchestra
1)
Early Morning - In the Meadows [1.36]
2)
Afternoon - Among the Poppies [2.05]
3)
Evening - At the Fair [3.18]
Miniature Suite (1911) [8.42] rec. 1931
Clarence Raybould conducting Light Symphony Orchestra
4)
Children’s Dance [2.16]
5)
Intermezzo [2.15]
6)
Scene du Bal [4.11]
Joyous Youth - Suite (1921) [8.19] rec. 1942
Charles Williams conducting the Queen’s Hall Light Orchestra
12)
Introduction [2.34]
13)
Serenade [2.49]
14)
Valse [2.56]
10)
Moresque - Dance Interlude (1921) [2.45] rec. 1944
Charles Williams conducting the Queen’s Hall Light Orchestra
Two Light Syncopated Pieces (1924-25) [5.17]
11)
Moon Magic [2.13]
Charles Williams conducting the Queen’s Hall Light Orchestra rec.
1946
12)
Rose Of Samarkand [3.04]
Jack Hylton and His Orchestra rec. 1926
13)
The Selfish Giant - A Phantasy (1925) [8.08] rec.1945
The New Concert Orchestra conducted by John Leon
Four Ways Suite (1927) [12.17] rec. 1934
Joseph Lewis conducting the New Light Symphony Orchestra
14)
Northwards - March [4.12]
15)
Southwards - Valse (1.17]
16)
Eastwards - Eastern Dance [2.47]
17)
Westwards - Rhythm [4.01]
18)
Mirage - Romance (1928) [2.43] rec. 1942
Charles Williams conducting the Queen’s Hall Light Orchestra
19)
Under the Stars (1928) [3.07] rec. 1946
Charles Williams conducting the Queen’s Hall Light Orchestra
20)
Lazy Night - Valse Romantique (1931) [2.47] rec. 1932
Cedric Sharpe Sextet
21)
Over to You - March (1941) [3.09] rec. 1942
RAF Central Orchestra conducted by Wing Commander O. P. O’Donnell
MVO
22)
Holborn - March (1950) [3.20] rec. 1950
Sidney Torch and his Orchestra
23)
Sweet Seventeen - Concert Waltz (1954) [2.44] rec.
1955
The Melodi Light Orchestra conducted by Ole Jensen
24)
The Dam Busters March (1954) [3.00] rec. 1955
Central Band of The Royal Air Force conducted by Wing Commander A.E.
Sims OBE
