Superb Showcase For A Titan Of The Light Music Genre
Barry McCanna | Normandy, France | 07/14/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Lovers of light music have cause to be grateful to Robert Farnon, and his memory is well served by this 2-CD set. It has been compiled and remastered by David Ades and Alan Bunting respectively, which fact will be commendation enough to members of the Robert Farnon Society. The first disc showcases his film music, with soundtrack excerpts from "Spring In Park Lane" and "Maytime In Mayfair", which reflect that milieu of sophistication, and "Just William's Luck" and "William Comes To Town" which, like Richmal Crompton's eponymous schoolboy, bubble with unrepressed vigour.
They are interspersed with his orchestral compositions, including two of the most famous, namely "Jumping Bean" and "Portrait Of A Flirt", but for me the piece which epitomises his brilliance is the impressionistic tone poem "How Beautiful Is Night". He had the ability to create complex yet instantly accessible music, but his talents did not stop there. He was also a superb accompanist, and the second disc features him playing behind some of Decca's roster of singers, including Vera Lynn, Anne Shelton, Beryl Davis and Denny Dennis, concluding with Gracie Fields in a selection from Cinderella.
All these recordings date from between 1947 and 1956, which fact you'd be hard put to guess from the quality of the remastering, which is quite remarkable. The presentation is in keeping with Jasmine's usual high standard, with an informative liner note by David Ades.
"
Master composer
paul batscha | springfield, il. United States | 08/25/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Farnon was a master composer of light,sometimes heavier, music,and a tremendous orchestrator. These recordings are mono and sound it, but anything by or conducted by Farnon is worth listening to."
Track Listings (46) - Disc #1