Review: Delicious Coates Orchestral Works, Vol. 1

Coates: The Merrymakers, The Jester at the Wedding, Dancing Nights, Ballad, Two Symphonic Rhapsodies, By The Sleepy Lagoon, London Suite. BBC Philharmonic, John Wilson (cond.) Chandos

[paulwally]

Your renditions are awesome! I bought all four volumes.

[ervinvice]

Here in the Pacific Northwest we have come to expect “smoke season” every year. It sucks. Meanwhile, happy to see coverage of Eric Coates. What is often called “British Light Music” doesn’t get the respect and attention it deserves.

[leestamm]

In former days, music like this often was found in the record store's "Light Classical" section. I don't hear that term used anymore. As noted, Coates was a mainstay of that genre.

[FREDGARRISON]

The Canadian Smoke here in Pennsylvania (Wilkes-Barre area) is terrible, but your videos are like a breath of fresh air. When the smoke first appeared, people were calling me asking if I had been thinking again. Nice video as DAVE !!!

[herbchilds]

Lots of good marches to brace sagging spirits during wartime, such as
"Dam Busters" and "London Calling." "Cinderella" and "The Three Bears" are
fine little fairytale suites. "Halcyon Days, " part 1 of "Three Elizabeths, " alludes to
QE 1 and was the theme music for BBC's great TV series, "Forsyte Saga."

[murraylow]

Dear Dave. So sorry about all the smoke, of course it’s in the news here, looks horrible :-(
As for by the sleepy lagoon, the main reason it is so popular here in the UK is that it has been the theme tune for the BBCs “Desert Island Discs” for decades and decades, so everybody knows it (and the idea of a desert island disc, which I suppose people everywhere knows even if they’ve never heard the programme)

[Wolfcrag]

I believe John Wilson had previously recorded two discs of Coates' orchestral works for the ASV label.

[johannessauer]

How about doing a special like "the top ten of English Light Music" or something like that as an introduction? I was already a big fan back in Germany (quite exotic there) before I moved to London...

[carlconnor]

David, you’re voice is sounding better today.

[rogergersbach]

Nice review as always Dave. On a side note, Chandos has just released an Album of Tchaikovsky Tone Poems by Alpesh Chauhan and BBCSSO and praised by the Presto reviewer as "stuff that dreams are made on." Looking forward to your review of this, please when you get time.

[charlienelson]

Hi Dave,  
Do check out John Wilsons Bennett recordings.
All the best.