CD REVIEW – Archibald
JOYCE
Orchestral Works
RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Dublin
Andrew Penny
Naxos 8555218 [66’57]

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Archibald Joyce was born in Pimlico in 1873 and lived for 89 years. He was a composer – the first Brit to have his works published on the Continent – and conductor, leading his own orchestra for many years sometimes involving 100 musicians. He was generally known as "The English Waltz King".

The opening number on this album is Dreaming, the piece for which he is best known today. Most of the tracks here are also in waltz time, although there are exceptions in a stirring Prince of Wales (Grand March) and the polka Frou-Frou. For some readers this last-named together with Brighton Hike will be a reminder of the old-time dance orchestras of the 1940s and 1950s for which they were composed.

Maybe other remembered pieces for our oldest readers will be A Thousand Kisses, used by Charlie Chaplin in his classic 'The Gold Rush' silent film, a dramatic The Passing of Salome, and Songe d’automne (Dream of Autumn), which was possibly being played on The RMS Titanic as she went down, and remains one of Joyce's most recorded works.

The 1916 stage score Toto is a 9'14" selection edited by Philip Lane, whose radio documentary on Joyce helped lead a revival of interest in the composer during the 1990s. The other 15 tracks all play for less than five minutes each. Among them is Dreams of You, Caravan Suite and Acushla, or Darling, written by Joyce as a tribute to his wife, Florence, whom he married in 1919.

The afore-mentioned Philip Lane was music consultant throughout and also contributed an outstanding set of booklet notes: five pages on Joyce, seven on the music and one on the excellent orchestra and conductor, who greatly add to the attraction of this release.

Another in the label's re-issued British Light Music series, [originally published in 1995–Ed], the music has elegance and charm reminiscent of a less complicated Age. Most of it was new to me and I enjoyed it all immensely.

© Peter Burt 2023