CD REVIEW – Frederic CURZON
Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra /Adrian Leaper
Naxos 8.555172 [66:25]

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Ernest Frederic Curzon, born in London on 4 September 1899, was very much a man of music: composer, conductor, pianist – also an able violinist and cellist – and organist. For some 20 years he was primarily recognized throughout the land as a bravura player of the last-named instrument, and was one of the first to play the new electronic models. He was then involved in broadcasting until 1958, often being heard at the keyboard of the BBC Theatre Organ. He was also, for quite a time, head of publisher Boosey and Hawkes' Light Music Department and, interestingly, served as president of the Light Music Society.

He wrote music for theatre, documentary films and radio. And he became well known for his enormous number of light orchestral compositions such as, arguably the most popular of these, the swashbuckling The Boulevardier, the charmingly named Dance of an Ostracized Imp (an early favourite of Tony Clayden's), the miniature high-spirited overture Pulchinello, the cheery Robin Hood Suite and Saltarello for piano and orchestra, played here by Silvia Cápová. They are all among the 17 tracks on this disc, which also include In Malaga, Capricante and La Pieneta being indicative of his great fascination with Spanish music.

Curzon died at Bournemouth on 6 December 1973. One of his obituarists described him as "a classic among English light music composers", and his eminently pleasing music lives on in this album that has much to admire both for the playing under maestro Leaper's baton and the recording.

It is the sixth in Naxos's new fast growing British Light Music series previously released on the Marco Polo label, so if you missed it in 1992 make sure you get it now. I wonder who will be next?

© Peter Burt 2022